New-York tribune., 1907-04-17
GOT BIG CITY PLUM.
MOOD COMPANY FAVORED.
Mr.. Akearn Care 81 100000 Worth
of Contracts IN T7cO Years.

scars seems 10 have given TO the United States
Wood Preserving Company more than $1,000,
600 worth Of contracts for wood paving.
The rarniications of this hrm-whether there
are Tammany district leaders connected with
A. and how It got so much business almost with
out opposition. is a question that Corporation
Counsel Ellison is going 10 ask Mr.. Ahearn
about as soon as he gets a chance. The refusal
Of the Borough President on Monday TO go on
the stand prevented the Corporation Counsel
from making inquiries about this particular con-
tract.
in 1908 the United States Wood Preserving
Company got all four contracts for wood paw
ing all that were awarded for that kind of
work In 1905 the same company obtained hf-
teen out Of twenty contracts for wood paving,
the Franklin Construction Company four, and
Eppinger & Russell one. There were l2.690
square yards Of this kind Of pavement laid in
1904 and 6Sl yards in 1905. at a cost. in the
latter year, Of Sc 26 a square yard. or a total
Of Just about $700O00 The figures for 1906
are not all in yet. but fl is understood that the
United States company got nearly all of the
work last year. and that there was more laid
last year than in 1905.
John P. Mitchell. associated with the Commits
sioners of Accounts in the investigation of the
Borough Presidents office says that samples Of
this wood block paving were shown Mr Ahearn
five days before the bids were opened that the
United States company submitted specifications
for the paving that il afterward did ana that
Mr Ahearn did not change the specifications
and further that the specifications for changes
for paving TO be done this year were submitted
70 the Borough President 10y the United States
company and were accepted by him without
change The wood paving cost Sc IS a yard in
1894 and Sc 26 yard in 1905.
J. P. MITCHELL's REPORT.
Partly on account Of a resolution passed by
the Board Of Aldermen yesterday, Corporation
Counsel Ellison last night released for publca-
ton many Of the findings Of his assistant, Mr.
Mitchell, who for a month. in connection with
the Commissioners Of Accounts has been going
through the books in Borough President
Ahearn's Office The Corporation Counsel thinks
that with what has already been revealed a
starter the commissioners win bring out a lot
Of significant and interesting things.
Mr.. Mitchell's report says that the various de-
partments Of the Borough President placed in
1904 without public letting, open orders
S29sS67 worth Of work and in 1905 S2O5405. ~
which the Bureau Of Public Buildings and Offices
had in the year 1904 slso4lS and in 1905
sl625l5
Without public bids the commissioners re-
port. in 1904 J. ". O'Brien got s25.876 worth ~
plumbing contracts. and in 1905 sIS.214. In
1905 o'srien and Ryder the same o'Bren and
Patrick Ryder. got &s0,212 20 worth of contracts
The Victor Heating Company in 1904 got s6.2s0
worth of ironvgork contracts. and In 1905 $3.50
James McCleary got in painting contracts with
o1t public letting S2.777 worth Of work in 1so4
md in 1905 SS304 worth. NJ. H Lynch got car
pentry worl, worth ss74G in 1904 and Boyce &
Lynch. the same Lynch. S7.439 in 1905.
The Metropolitan Equipment and Supply
Company in which big Tammany politician is
said TO be Interested. got in 1904 sl2.Ol5 worth
OF contracts, and in 1895 sIs,3l4. while in 1906
Il got S20S60.
Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Bruere ~ the Citizens
Union. wfio have been helping with the figures
said that there had been violations OF section
4ls Of the charter. relating 10 public advertising
for all contracts involving $1,000.
The single instance they think they found OF
Tho violation Of the charter provision IS in the
case u two rooms fitted up with quartered oak
partitions for District Attorney Jerome in the
Criminal Courts Building. Sayward & Co. got
the contract in two parts for 1,17G %
SPECIAL TRUST PLUMBING FUND.
The commissioners went into the special trust
fund for paying for the cuts plumbers make in
asphalt. II said few days ago that Will
tam n. WINS would go to the grand jury about
this fund, which has been established since
1850 Plumbers were required to deposit Ger
tain TO pay for the holes they made but
the city got the work done more cheaply and
the surplus should have amounted, IT was said.
70 about Sl.0O0O00. Of which little is left.
The report states that William II. Walker,
Superintendent Of Public Buildings and Offices.
has kept his books that the examiners
unable 10 find single public building for which
the detailed expenses for repairs and mainte-
nance for the year 1896 could be itemized.
In the Bureau of Sewers the commissioners
report that work let without contract amounted
in 1904 10 S20,7i2; in l9O5 to S22OJO All Of
these open orders for this work. Mr.. Mitchell
said, were given 10 the Hickey Contracting Com
pany. In 1905 they got. in round numbers $780,
600 worth
Concrete base FOR pavements shows figures
that the commissioners believe VIII need ex-
plantations. They say that for sheet asphalt il
has cost the city So "a cubic yard. for block
asphalt 50 O6 and for wood block So 10. all the
prices being for 1908. In 1905 the city paid
50 ~ for the base asphalt sheet. 81 O6 for the
asphalt block base and SO 26 for wood block
base.
Mr.. Ellison goes 70 Albany on the S:45 o'clock
train this morning TO see Governor Hughes
about sending a special message to the Legis-
lHture asking for an investigating committee to
90 into every department OF the city govern
ment.
The United States Wood Preserving Company
Is a corporation organized under the laws Of
New Jersey. with an Office at No. % Broadway
ana with the following officers: William II.
childs. president: Gray O. Strother secretary;
Alfred r. Clements treasurer. Capital, 100000
It's directors are william H Childs w H.
Nichols Sanford H. Steele. George w Kenyon.
EVersley Childs ". w. Niles Alexander Reed,
Frederick A. Hummer, John G. Platt. Ernest J.