New-York tribune., 1907-06-02
"GRAFT TN RICHMOND"
NO, NO, SAYS CROMWELL.
Question Of Surrey Payrolls Simply
Misunderstood, He Says.

When Richmond County was admitted lnlo
the Greater New York family as Richmond Bor
ough it was found that there was no coherent
survey of the island. To remedy this 1t was at
once decided to establish the necessary ma
chinery to make this section of New York city
as complete in typographical and other data
any other section of the great metropolis
Thus it came about that much heartburnlng
has been caused on Staten Island among those
who were not chosen by the people to rule
To-day the survey work is about half finished
at cost Of nearly $5OO00O and according to the
in charge the finishing touches to the sur
vey will not be given until 1913. There has even
been talk by the enemies of the officers in charge
of referring the matter to the Commissioners
Of Accounts who ranging around delvins
into the various departments Of the city. This
appeal. 1t is said will surely be made.
The survey Of Staten Island to locate build
ings, property lines, fences and elevations for
general, street and sewer purposes was begun
in April. 1902. The President OF the Borough
is George Cromwell. His secretary Is Moses
Altman. Mr.. Cromwell had Commissioner OF
Public Works Louis L. Tribus. but he resigned
to become consulting engineer in the survey
work He then became also acting Commits
sioner of Public Works. Mr.. Tribus is also act
ing Borough President whenever Mr. Cromwell
is away. AS Public Works Commissioner he re-
ceived 5000 a year. His present salary Is
$4,000.
Thus he does the work Of the Board of Works
Commissioner which under the charter pays
$4,000. and the work of acting president and
consulting engineer. for $1,000 year.
The principal assistant typographical engt-
neer is George w. Tuttle. who has been at the
head of the survey work since 1908. There is
no engineer in chief. Here again Mr.. Tribus
steps in. There is no necessity of engineer
in chief so long as Mr.. Tribus is consulting
engineer. There a chief engineer when Mr..
Cromwell took office but he was removed as
Mr.. Tribus could do the work When the sur
veyors turned In as sheet for the survey atlas
which is being prepared. the contract for print
ing given TO cousin of Mr.. Tribus.
Now. this atlas printer being cousin of Mr..
Trbus. naturally understood that he would
have to do the work cheaper than any one else
could possibly do 1t there would be charges
Of favoritism. There. again. was shown the
wisdom of the selection The enemies of Messrs.
Cromwell Tribus Tuttle and Altman charge
what might be called nepotism.
THE TRIUMVIRATE COURTEOUS.
A reporter for The Tribune went to see
Messrs. Cromwell Trtbus and Tuttle yesterday.
They gave facts and figures in relation to the
progress of the survey work on the island with
the utmost willingness.
According to tho figures the cost OF the survey
UP to date has been S453.159 Of Mr. Trlbus said
that the same ratio OF cost would prevail until
the work was finished. In other words, the
work of surveying Staten Island. which contains
$4,000 acres. VIII cost the greater city over
100000 The money for this work comes from
the general fund.
one OF the surveyors on the island said that
the cost was eXorhitant. that the work would
have to be done again. because 1t had all
been done by plane table instead of stadia.
which means that the surveys have not been
done according to the most effective and useful
ways But here again Mr.. Tuttle. who is an
expert surveyor and Mr.. Tri5us. who is an
expert civil engineer. give the most unsavory
kind OF a reputation TO the stada kind of sur
vey. saying that the plane table kind is the most
useful will give the best results all along the
line and that what is being done by the Bor
ough of Richmond surveyors is in line with the
best work being done throughout the whole
municipality.
When the men who are disGruntled with Pres
ident Cromwell and Mr.. Trbus are through
with their announcements of the methods of
surveying they turn to the payroll. They be-
licks here but Mr.. Cromwell says the force en-
ployed is far from being too numerous. or too ex-
pensive There are 1876 men on the survey pay
roll They are Civil Service men. Hence they
are supposed to be well qualified men. Mr..
Cromwell Mr. Tribus and Mr. Tuttle feel that
they should be lax in their duties II they did
not provide work for all of these men at all
times