New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-17
REPORT HITS AHEARN.
Continued from First Page.

made permits issued 10y his Office the Borough
President has made possible the wholly improper
practice of burdening the applicants for permits
to open pavements with the OF activities in
way involved in the repatriation Of the damage done
by them The use Of these deposits to supply the
deficiency of appropriation accounts has defrauded
the depostors of the refunds Of the amounts col
lected In excess of the actual to the city Of
restoring the pavement they removed.
The report says further that in the bureau Of
highways bartenders, fish dealers and others
were carried on the payroll without giving SER
vice to the city for the money they received
This bureau is under the supervision Of George
T. Scanne Tammany leader of the Goth Dis
trict. The report concludes regarding this:
The revelations Of Irregularities in the payroll
OF the bureau of highways are especially signh-
cant in view Of the refusal If the superintendent Of
that bureau to submit to examination at our hear
ings.
PAYROLL IRREGULARITIES.
Among the recommendations covering the bu-
reau of highways the following:
our examination disclosed totally incompetent
administration of the affairs of the bureau. the
improper conduct Of work inadequate inspection.
conversion of funds and Irregularities in the pay
roll. We recommend in this connection:
Flrst-The concentration Of responsibility for the
work OF the bureau In single. technically com
petent head; this head to be engineer. having
control over the entire work In our Judgment the
head Of this bureau should be responsible for the
condition Of the highways and thoroughly COM
petent technically to discharge this responsibility.
SeConu-lNe revision OF the SpeclICatlOnS LOT re-
paving with sheet asphalt, asphalt block and wood
block pavements.
Third-The organization Of a system of Inspec-
ton and report 10 insure compliance with the
specifications of contracts.
Fourth-The reorganization of tho routine in
spection OF the pavements to insure their proper
maintenance A necessary part of this reOrgan-
izaon will be the dismissal OF all tho inspectors
who have proven themselves Incompetent, who,
cordng TO the former chief engineer. George r.
Orey constitute so per cent Of the force
Fifth-Enforcement Of tho provisions Of main
tenance contracts by forfeiture of bonds and
cldslon OF defaultins contractors from future bid
ding
EXCESSIVE PROFIT To CONTRACTORS.
With reference to tho administration OF the
bureau OF public buildings ana offices by Will
lam II. Walker, the report says:
Passing our Judgment, however. on the charges
into whose reasonableness we were able TO inquire
! total $S2S TSP So spent without contract by Mr.
/ Walker during the three years covered by In
quiry fully 80 per cent represents excessive profit
90 contractors. and consequent total loss 10 the
city. inquiry, tho Bureau Of Municipal Research
learned that No. 2lS 5lst street was occupied
| by the sons of William II. Walker, the superin-
tendent OF the bureau Of public buildings and Of
/ fees. lumber yard. The lease Of tho premises
| however, was held hy William II. Walker himself
! We later learned. from examination Of the bank
accounts Of William II. Walker. James McCleery,
/ Michael IIallanau ana Thomas Blake that amounts
fractIouaIIv identical with the amounts OF the
! Lynch. Boyce & Lynch and TydlnEs warrants
| cashcd by McC'leerv Halanan & Blake, had been
/ deposited I'm Walkers account Immediately after
the Identical amounts had been drawn by the three
! Intermediates.
| We were unable TO secure the original checks. be-
cause Of the refusal OF the TO produce them
/ Mr.. Walker. I'm published statement however
! acknowledges the fact that he had received part
! OF the proceeds OF the warrants drawn In payment
! of orders issued by him. but That he had received
/ It In behalf OF his sons. We have no doubt lhat
this business" established solely for the pur-
! pose OF receiving orders from the bureau or pub
/ lie buildings and Offices
! In the case OF the Metropolitan Equipment and
! Supply Company found one ~ the most serious
/ and far-reaching abuses uncovered In the course
! of our Investigation This company has for years
! been acting as a broker for the city buying from
manufacturers and dealers and selling 70 the city
/ at an eXtravagant profit
BOYHAN HELD UP TO RIDICULE.
J OF William J. Boyhan, superintendent Of the
bureau of sewers. the report has not kind
word It says:
Mr. Boyhan was appointed superintendent by
| Borough President Ahearn on February IL last.
| His testimony was given before on juno .. His
| superintendency mad extended over n period or
! three and q hnif months Were the matter not one
! OF public Importance sufficient to make II grave.
! his testimony might justly be termed ludicrous-
| This public official after a three months term as
/ a chief executive officer hdd not II rudtTueutIfy
knowledge Of the workings of his department lie
| knew generally that his bureau had supervision or
the sewers Of tho borough, but how II exercised
| It, through what officers or by what system he
| was cheerfully and frankly ignorant He was
aware that reconstruction work was carried on
hut believed that II solely under the direction
! OF the engineers. lie had never heard of n super
intendent of construction and was innocent Of any
knowledge that officers functions or duties. lie
| had never made any inquiry TO the methods
formerly in use I'm the bureau, as to the volume or
| EXPENSE OF it's various operations as 10 tho cost
OF various classes OF construction, or as to prices or
materials He believed it better business policy to
| give out repair work under $1,000 on open orders
| than on contract after competitive bidding. pro-
yIded that the recipient OF the order the right
man His only activity would appear 10 be the In
| spection OF sewer basins, in driving about the
| borough for the purpose of learning from the ap-
pearance OF the cutters whether they were clogged
| With this one exception we have been unable
10 learn from Mr.. Boyhan that since his appoint
| ment he has performed any function other than
| those of transmitting papers and blindly signing
| his name upon the recommendations OF suoordi-
| mates. More than in disclaming any control
| over some branch OF bureau work Mr.. Boyhan de-
| clared that he was only the superintendent We
are still at loss to know what meaning that title
| held for Mr.. Boyhan
ONE BUREAU NOT NECESSARY.
| or the bureau of membranes ii is said
This bureau is unnecessary branch of the
| Borough Presidents office. useful pur-
| pose by reason OF the division of responsibility be-
| tween It and the Department of Street Cleaning
| and its own insufficient equipment is needless
| public expense and should be abolished. To this
| end there has been here in other bureaus.
favored contractor Since January /, 1904, Patrick
Corriean has received all the orders issued by the
| bureau. Mr.. Corrgan, like the contractors in the
other bureaus, selected by the Borough Presi-
| dent personally; the bureau has employed no sys-
| TEN of control, and has certified its bills hap
| hazard.
| The chief criticism which have TO make of
| the administration OF this bureau is that no at
| tempt has apparently been made by the supern-
| tendent to enforce compliance with>the ordinances
| and that In such action $ he has taken to that
end he has been controlled largely. II not entirely
| by personal political considerations