The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-17
BLAME is LAID ON AHEARN
by COMMISSIONERS OF ACCOUNTS
IN REPORT 10 THE MAYOR.

NaIfNN NIN EltftNSOI dlI ltC u We Lee IN
In RecOrdership Election. VIII BE ''lt."
Extravaganza, incompetency persistent
violation Of the laws relating TO the making
Of contracts, the giving out Of work 1
favored contractors and many other irregu-
larities have been found n the bureaus un-
der the jurisdiction Of Borough President
Ahearn, according TO the report Of the Com
m ssioners of Accounts presented to the
Mayor yesterday. The report also asserts
that evidence of corruption was found in
the Bureau Of Buildings. h Commits
sioners hold Mr.. Ahearn personally respon-
sible for all the misfeasance and irregu-
~larities, on the ground that las bureau heads
were his dummies
Mayor Mcclellan will forward the report
and the testimony 70 Gov Hughes to-day
with no recommendations.
Should the Borough President be deposed,
his successor who will I'll out the unex-
pired term Of nearly two and n half years.
will be elected by the Aldermen &C ;he
Borough of Manhattan. There ere thirty
seven Of these Aldermen, Of which sixteen
are Tammany men sixteen Republicans
and five NJ. O. Leaguers. The NJ. o: men,
who thus hold the balance of power, are
James } Smith Of the Twelfth district;
H. L Leverett. Twenty-second; John j.
Cronin, Twenty-sixth; Cornelius ID. Noonan,
%Thirty-ffth. and Joseph NJ. Torpey. Thirty
seventh. For many months past all five
have generally voted with the Tammany
members.
The report finds that.
/. The President delegated no executive
discretion to the Commissioner of Public
Works or the heads Of bureaus
. He parsonallv annointe ed and alma "a
signed or transferred all his subordinates.
3. He required the chief engineers of tho
Bureaus of Sewers and Highways TO report
10 him on all matters requiring executive de-
termination.
= He exercised personal control over the
preparation Of specifications for and the
letting of contracts,
5. He personally authorized additional pay
ments TO contractors in excess OF 5 per cent.
Of the contract amount. the limit fixed by sec
ton 40 OF the Charter.
o. He personally selected the contractors TO
whom orders for supplies and repairs were
given.
:. He personally signed all such orders for
repairs and supplies.
s. He personally signed and certified 10 the
propriety of payroll charges.
q. He signed orders for supplies and re-
pairs which should have been contracted for.
10. He personally controlled the Issue OF
permits 10 COT pOIatlOuS 10 open tlTetts.
II. He personally issued all orders TO paving
companies to make repairs.
The Commissioners make these charges
against the different bureaus.
BUREAU OF
!. The psvements in an extraordinary con-
dition of disre pair.
2 Specifications for paving work seriously
defective.
3. Recommendations of experts employed
by the Borough President to advise on matters
relating to pavements ignored.
4. No system Of inspection and report in the
bureau to prevent the deterioration OF pave
ments.
5. Retention Of incompetent inspectors.
9. Failure to repair holes recorded in 1904.
1905 and 1900.
7. Paving compan MES not required TO comply
with the terms OF their contracts with respect
TO maintenance.
s.. Funds available for repa win g not utilized.
0. Trust fund for repaving plumbers cuts
diverted TO general payroll purposes
10. Unbalanced bidding on wood block paw
ina. because OF inefficient en- gineers.
II. Excuses paid TO paving contractor
without proper investigation of causes,
IA. Contract specifications not enforced.
10. Irregularities in payrolls.
BUREAU OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OFFICES.
/. Inaccurate and unkept records.
?. Excessive expenditure OF funds without
contract.
8. Illicit connection between superintendent
and contractors.
=. Exorbitsnt prices paid favored con-
tractors.
5. Supplies purchased through brokers
and middlemen.
g. Numerous violations Of section 40 re-
specting the purchase OF supplies or making
OF repairs costing in excess Of o. 900.
7. Total absence OF business methods in
expenditure Of money without contract.
BUREAU OF SEWERS.
/. Incompetent and useless superintendent.
?. No executive supervision of work.
8. Repeated evasions Of section 40 Of the
Charter. benehtine a favored contractor.
T. Incompetent inspectors.
5. An efficient chief engineer.
BUREAU OF MEMBRANES
1. No systematic method Of work.
2. Lack OF executive supervision.
8. Subordination Of bureau functions to
political purposes.
=. Absence OF control over work of favored
contractor.
BUREAU OF BUILDINGS.
/. No supervision exercised over favored
contractor.
?. Exorbitant charges allowed contractors.
3. Evidence OF corruption Of bureaus in
spectors.
4. ADrogatlon OF bullulng Nouc by the Use
Of official discretion.
S. Frequent violation OF code permitted.
endangering lives and property.
q. Contradictory rulings Of superintendent
IN similar cases.
In 1904. 1905 and 1905 Mr.. Ahearn. ac-
oording TO the report. has spent 81 .6os. 763
for work done and materials purchased with
out advertising for public bids. His books
ave been badly kept and are inaccurate.
The report goes into great detail. IL recon-
mends the abolition Of the Bureau OF IN
cumbrances. IL says in conclusion
In our opinion the inef1ciency. neglect.
waste and corruption disclosed in the course
OF this inquiry afford u striking example OF
what may be expected in greater or lcss de-
gree in any department NJ the city govern
ment when, as in the Office Of the Presid ent
of she Borough Of Manhattan, there is an I'M
scientific distribution Of governmental func-
tions and a lack OF a controlling and informing
system of accounts and periodic reports"
Mr.. Ahearn refused TO make any com
ment on the report.