New-York tribune., 1907-12-27
WATER BOARD TO FIGHT
READY TO MEET CHARGES.
Commissioners Claim Clear Con-
science ON AShOEan AUGrd.

I'VE ready to meet any charges that may be
preferred we will not resign" With these words
Charles A. Shaw of the Board of Water supply
against which charges of neglect and incompe-
tency' will be drawn up by the Commissioners OF
Accounts as a result of the investigation OF the
Ashokan dam award, expressed the attitude Oh
himself and his fellow commissioners yesterday
j. Edward Simmons refused to discuss the report
of the Commissioners of Accounts made public
yesterday. From his office in the Fourth Nafohai
Bank of which he is president, he sent out Woro
that he too busy TO consider the subject ana
did not 10 say anything about it to the news
papers
Charles N Chadwick, the third member OF the
board, is out of town, but friend who asked him
last week what he would do in case an unfaVoraoie
report was made by the Commissioners OF Ac-
counts quoted him yesterday as saying: L snai!
certainly not resign Why should ADMIT
that these commissioners in the few weeks 1t TOOK
them to conduct the investigation could possibly
get as good a knowledge of the subject as have
in eight years?'
Mr. Chadwick referred to the fact that before
his appointment to the Board of Water supply
two years ago he had made special STUDY OF the
subject chairman of the committee on water
supply of the Manufacturers Association, of
Brooklyn.
Mr.. Shaw. formerly president of the Hanover
Fire Insurance Company. who has oeeh deVo'ine
all his time to the work of the board since his ap-
pointment as commissioner said that the board
had clear conscience.
"Mr. Simmons has been sick for several days
said Mr. Shaw. He at his office to-day. but
/ was able to talk with him only few minutes
on the telephone. Mr.. Chadwick will not return
to the city until Monday. We shall probably hoo
g meeting at on that day and may nave
something to say later
Mr. Shaw talked of the hearing held by the
Commissioners of Accounts, referring to the tact
that Commissioner Mitchell would not call his en-
gfneers at the request of the board which had no
chance to examine witnesses. How couId we aS
reasonable business men do anything else than we
did?' added. "Our chief engineer and three con-
sulting engineers all advised the rejection of the
John Peirce Company bid and the acceptance OF the
Macarthur Brothers bid. What would the pubic
have said if we had gone back the advice of
these engineers?"
Mayor Mcclellan when the charges drawn up
by the Commissioners of Accounts are presented,
will have no alternative 10 putting the Board or
Water Supply trial. If the charges are sus-
tanned In his judgment he Will exercise MS power
of removal.
Acting Mayor MCGOWAN spoke highly of the
Board of Water Supply. ut is too bad" he said
that cloud should be over the great enter
prise of bringing water from the Catskiis. There
is not shadow of doubt on these men They are
public spirited citizens and went into this project
help the city"
The Acting Mayor referring to the statement
in the report Commissioner Simmons had
spent little time in the Office of the Water Board
to give good deal of attention to his bank on ac-
count of the financial stringency.
II Is probable that W. B. Ellison. former Cor
poraton Counsel. will act as counsel for the COM
mission at the Mayors hearing He said yesterday
he had not been formally retained. and that the
board would not need counsel until the hearing
began.
The Wall Street Journal printed the following
yesterday afternoon:
AS a guide to a better understanding of the
re q ne q facts SlO
be noted:
l. Mr. Simmons earnestly desired by Mayor
Mcclellan accept the position chairman of
this board. The Mayor had two reasons for seek
ing Mr.. Simmons One that Mr. Simmons was
a Democrat and a business man OF the highest
accept the Mayor would be forced to appoint Gen
eral Horace Porter to the commission, and that
. thought iptolerable to the Mayor. for the
that General Porter during the Civil War had
been concerned in criticisms upon Mayor MCClel
fanS distinguished father. General Mcclellan.
2 Mr.. Simmons, in accepting the position did o
with the distinct understanding that he not to
and that ii was not TO be expected that he should
devote more time to the duties of the position
than to give general advisory supervision to its
, affairs
3 It known that certain differences have arisen
betWeen the Mayor and Mr. Simmons in regard to
appointments TO minor positions the Water
Board. Since these differences have arisen the
lations between the two men have become strained.
l. In acting upon awards for the contract to
t,IiId +ta hsboi[.n nam M s;irrno,s not bai,,
engineer himself acted upon the advice OF the best
engineering talent which was at the service OF the
board. II he had acted upon that advice and
had acted upon his necessarily limited knowledge
of engineering he would have been open to the
gravest censure Yet because ne did upon that
advice he IS charged with tnconpetency
5. It is known that Mr.. Simmons has several times
That he has not done is due to the urgent So
lictaion OF the other members OF the board and
the further fact that since proceedings were
brought against him and the other commissioners
the Mayor he has not wished to retire under