New-York tribune., 1907-09-15
LONG AHEARN HEARING.
NAY. LAST FOR WEEKS.
@. r. OIney. En-High5gays Engi-
neer, Examined at Length.

Ahearn, President Of Manhattan Borough,
seemed to be indicated when at O'Clock to-
night the Governor adjourned the hearing until
Monday at o'clock. Only one witness was
heard to-day. he being George r Olney. formerly
chief engineer of the Department Of Highways.
under President Ahearn- His examination
lated TO the condition Of the streets of New
York. the adequacy Of measures taken for their
repair. the responsibility for conditions COM
planned of, and the efforts Of the department. 20 ,
compel the contracting corporations TO fulnl
their contracts. chiefly for repair OF the sheet
asphalt streets Inefficiency of the street de-
partment of his borough is the first allegation
of the City Club against Mr. Ahearn- @---rner
Hughes personally took large part in the ex-
animation OF Olney. with somewhat contra
dictory results. Olney swore that IN his opinion
the streets were in condition Of fair repair ar
the close Of the season last fall; later he said.
he thought they were in poor repair still later,
he said. the department was unable TO get. the
contractors to attend promptly TO orders for the
repair of streets
Here is a disputed question Of fact, said
Governor Hughes. in adjourning the hearing.
I'VE must learn beyond question. first wnar
was the condition Of the streets in Manhattan
Borough; then we can get at the ques'ion VI
responsibility.
To this end Governor Hughes directed counsei
for the City Club to produce several OF tnelr
regarding the COHOAtACA u 49,
IN order that they might be cross-exaInlfleo oS
- NJ 1i++reton. leading counsel for Pres'-
-. 1b.a-, The Governor called also Tor va
-. l,ro,,,,e,+s On file in the Borough Eresl-
zart.e 5anartuent including the contracts Wi'A
che osrba1t companies the records OF lnSp
the orders for repair and others rei7iieU
the testimony - 49, za,a-4
OInav said it was the custom OF 'i0 -,
,,an+ 10 I'LL up with broken stone suon - -
a. we're regarded as dangerous ana WIN"
not be promptly repaired ,o,a7.,
What would You can q u'7
asked the Governor ..-ss,.
..1,-eu one four inches deep, where carri@sS
might break a spring .,.
..T,i5 YOU make any Inspection OF EasC 7o1
street. between the railroad station anu So
avenue? Do you know there was a danger o'S
-. ,bers that vas not flled?" DEMANDED Iii7
Governor
NJ OIuev said he did not know
..yyeII. I know said the Governor sIiiiilS
During the examination OF tne "l'nesS q
- ,,,,5s of the paving companies, the Governor
.-l-a4 il whose favor these bonds we're drawn
,+I +t,.,. r,,r 10 the borough or 20 the city
.--o +te cit,--' volunteered Mr. Ltttleton Wheh
-, -.;,-,ee. could not answer And II you haNo
ever learned that the borough bears ire S@l--7
-s,,-,,,, 70 the cfrv that the vermiform appendix
5oss 70 the bodv-generaIly it doesn't even irrl-
tate -
OInev said that - per cent OF me men uIl1..
hin, we're incompetent. bur protected oy sN"
So r,,1es He thought he had complained
-, aid either TO the Commissions OF FuoliO
- - - the Borough President but WIN
=. ,,,r- None we're discharged and only TWO
,,e-e,4sd The best he could do vas TO trans
fer the fncorupetents 20 other WoTA- IiVS
.r,reforz he said. and all the details OF men
IN his department were made with tne cenhl'7
anproval Of President Ahearn-
The question OF street repair was 'Ie OlliS ma
ter of inquiry to-day There are sun q h'iiiOe =
81 charges not vet tsIched upon They VIII
be taken up ore az time.
At the opening OF the hearing MI Lietleton
a,a1red his motion for the production OF Wit
masses bv the petitioners. Governor Hughes SAD
,b.+ = At anv time he deemed it important for
tho cross-examinatfon OF witnesses ne Would
CrIer IL
Mr. OInev was then called by Mr. LittIetoh
and testified as to the efforts Of his departments
>, got streets repaired declaring that 1t was
impossible in New York 10 get contractors 70
renafr work done by another contractor
..Fovv long has the city Of New York been N
.,,.- ,,o1-1ass condition because Of contractors
-f,si,,e- IN do work performed by others? asked
Governor Hughes
Mr. OInev gave a few Instances and the names
of firms which he said his department had oeen
unable 10 get to repair streets Much time was
consumed in eIcfting from Mr. Olney the rneth-
ods in vogue for reporting and repairing derects
in +be streets When the witness explained
~. ,,,.r,, os these defects were due TO fire
burus- bv bonfres at election time Governor
Hughes asked:
We're these freburns more than usual last
faH?'
Mr.. OIney said they were. and everybody. in
Guiding the Governor. laughed heartily
Mr.. Spencer. Of counsel. remarked; II sup
pose your exceHency will accept a fair share
OF responsibility for this"
N1r OInev showed that many Of the openings
in the streets were made by the Department or
Water supply Gas and Electricity and the
Rapid Transit Commission without the author
inv or the consent Of the bureaus Of the borough
Mr.. Spencer, for the cOmplainants admitted
that If President Ahearu could show that large
,ortion OF the disrepair due to causes
be,ond the control of the Borough President
they would not press the charges with reference
70 that. Governor Hughes said II would sufhco
to deal with those matters concerning which the
Borough Presidents responsibility was undis-
puted.
Mr.. LittIeton insisted that the complainants
must point out the responsibility
IT want to know the facts. and believe you
will cooperate in getting at them You may oe
s,,re Of a lust result" said the Governor
Mr.. Littleton was insisting that the CON-
claimants should point out the faults for which :
his client could be made responsible. when Gov
ernor Hughes broke in:
You are answerable as a public officer. and
nurpose TO know what you have been doing.
There ought 10 be no difficulty about this Lee
us get at the facts
Il was getting at the facts when your excel
lency interrupted. and submit that with some