The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1908-10-06
GRAFT MADE MANY
WEALTHY, FINANCE
PROBE D|SCLOSES
CITY Charged 1888 for Job
|. That Could Have Been
p Done for $40.

;, How ssveBal shining Lights in Queens
Numty amassed fortunes at the ex-
] pAnse Of the City OF New York was re-
,Tsaied At the resumed inquiry by the
9psEisiative committee engaged in prob
nH the Finance Department
The era OF graft which prevailed I'm
der former administrations in Queens
until 1907 was unfolded by competent
witnesses, whose testimony indicated
that the high sign In those peaceful
, days Of graft prosperity was do the
city" What is due the city to-day can
never be collected, for the claims have
become outlawed,
Comptroller Metz received a tip from
mysterious source and quietly started
an investigation under the conductor
ship OF Robert b Mcintyre, one Of the
examiners in the Bureau Of Municipal
Statistics. He WAS al iirst confronted
with a series Of claims aggregating
$1,000. These were for materials and
labor which were furnished on an open
order in tie Bureau OF Public Build
ings and Offices III the borough.
One of the claims series was for
ss4.-the cost vi furnishing the labor
and materials to construct "a desk,
jury box ana rail for the courtroom" In
the town hail Of FLUSHING. An expert
said liberal price for the job would
be sou. roll top desk-cost S2l0-was
another item. a desk expert reported,
zone hundred dollars is the market
price"
For papering a room and hanging
awnings, SPA" was another item and
Hanging shades. sll9.25" was another.
Experts said the FIRST could be done
with profit at SO. and a housewife
declared she could hang all the sha
IN the borough for 80 and do the
Job better in the bargain.
Profitable Job for Painter.
And here's another whopper-SJl9 for
painting and ka!somining the walls and
ceilings OF the queens office OF the
kalsominer said Ae would De glad TO
get the Job for $40, and that painter
earns IS day.
niture was charged at the juicy sum
OF s5Ss 80. and a polisher not in on the
graft declared $40 was big price for
Lettering, roofing, cementing and other
Jobs cost the city several hundred more
pc; cent. than such work could be pro-
cured for ordinarily.
Nr, Mcintyre testified to all these
matters and lots more. John H. An
drews. In charge OF the contract bu-
reau. also testified and said that
good deal of foolish and unnecessary red
tape surrounds the letting OF contracts
by competitive bidding.
The Bureau Of Supplies.
1t Is forecasted that one of the results
OF the Investigation viii be the estab-
lishment by the city OF a central de-
partment for the purchase of all city
supplies; that the method In vogue In
the army and navy will be applied in
city administration.
The testimony to-day showed that
there Is a disparity in the purchase
price of commodities, one department
buying the same quality OF supplies
cheaper than another. Comptroller
Metz has suggested to the commission
the centralizing OF a purchasing station,
and several members of the committee
have expressed their approval OF the
plan.
The committee after hearing a num-
Der Of witnesses adjourned until Oct
90 Many of the members are candi-
dates for re-election. and they desire
time in which to patch up their politi-
cal fences.