New-York tribune., 1908-06-22

matters relating to the courthouse and his utter
incapaclty To- to measure up to the reqT1Fenen1s hs
architectural supervision of the construction of
public buildings, properly and naturally the OBJ
TO reward political service without regard for for
| commission. a direct fiout of public decency
Ex-Alderman William E. Morris. the Tammany
leader OF the 35th Assembly District, is the man
referred to in connection with the Bucks Harbor
granite transaction OF il the report further says:
There can be no question Of the unjust favort-
ism displayed in naming, at the solicitations of a
district leader, unknown stone, quarried and
s5 s5e PaT 'nf of Msne ana % in gyg g If
{ nence in the specifications from which only one
gether win m the manner The Of & the a OF the
| transaction as most questionable
HUNTS POINT TRANSACTION DISCUSSED.
Under the chapter local boards which In
cludes the Hunts Point transaction of which much
said when it brought out in the investi-
| cation and the putting through of Ciasons Point
| Road. the findings in the report are:
The local board of NIorrisania of which the Bor-
| multaneously recommended the acquisition O title
hg Tor me reSul431g "a ana LIZ s.ddtls HE crabe on;T
pended the levy Of assessment. The Sound View
ident Hafren is a stockholder, has extensive hold
ngs along the line Of Il the m CasogI P9inf % bera m
by b the loa SAID om sgRenS9n p % of m Borough
ident being chairman with veto power
a on the tFs o pGe G
place The site selected remote and isolated
further unit for ba thing by reason Of shallow wa
ter. After appointment of condemnation commits
title prior to the termination of the condemnation
Would have made impossible the aJandonnlent OF
the proceedings. The award In condemnation was
fS e e actei mef vaSe tS assessed value and many
5bl Recommendei with full knowledge on the
part OF the Borough President OF this oVervalua-
ton, the acquisition for additional park purposes
erai city expense The Board of Estimate and
bd Fsgdgted thst be propeTtv if acare be-
paid for by assessment This suggestion
proceeding for the acquisition OF the second park
was accordingly abandoned.
The report says the commissioners have sub
mitted the excessive award for Hunts Point TO the
corporation for such action as the facts may war
rant. and have been informed that steps are being
taken to remedy defects in system that permits
such gross oyerValuation.' The commissioners
say they found no ground for suspicion that the
Borough President eXerted any influence in the
Hunts Point transaction. but call attention the
fact that he made effort to stop the proceeding.
The final chapter, Political Influences and
Considerations begins with the following state
ment:
From the inception of President Haffen's ad-
ministration under the present charter his ap
pointments and removals of subordinates appear
TO have been controlled largely by political con-
sderations.
MtGhael Garyin became superptendeat Of
qualifications either builder architect have
ea eaons to 1R the BorousR m as pS to
make clear by process of elimination the con
siderations actuating the Borough President in
Henry Bruckner, first appointed deputy
sioner, was at the moment the Borough Presi-
manager of lis campaigns in sci-o31 o5 and the
son CUB President Taffens political @ organiza
ton Peter Gecks, superintendent of sewers and
With the Borough Presdent's poIiteai }nteress
Thomae II SJ'NeiII nresent s5narintnnden+ i of
sewers, was and is now leader of the 82d Assem-
ant ant commissioner OF public works, and Mr..
nelly, secretary to the commissioner of public
ton willie Martin Geszier superintendent of
highways. is its treasurer.
QUESTION FOR LAW OFFICERS IT SAYS
There is discussion of a certain arrangement
for the division Of salaries among some of the
appointees. which the report says known to
the Borough President. How far this case NAV
within the prohibitions of statute law" say
the commissioners, we leave to the proper law
officers of the city TO determine"
Regarding corporation inspectors which, It is
stated, is zone of the broadest fields for petty
political patronage" the report says: In point of
fact these inspectors have been tradesmen, saloon
keepers, district captains ana political henchmen
OF all descriptions usually having independent
business activities who have given to the city's
service odd moments of leisure
Louis O. Van Doren counsel for President Haf-
fen after having received a copy of the report,
made a long statement yesterday in which he
called attention the fact that the investigation
was entirely parte proceeding. and as such
was absolutely one-sided." He said that neither
he nor the Borough President had had the opportu-
nifty of reading the entire report. but they wanted
impressed on the minds of the public what sort
of an inquiry it and upon what an unsub-
stantial basis soma of leading features rest"
The statement says:
In the main, all that the President of the Bor-
orgh of The Bronx asks at the present time is
that the public will suspend judgment The Pres
ident simply asks for fair play. No should
be condemned without trial, and there can be no
trial unless he is heard.
Thc commissioners of Accounts have not CON
durted a trial Their report is simply their state
ment of their own investigation. conducted by
Them in their way ana at their Own pleas
nre Every witness called selected by the
commissioners every question was put by the
commissioners. evegy document was offered and
received 5y the commissioners, no rules evil
dence we're applied enforced. no objection was
made or could have been made. no counsel was
heard allowed 20 SPEAK
This Investigation Is SO novel IN character, and
has become so formidable a political weapon
that there is no doubt its nature and scope are
practically unknown to the public.
Mr FIaffen has been President of the Borough
of The Bronx for years. no has given bts