New-York tribune., 1909-02-18
BLAMES CITY CLUB.
Commissioner Ed1cards Says 1t De-
used Sno1C Checking System.

Commissioner Edwards Of the Department Of
Street Cleaning. after looking over the report OF
the City Club the relations OF his department
with contractors for snow removal. pointed out
that the present system OF checking was prepared
h,- the City Club and adopted by Commissioner
BenseI on its recommendation. He said also that
occasional cases of fraudulent marking or checking
were almost unavoidable. and recalled arrests he
had caused in such cases last winter. as then told
exclusively IN The Tribune
The report said that the cost Of snow removal
this year had been $500 inch, ~ against s7 o
an inch a year ago. Commissioner Edwards hg-
ures the cost at $4,000 inch, much Of the added
cost being the failure OF the contractors, as
Well the difficult problems created by the char
acter of the storms The contract, said Dir. Ed
wards which he inherited and which had
its inception in the City Club.
Commissioners Mitchell and Galaher. OF the Rc-
counts office. reported 10 the Mayor yesterday in
detail the matter OF snow removal, making sug-
gestions with reference to the checking of graft
and waste. The report made with the CO.
operation of the Bureau OF Municipal Research.
After reviewing the methods in at the present
time the report says. in part:
The snow Offices of both boroughs allow laborers'
tickets to pass which have not been punched by
the inspectors punch no check whatever exists.
The foreman who punches the tickets also keeps
the daily time book and makes up the weekly time
sheet and without the inspectors check there
would be nothing TO prevent him from entering as
many false names on the sheet as he cared to
punch tickets for.
does check the weekly time reports of the
foreman by the laborers tickets so that, a
matter OF actual practice II makes no difference
whether the tickets punched by the inspectors
and foremen not, whether they are
turned in Why this fundamental comparison ia
omitted unable TO state.
The question Of adequate check emergency
men brings up the matter of their proper dstri-
button There seems to be particular method
in force 10 distribute the throughout a given
district in a fair reasonable ratio TO the mum
Ter OF carts EMPLOYED. This situation was well
illustrated by the storms Of January II and 2s
II brought out by the reports Of inspec-
tors that in many twenty men
would be shovelling snow into cart-a num-
Der ridiculously out OF proportion To necessity.
Some foremen had under them many one
hundred men with one or two assistantsi one
foreman occasion stated TO be in
charge OF gang OF FIVE hundred while there
were many foremen with hfty
The commissioners make sixteen recommends
tions, OF which follow:
That the administrative and inspection forces
lie kept entirely separate in the performance OF
their work. Unless this distinction Is carefully
observed there Is virtually no check upon whole
sale fraud
That daily payments be made for emergency
work.
That during the day punches be exclusively
under control OF district inspectors, who shall
issue them I'm the morning at the beginning OF
work change them less than twice during
the day for each foreman and collect them at
night.
30 be hired and that no vehicle be employed con-
tanning less than this capacity.
That two districts be selected for ex-
perimental of ploughs road Ecra pers.