New-York tribune., 1910-03-23
OUSTED TRIO FIGHT
GREEN DEFENDS BILL.
Report That Aqueduct Meas
are VIII BE SkelUed.
IRy releEraph . 80 rrIbune. ]

Albany. March 22.-Messrs. Cowsn. Ten
Eyck and Ryan, formerly members Of the
New York Aqueduct Commission. who were
ousted by Mayor Gaynor after he entered
Office we're the only ones TO appear against
the Green bill, abOlishing the commission
at the hearing this afternoon before the
Assembly Committee on Electricity. Gas
and Water. Mayor GaynOr removed them
on the ground that there was no further
work for them 20 do. and that IL was a
waste OF money 20 continue TO pay them
salaries OF S 600 each and to meet the other
expenses incident TO the existence OF the
commission. They told the committee that
the law provided that they should be re-
tained IN Office until their work was COM
pIeted, and, in effect. that they had ever
so many more duties 90 perform before the
work would be anywhere near completion
Mr.. Cowan cited the building OF the Pat
terson reservoir and the providing for
more economical use OF the water Of the
aqueduct watershed as among some OF
those duties.
Then he asked. Indignantly. ARE you
going 20 pass a bill which will discredit the
work OF a commission which has been doing
the work Of this commission
In answer 20 this argument Assembly
man Green. who introduced the measure.
declared that IL the commission was to re-
main in power until its work was COM
pleted II was UP 20 the responsible, elect
ed city officials 20 determine when there
was nothing more 20 be done
III left to the discretion Of the members
OF the commission themselves. as they seem
10 think IL should be. how long do YOU
think they would have remained in Office
q
absurd that those directly benefited should
have the say when the commission should
be terminated. In that case there is no
reason why they should not have remained
IN, ONCE twenty-seven years longer. The
commission already has been I'm existence
tWenty-seyen years. They could say that
their work was not completed. even though
there wasn't anything more TO do than TO
have a Wagonload Of brick sent TO the
squeduct once year"
J. Noble Hayes and Michael Furst. two Of
those who were appointed by Mayor Gay
nor 10 succeed the old commissioners and
20 finish up the work OF the commission
by June 1. as provided in the bill. appeared
for the measure. They declared that the
commission had little more work TO do. and
that the work should have been completed
three years ago.
They expressed the belief that. whether
this bill passed or not. if they finished up
the work by June 1. as they intended 10. the
commission would be terminated any way
by the law under which il was created.
This. they held. was in accordance with the
argument presented by Mr.. COwan him
self They. however. felt that 50 long as
the Legislature had created the commission
il should be up 10 the Legislature TO dis
solve IL.
In the questions which he asked Chair
man Yale OF the committee, showed a de-
cided opposition TO the measure. and a re-
port was circulated that il had no chance
OF getting out OF the committee. principally
because il made no provision for taking care
of the engineers and Office force now EN-
plOyed by tine commission
The main thing We want is 10 abolish
the Aqueduct Commission. said Assembly
man Green in discussing this report. If
~ is desired that the engineers and Ofice
force be- taken care Of there Is no objection
10 the bill being so amended All we de-
sire 10 do Is to stop something which is
morally wrong and an outrageous waste
Of money"