New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-07
TRIPS TIGER IN
ANY GRAFT STORY
FetherstOn Points Out That
TruCkmen Were Paid by
Contractors, Not City.
THOROUGH CHECK
PLACED ON WORK
Only Fraud Caused by Those
Who Took Advantage OF
an Emergency.

Replving to the charges made by
William Bullock. head Of the Bureau
of CITY Inquiry. that the cost OF 90
moving the snow from the city streets
last winter was excessive. Commits
sioner Fetherston Of the Department
of Street Cleaning pointed out that II
figuring the amount Of money earned
bv certain trucks the critic failed 20
state that the city paid so much Tor
removing cubic yard Of snow. ari
that the contractors paid the truck
men. The price paid includes not on"
carting. but piling. loading and dump
ing. -.
lie acknowledged that perhaps -
cents. the amount a cubic yard paid 20
the Manhattan contractor. was 100
much. but said that was the lowest
price that any responsible contractor
would take. He declared he was work
ING 10 bring down the price next year,
and would welcome the aid of Mr.. Bull
lcck or ANYBODY else 10 that end.
As TO-. the Bureau Of City lnquir2,
which. il is reported. has been starred
by Tammany TO make drives al the
Mitchell administration. the Mayor sal!
yesterday:
I'VE will welcome all criticism that
is made in an honest spirit. Any ~
stances Of unfair criticism viii be
dealt with as they deserve
THE whole story boils down 70 this,
said Commissioner Fetherston. in
Manhattan we paid the Belmont Con-
tracing Company J6 cents for remov-
ing a cubic yard Of snow. Our job was
20 see that they got TO work as promp:-
" as possible and removed as much
snow as possible in the shortest poss'-
ble time We were also TesponsIb, .
for seeing that the cubic yards paid
for were cubic yards Of snow and not
Of imagination.
an order TO be sure that cubic yards
OF snow were removed we had our o| !
supervising force out in the held. the
Bureau of Weights and Measures. in
spectors working under Mr. Walsh III
rection night and day. the inspectors Of
the Department of Finance working
under Mr.. Munroe. the inspectors OF
the Commissioner of Accounts Once.
private detectives and representatives
of citizens agency. ! am sorry that
we did not have Mr.. Bullock. too. bit
next year we may have his services. J
invite him now to help us supervise
the enforcement of the snow contrac'.
Tf snow was actually removed, we
paid the 90 cents per cubic yard. IL
was between the contractor with the
city and the sub-contractors TO decide
who should receive the SO cents. You
may be sure that the Belmont Contract
ing Company did not permit any sub
contractor 20 make an excessive amount
OF money. Mr. Bullock simply refers
10 the amount paid for removing snow
carted by single truck and not TO the
amount paid by the city for the labor
required in removing the snow which
was carted in that truck
Commissioner Fetherston called at
tention to the fact that while some
trucks with a short haul TO the water
front could make a good deal OF money
others had long distances 70 90 and one
balanced the other.
"The only way 20 get rid Of truck
earnings" he said, "is 10 get rid or
the snow without trucking, and with
this in view 7 have been spending a
good deal Of time in the last few
months preparing for next years
work"
His plan is 10 use the sewers 20 the
limit Of their capacity in caring Tor
the snow and TO use the city force 10
put il into the catch basins.
Speaking Of the multiple scrutiny OF
the work last winter, Mr.. Fetherston
said
II there was fraud. it was because it
is humanity impossible 20 prevent some
men from taking advantage OF the city
when it is caught in an emergency.