Year: 1875

occasion where the unntness OF one or these persons
was 50 manifest that deemed 4 my duty 70 call the
attention Of the Commissioner of Public Works 10 the
fact WAS informed in reply. that the work was done
TO the Commissioners satisfaction and that i was
none Of your lmyl sponsblliiyp


No less important matter 4 the appointment OF
oremen OF the various gangs OF laborers IN the De-
partment Of Public Works These men should prop
ery have some mechanical skill and some experience
in managing men and directing their operations, and
would reasonably be expected that these considerations
would have some weight IN making their appointment
But we find men appointed as foremen who had pre-
Fiously been employed IN the most diverse Nocations,
ana VINO from their former experience are not qualified
Tor the service required Of them.


am told that but few Of these have any experience
~ .ner duties Some Of them are neither sober nor
Matchiul, and the decentralization the part of the
ianoiers IS largely due to their inelccncy am cred
iny informed that the 9th Of October a serious dis
.uap"nse occurred upon the Boulevard, in which
tam OF the oremen and numbers OF the aborers were
concerned many OF them beng in a state of intoxica-
TON ana that one OF the foremcn and several of tho
laborcrs were arrested by the police Another of the
ioremcn, also in an intoxicated condition escnned
arrest only oy being concealed by his men in a tool


This whole matter of appointments Is one or vast i'm
portance aud where men are ntrusted with Official re-
sponsibes they should be qualified by character ami
experience to administer them properly and with NJ
gard TO the public interests In this Department OF
Public Works there are duties which involve the super
vision OF the works III progress over wide area at
scattered and numerous points Ii Is difcu to watch
the persons who are set TO perform this work OF supcr
ysion--to watch the watchmen; and yet IL is necdful
that the supervision should be thorough for II is on
the faith OF the reports OF these supervising persons





TO nn enormous extent to the Finance Department for
payment What, then, would seem to be his duty in
the premsesY Surely 10 select competent men, IN
whose vigilance and truthiuncss every dependence
could be placed


The letter which wrote YOU on the I'd OF septem-
Der written with the view OF calling your aten-
ton to the unwise and iniudcious policy OF
proceeding with the public works pTematurelY and
advance Of public need, and OF asking
your cooperation in arresting their progress. The
only acknowledgment which receive Is the irrelevant
statement that | esgned these works myself some
fifteen years ago on the It'll OF October, when sent
you the immense pay rolls of the laborers on these
works due ut that time, and certified to by the Comns
siUner OF Public Works, udvsed you OF the character
OF the work done by his department IN order that you
might, as Chief Magistrate. take such remedial meas
ures might seem best TO you and as only your
hands. In reply you demanded, with some degree OF
warmth. the evidence of what then said, although
the facts public and notorious | have done my
duty in advising yoa OF the existing state OF things
though do not know that in either instance 1t has
suited IN any to prevent this waste of the
public moneys am not unwilling to furnish you, III
addition to the evidence which have now gwen you in
this letter certain specific complaints which have
10 in the shape OF letters from responsible and well
known citizens copies OF some OF these append hereto


had supposed not stepping out of the line of
my duty in trying to prevent the payment OF money
from the Treasury without lair equivalent The Com
missioner Public Works appears, however TO think
otherwise and in the conclusion of his letter
attitude OF menace. He says


'Whatever notions others may have OF official duty
believe mine will be best performed by executing the
laws relating to my own department and attending TO
my own business. "


Those property owners who have already observed
own business" in the Department or Public Works
will justly regard this renewed determination his
part with some concern. Very respectfully,


ANDREW H. GREEN, Comptroller