The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-21

wharves, piers, roads, and avenues, and lands and
| places The Comptroller did not honor the drafts,
| and the Street Commissioner laid the subject be-
| Tore the Common Council Under these fclrcum-
stances, the Comptroller felt himself called upon
| to send a communication to the Common Counci
explaining why he did not pay the drafts. After
giving ample explanation, under the heads fisrtly,
secondly, thirdly, fourthly, the Comptroller says
"And. lasty-He omitted to state any Of the causes
ing the calls from his dspsrtnent and o. in the
present case to hesitate In making transfer Of the
large sum Of from the public treasury his
ofoia CONTROL until there should be ct least an appa-
rent necessity for 90 doing.
AZ the omssio ms lat referred to may not b known
TO all the members Of the Common Council 1t may not
be amiss to give few Of the tems In single branch
OF tho expenditures in charge Of the Street Commits
sionsr vi.Pisr foot Of Amos Was directed to
be extended ut an expense Of not than 81 600
the amount actually paid was So $50. Pier foot Of
Duane street directed to be extended without any
tutimation to cost, and the amount expended
| $6,t67 Pier foot Of Chambers street-the addition
was to consist Of block and bridge pier piles
appropriation but estimated IT about $40 000
aflerwards extended in length and width, and subse
quently, without the authority Of tho Co nmon Couu
OIL the biloxi was dispensed with, reducing the cost
81 000-anA yet the Ape nditure reached the Of
Pier foot Of Cedar street rebuilt and extend
ed at expense Of s22bs without the authority Of
the Common Coanci either expressed or implied.
Pers g. and East River, directed to be extended,
not to exceed ooO by resolution OF Common
Council and BY the acts Of the Street Commissioners,
Piers foot Of Jefes street Gouvsrneur street and
Catherine strset-for extending, building, and re.
building, $4,000 was appropriated The expenses OF
thetwo first named exceed the and after
the third nearly completed further sum Of 50, $50
was voted to cover the dehciency Bulkhead foot Of
SD street. to be extended ST. COO
on which contract was made for 81, 400 the block
slipped from Its foundation, and the work
tnued without the authority OF the Common Council
until the resolution passed for OF balance due
the builder; whole cost. S+,066 SO
The foregoing 1t 10 hoped, will relieve from the
charge OF being over particular in looking at the de-
mands from the Street Commissioner Department..
(Signed) IT. J. WATERS Comptroller "
This sets the Comptroller's conduct forth In
favorable light SO far this matter is concerned.
What action will be taken on the subject by the
Common Council, yet remains to be seen
Another matter acted upon by the Board Of
Aldermen on Monday evening, was communica-
ton from the Mayor, setting forth, in black and
white, how and where Philip Mabie, Supenaten-
dent Of Wharves and Piers, had acted In manner
inconsistent with his official duties and the lnte-
rests Of the city. Transactions were detailed IN
which it appeared that Mr. Mabie had procured
and sold lumber to the city at such prices as to
| increase the expense of work to the city-he I'M
proving these circumstances to his own emolument
The only excuse offered by the delinquent officer,
was, "that he could not live, unless he could,
salary" On hearing this communication, the
Aldermen promptly took measures to remove the
Superintendent of Wharves and Piers from that
Office. We understand that the system of nvestlga-
ton is still going on, and that Corporation officers
who do not perform their duties in faithful man.
| ner may expect to meet with deserved rebuke.
| 1t appears to be fortunate circumstance that
our corporation government is in political position
which prevents gross corruption going unchecked
and unpublished. With democratic Mayor, and
strong democratic minority In the Boards of AL
dermen, it Is impossible to wink at corruption, and
hence vigllant eye kept upon the action of sub
ordinate officers in all departments. 1t would be
well If we could always be relieved from the curse
of political monopolles in our city government.
The PROGRESS OF CIvILlzATloN.-We hail with
pleasure the evident symptoms of the approaching
breaking up of the Eastern practice of keeping
the women widows, and covering them over with
veIls, when they do 60 out, and never suffering
them to show their pretty faces to any but their
husbands and their servants We perceive, in an
interesting account of grand ball. lately given at
the Hotel de Vile, at Paris, that the Turkish am
bassador was there, with his wife. This is some
thing wonderful for Turk, to have wife instead
proved Turk has but wife. He, with his one lady
wife, attended the ball, and her appearance is thus
described In the French account of her,
"Another queen Of the fete was the wife Of the new
Ottoman ambassador, Madame c, llimarchi, q young
Grecian lady This fair creature shone, not like the
other ladies present. by the loads Of diamonds which
covered her person, but by her beauty. 1t tho
Grecian type Of beauty In all It's purity II was the
beauty Of Phdias and Praxeles til. marble Of Paros,
OF admirers followed her through the drawing rooms"
This is the first time such thing has happened
in the world, since the foundation of the Ottoman
Empire; II is, therefore, worthy of being chroni-
cled in this day Of revolutions, as a remarkable
revolution. What, indeed, can be a greater revo.
luton, than the emancipation of all the women of
vast empire their being permitted to walk out
IN the open air, wthou; guards, vells and eunuchs;
their being permitted to 60 to balls, and dance and
walk up and down the corridors and saloons, with
out hiding their faces IN thick woollen blankets?
1t Is surprising revolution, and we should be de-
fcent of our duty as chronicler of revolutions,
perturbatlons, and emeutes, if failed to record
this wonderful revolution. What good, however,
will result to Turkish society by this revolution
we cannot tell; yet it is wonderful that cry
out for the emancipation of the dear Turkey
girls has not been long since made an
Oh diiClC VI Idltu anu HldttcI Vi meIltOrlOuS
plety among the pious of this country and Eng
land, for the numbers of these victims to domes-
tic slavery are ten times greater than the number
of the blacks among us, and they smell, we opine,
somewhat sweeter.
One thing, however, is evident, from this revolu-
ton and progress of civilization, which we record,
VIZ it has taken place without the meddling and
interference of any abolition societies. This Is
important to notice. Busy bodies, who are going
to do wonders all in hurry, are generally dupes
to their selfconcei, arrogance, and folly, and
spoil everything they touch. We would commend
to all such persons in this country, a calm consl-
deration of the emancipation OF the slavery OF
women in Turkey, and let them reflect that it is
working without them or anybody like them