The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-22

street, at Harlem, for about three blocks, tt&
assessment for property was only $1-the own
ers Of the real estate having given the land for
n0thing-while the fees of counsel and commits
sioners amounted at first to S2750. This, how
ever, being rejected by the court, another effort
was made by taking into the proposed improve
ment a portion of the street which had been
already open for many years-and this time the
costs swelled to So 08l. If this is not already
paid we advise an immediate settlement, for
there Is no telling what it will amount to in @
lew months longer. Senator Whitney, from
this city, has recently introduced bill pro-
hibiting the Counsel of the Corporation from re-
ceiving fees in any case of opening streets and
avenues and although this functionary "a VIZ
understand, has gone to Albany with a squad
offriends and dependents for the purpose of de-
ieatng the passage Of the bill, yet we trust that
the Legislature win not be champagned or bam-
boozled into defeating or neglecting this salu-
tayy measure. 1t is true that 1t stops up but
one leakhoe; but when we are at sea in q gale,
with the piston-rod broken and the gallant ship
laundering, any relief is vitality welcome.
We have, however, very little serious hope
New York city delegation in the Legislature
have been too well drilled in the part they are
toplay, to permit any real retrenchment to take
place in the administration Of the affairs of the
city. Besides, schemes Of personal interest
and aggrandizement are pressing upon them
from every quarter, and occupying III their
time and attention. Amongst others we learn
that o delegation is now in Albany, headed by
an editor Of particularly reforma.ive Wall
street journal, to log-roll bill through the
present Legislature authorizing the city OF
New York to issue S2,000,000 of stock, in the
shape Of a loan, to pay of the debts and liabili-
ties incurred by the law of 1843 authorizing
the corporation to buy in the real estate for
feited for non-payment Of taxes, which law
was subsequently, set aside by Judge Edmonds
and the decision sustained by the Court of APP
peals. This nice little plumb pudding Of
S2O0OO0O is anxiously watched in the cook
ing and everybody expects to get handsome
slice. But we shall see how far the members
from the other parts Of the State will permit
themselves to be humbugged and hoodwinked
by the Peter Funk lobby members from New
York city and their hungry friends.
TERRIBLE CONDITION OF New York What
is the condition of our city-its streets, ito
avenues, its markets. its wharves. its side
walks? With all cur boosted prosperity
and refinement-our palatial hotels where
our republican ladies and gentlemen, for
and march through saloons and corridors
that shame the Louvre and Versailles
the moment you venture out Of doors you
are painfully reminded that you are in the
worst governed, the most unsafe, the Glthiest
and most uncomfortable city in the world. II
you get into an omnibus you will be coolly de-
tanned by the driver until his vehicle is full and
then you will run the risk ofhaving your pocket
picked. or, you are lady. of being grossly in
suited by some drunken rowdy Venture into q
rail-car, and you find yourself standing squeezed
like rcd herring in box among fifty or six
ty people in car intended only for twenty or
thirty. Here you are trampled on spit on by
'obacco-chewers and suifocated with the fumes
Of dirty bodies and whiskey-swilliog stomachs.
To avoid all these, 60 out on foot, and the first
thing You will encounter will be the prepare
tions for new building, which entirely occupy
the sidewalk and extend half across the street.
compelling you to wade through the mud round
brick-pile at the risk of being knocked down
by democratic cab-driver or having the pole
of an omnibus driven through your body. As
to those immaculate policemen, with til cir uni
form blue surtouts and gold buttons and stars,
We have read of them, but we have not yet
heard of the lucky individual who has seen
them
In the lower part Of the city, and even in
Broadway itself, the mud and filth Of the
streets are at this moment frightful-- moon
ceivable. Complaints are daily pouring into
the Office Of the Chief of Police, who
can DO nothing but hand them over to the
Street Commissioner He will do nothing, be-
cause the streets are to be cleaned by contract,
and he has nopower ia the premises The May
or can do nothing-the heads of the executive
departments shoulder the responsibility from
one to the other, until at last it is tumbled in
to the mud and disappears; and the Common
Council wastes its time and the peoples money
in manGuvring to see who shall get the first
grab at those five millions Of public plumber
looming SO temptingly in the distance.
What is the key to all this mischief! Simply
this: there is no responsibility anywhere-and
without direct responsibility no good govern
ment is possible Every years experience IL
pressing upon us with irresistible force the con-
vction that, to have good and efficient city
government, supreme power as we'll as SUI
preme responsibility must be vested in
single department or single individual.
We don't care wLo this individual may
be. nor what his office is called 80 that he
is honest, vigorous, and is vested with absolute
power to carry summarily into effect those daily
and hourly functions Of government upon which
the health, cleanliness, and good order Of the.