New-York daily tribune., 1856-02-29


Of sideyalks; and, finally, the Commissioner OF
Streets and Lamps ia supposed to clean and light
all the streets. The conflict real or imaginary, OF
these talf dozen powers is the apology OF each and
ali for any neglect Of duy. Ihe change proposed
BY the bill in question viii not remedy this evil
Next TO a good Police, proper and thorough su-
peryision and cleansing of the streets is nearly ell
tbst we want in the way of local government.
And there is q Department now existing, one hay-
ing the confidence Of the people, to which such
street supervision might advantageously be ntrust-
cd. We refer to the CrotOn Aqueduct Depart
uent. 1t now has control Of our supply OF water,
and of the hole system of sewerage. 1t can clean
the streets a great deal better and cheaper than
spy other organization; il already has tolerable
supervision throughout the city, which might be
perected without expense by charging the Police
with function which they once performed. and
which they ought now to be responsible for. Tbs
is the function Of Street Inspectors. 1t seems in
credible that we have hundreds of men fed from
the treasury to perform the various duties OF
inspection of streets pavements, wharves, repairs,
markets, and matters affecting public health, when
the same ground is gone over twice a day at least
BY some one of the thousand policemen who cost
us million per annum. What effort does it cost
Policeman /, ,527, for instance, to report hole in
the pavement at the corner Of Broadway and
Bleecker streets; or dead horse in front OF No.
275 Fifieth street, or a sewer caved in here; or a
leak in the roof Of Jefferson Market or any other
matter Of the kind occurring within his beat
They are the very men to do this duty and the law
which relieved them from it was d fraud concocted
for the purpose of fastening brood of harpies
upon the treasury
Now, let this duty be restored to the Police
Depar ment, and then let the CrotOn Aqueduct
Department be charged with all regulating, paving
sewer building, lighting and cleaning of the streets
so az to have full charge and full responsibility
that the people may know that for all that is done
or neglected that department is responsible and
We may at once dispense with the Street COnmis-
sioner. the Commissioner of Streets end Lamps,
and the Commissioner of Repairs and Supplies
thus sweeping away three full departments, with
all that complicated machinery which has been
the shield for much Of the neglect and peculation
that we have suffered for years past
There is no coed reason why such an arrange
ment might not save hall million yearly, II not
more, besides consolidating power and responsl-
blity so that the people could find where the credit
and the blame should fall. We should then have
the Police Department, as at present, adding the
duty of Street Inspection; the Croton Department
having charge of water light and streets; the FL
nance Department and the Law Department. as
now; the Department Of Public Health, in the
hands, we trust, of some competent medical man;
and the Aim. House Department, which might
very properly absorb the Comm sSoners of Emi-
qration and become the sole public aims dispenser
Of the city.
Whether these changes are made in the proposed
new Charter or by special act is immaterisl,
though the proper place for their accomplishment
would seem to be in the Charter. Having thus
narrowed down the heads OF departments to four,
instead of the seven now recognized as under him,
the MayOr-suppOsine he has their appointment, as
the new Charter prOpOses-could have no reason
able excuse for not giving us vigorous and eff-
cient administration nor any shadow OF reason for
not materially reducing the enormous bn'den oil
taxation under which We now suffer.