New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-03
ROBBERIES BY MUNICIPAL OFFICERS
10 Dc EIisey u The N Y. Trib'

ROBBERIES BY MUNICIPAL OFF1CERS'
r. as rIssy Of The NJ Y. Tviss~s
S,R-In the course of your remarks on the comnu
nication Of Mr. Controller Flagg as to the SWIMMING
nr.c,;ced nv the collision of heads OF Departments
and the Common Council, in the jobs OF opening g,au'
mo having and tagging streets, you ask: "ns.
en,tber amount Of theft and perjury will be required
"to arouse the Taxpayers to the protection OF tneir
"noctet,1v Now. though the Inquiry Is perfectly
re,tn,nt and proper, yet think it may be calculated
r. ,bo.e who are not familiar with the modus
o,.,.rd; in tbese cases; and therefore, take the
liberty TO address you about it. rot the taxpay-
.rs as tarpaver,, who suffer, bus the owners OF the
adjacent land In the Fifty.h street case the mpo.
son falls upon the owners of the lots fronting on the
mart of the street on which the works done, and sx-
tending half way, on either side to the rext Streets
and no further.
The process of pecuniary abstraction is effected in
this wise: The Surveyor appointed by the Street Com
missioner, measures and makes up the amount of work
nerformed and furnishes his results, with map OF the
nronertv on which the assessment to be levied lana
his own little bill incuded to three officers known as
"the Assessors in the Street Department" They-or
rather their clerk for the office is political sinecure-
add to the amount the number of days which the con-
science of the Inspector who most probably has never
been near the job, will allow him to- SYeaF to, multi
Piled by three, being the amount Of the Inspectors
share, in dollars The clerk then adds two per cent
to the total of the charges for the Assessors and two
and half per cent for the Collector The aggregate
of all of the charges is then distributed among the
owners of the lots laid down by the Surveyor, accord
ing to tAejadgment " ofthe Assessors.
The next process is notice, in newspaper, nom
the Assessors in the Street Department, which the
law requires them to give that the assessment list is
open, for ten days, for objections in writing Every
sufferer knows the fate Of these objections when they
are put in. They 60 before the Committee on Assess
ments Of the two Boards and whatever their nature
may be, are never regarded, and most probably are
never read There is but one interest with the men,
bers of the Committees and where that interest lies
all the world knows.
On the confirmation Of the report of the Committee
on Assessments, the assessment becomes lien on the
land, Is laid down on the map, taking precedence OF
mortgages and all other liens whatsoever; and, not
paid, the Corporation can proceed to collect the
amount by distress warrant or BY proceedings as for
the foreclosure of mortgage, after two years, by
fale of the same for term of years.
Now, the most unfortunate part of the whole is,
that no matter what amount of villany there may be
in it, there 10 no relief from this system. In other
cases. where citizen is aggreved he has his remedy
in the Courts Not in these street matters. The
Courts have always set their faces against parties ap
plying for relief against this quasi political swindng.
Since the days of the late William Paxton Hallett,
when the system originated own 10 the present time,
there are but very few instances in which relief has
been afforded and the principles established in those
cases were virtually overturned by subsequent de-
csioDs as soon as the Judges dared to o and have
no hesitation in saykg that, if this Of FtyAfth
street, on which you founded your remarks were TO
be brought before the Courts, there is not single
bench tina. would not, either by shying the question,
or by bubble as to Jurisdiction, or other legal
qurk, virtually decide in favor of the robbers.
without book, but from sad experience, having tested
the question than occasion, from the year
1889 down to the present time.
The old Supreme Court, on several occasions, made
decisions, which still stand in the Re-
ports monuments of their disgrace; and the under
tow by which they were controlled is well understood
But the later Judges probably influenced by what
they conceive to be public considerations, and by the
belief that, although great frauds are daily CON-
mitted, yet upon the whole it is better that the
owners, who certainly do derive some benefit, should
be made to suffer- rather than that the taxpayers at
large should have all the burdens fastened them.
1t is hardly fair to suppose that the fact that their
salaries fixed by the parties who share the profits
Of the system, the other fact of direct patron.
age, has any weight with them. 1t is but fair to state
also that the Judges, with one or two exceptions,
avoid these when they can and that about two
years ago three ofthe members Of our Supreme Court
did make an honest effort to correct the evils
by judicious system Of rules Of Court adapted to
the But the facility Of another member of the
Court and the political wre-puDg of the horde about
to be deprived of their Prey, too much for them.
The obnoxious rules were Get aside.
For the present disgraceul contest for the favored
Office which dispenses all these blessings and for
the scenes which lately brought us to the verge Of
civil war; our obg ations however lie in another quar-
er The new Charter had cut the claws ofthe Street
Commissioner by transferring the duties from which
he derives his chief emolunents to department which
Is under the direction of an honest man. But dis.
inguished legislator and Journalist had influence
enough to have the obnoxious provision stricken out
Of the bill as it first passed the Assembly and another
inserted by which his personal and political friend and
restored to even more than his pis-
line splepdor. Hence the pertnacity with which the
Mayor on the hand and the nominee of the Gov
ernor on the other stand up for the patronage.
An Office which viii enable bankrupt to borrow
$4,000 without security from its clients, must be
worth holding. CIvIs.
A DEFENSE OF IGNORANCE IN SCHOOL
TEACHERS.
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