The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-16


taxationfrom which the revenue is derived
From Receipts for 1867.
Piers and slips. ,799 81
Fefr1e9 7,OBb %
sssnos AOyX6
D. cellar renes.. ..................... 1898 II
40. koe6... 18,0Ol "
aa9eo.es...,. :.:..................- 3OxsS W
1asoS u roaA o5SeSs. Jz,xS6 %
oeto0s vsuib. 1o,t4o ~
Fines and penalties. l1,ll7 90
These are few of the small items. Interest
and dividends ON stock, redemption bonds, in
terest on the taxes assessments, &C., swell the
amount Of revenue from all sources except
taxation to over eight millions and quarter,
making total income to the city treasury, as
above stated, of seventeen millions and three
quarters. The question remains, how much
will it be this year?
In addition to giving the financial returns, of
which there are few, Mr.. Flagg treats us to
detailed history of the frauds developed by the
standing committees in the opening and regu.
lating of streets; but as they have all appeared
in our columns in due course, and have been
largely commented on, we forbear narrowing
our readers with q repetition. One item, how
ever, is worthy of note: on application to the
receiver of the Bowery Bank, Mr.. Flagg ascer-
tanned that for the last two years notes of Che
mung Smith, to the amount of over twenty
four thousand dollars, had been discounted
there, of which over twenty-three thousand
were for Charles Devlin. With reference to the
irregularities" in the contracts of Terence
Farley, Mr.. Flagg applies the whitewash brush
in this fashion-"An adjustment can be made
on Mr.. Farley's jobs by the amount of work
already DONE" It appears that there Is
balance due Farley of some eight thousand dol
lars, deducting the irregular" payments.
After maturely rejecting on the moral fur
nishsd by the extraordinary array of figures be-
fore him, Mr.. Flagg comes to the conclusion
that 1t must be conceded that the items of ex-
penditure under the control of the city authori-
ties shave greatly exceeded the sum required
for an economical administration of the city
government" Considering how much of the
extravagant and dishonest expenditure was car
ried on under his own nose in the Finance De-
partment, and was the result of his own care
lessness, this concession is decidedly cool II,
as St Paul assures us, open confession is good
for the soul, that admission may be put down to
the credit Of the Comptroller's conscience.
We invite the attention of taxpayers to the
fact that II costs over sixteen millions year to
govern the city now, and we warn them that IL
they do not take the management Of its affairs
out Of the hands of the politicians, rogues and
rowdes VINO control them, at the fall election,
that twenty millions will not cover the ex-
naxrtv nd hat <ha ost
coon go to perdition, to which it is approx
mating with fearful rapidity.
The CENTRAL PARK.-We understand that IL
is the intention of the Commission for Central
Park to carry out our suggestion with reference
to opening q drive through the grounds of once,
without waiting to complete the ornamental
portions Of the work, the strawberries, lakes, cas-.
cades, and 20 forth. This Is quite proper. There
is no city in the world of the magnitude Of New
York 50 destitute of suburban drives. There is
not single road, street or avenue in the vi
cinty ct for carriage drive; they are all either
so full Of ruts and Irregularities, or so surround
cd by old rookeries, bone establishments and
other offensive things, that they are wholly I'M
suited to purposes Of recreation. We have no
interest in making anyremarks about the man.
agement of the Park that does not belong equal
ly TO the public at large; our object is to facli-
tate the progress Of the Park by making such
suggestions as seem best calculated TO insure
that object. With respect to the objections to
nonresident Commissioners IL appears that Mr..
Gray is resident of the city, bis absence In
Richmond county being only temporary. He
is putting up fine mansion on Fifth avenue,
which win probably be finished In the fall The
Central Park will be very costly affair. The
people will have to pay millions Of money for
the privilege Of enjoying Its beauty and health
fulness; the ground alone has already cost over
five millions, and II Is matter of great moment
to the public that II should be laid out proper
ly, economically and speedily. II is in view Of
this that we have 80 repeatedly commented on
the subject
In connection with the five millions awarded
for the ground on which the Park stands, IL ap-
pears from the late report of the Committee of
the Sinking Fund that payments to the amount
Of nearly three thousand dollars have been made
TO fictitious persons and parties who had no
award or interests emitting them TO such pay
ments, which the committee designate as frauds
supposed 10 be committed by Chemung Smith,
who drew the warrants. This is another in
stance Of the way affairs arc managed in the
Finance Department.
The Central Park may be fairly sid to be the
greatest public work yet undertaken in this city,
and IL demands all the caution, foresight and
Judgment of the Commissioners to insure its sue
cessful accomplishment.
BuNsBY IN THE CoMrTRoLLER's OrFrcE.--In
his late report for 1857, old Flagg says that
the expenditures under the control of the city