The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-23

OLA HDAtO hAtI AC, lC
RemarskalkIe Municipal Developments In the
Opening OF Strsets-One or the Piarers DIE
csvercd-A Nugget worth eiOo, 900 Tanned
Up.
TO rHx EDITOR OF rHR HSRALp.
In presenting this paper the public have thought
thai perhaps might be rendering benefit the proper
" and the taxpayer by an exposition OF system
Of suds eKtortons daily practissd his city under
the cover Of law and of which thu property owner is ths
principal victim The Legislature of last year undertook
the task OF making reform Laws for ths city, among the
most important OF which side enlargng the pow
ers Of The Corporation Counsel and increasing the perqu
sites Of his Office The Of this mark OF fsvoritism
Just n that slime attracted public attention II Ia
probable that no opposition would now be heard the
ameudatory act in the Of the Corporation Counsel,
were not tha. the impostous snA frauds perpe,rated
under have become no longer bearabls to ths
nity In the 6rst place known TO almost every lawyer
business Corporation Counsel has
within the last year that four times the present
force engaged upoo it, thai amount Of labor would be To-
sufcleut to the demands Of the once. In recent
municaon from the COUNSEL that ofoer speaks Of the
pressure Of business and OF his inability to be more EN-
Gent than he Is. II understood that hundred
cases lie untouched that ONCE the purpOr Of which
unknown to both the counsel and his deputies. A
cases 00tSl0meut
OF large amounts OF money the CITY while many Of our
fellow citizens have their all depending upon the issue
In the creation Of this ONCE not Intended that
should benedt soeySone man, Is the TO large
degree at present its provisions general and be
ra designed TO protect the interest of the city, while
guarded the rights of the humblsst citizen The pro6a
BILE amount Of patronage in the possession OF this Office
makes in this respect the most TO be desired Of any In
the city, after that OF the Street Commissioner In the
exercise Of power it is the most arbitrary and
despoe Of any of the creations of tho Legislature
81 present conducted-And yet, strange Is 1t
may SEEM there redress against sbuses while
TO complain might prove loss TO the complaining party
which he would not be prepared 70 risk JUSTICE also
the interest Of the taxpayer demands change entire
reorganization and reconstruction Of this ooe Of Corpo
ration Counsel The following submitted to the tax
payer and TO the Legislature Of this State substitute
for the present system By its adoption many Of the evils
complained Of in the ofoe Of Corporation Counsel
would be removed is estimated that the fees alone to
the present incumbent from his Office yields him
nuity Of at least sos oO0 while again is said
to $1,000 1t is certainly not far below the rst
figure but to get at the facts investigating examin-
ing committee would be necessary This money taken
directly from the pocket Of the taxpayer, while as a
to perpetuse the annual receipt of this amount
numerous petty Offices and appointments illegally
Were this free system abolished there would be
saving at once to the taxpayer Of $3.50 600 yearly Then
again, the counsel would not find it TO his interest TO
hunt up excuses for bringing forward and urging upon
the Common Council the adoption of ordinance for
cutting through streets where the required
and which, In majority Of instances, atten fed with
estimate the amount Of injury and pecunary loss both
the taxpayer and the city which effected by this sys
would to ea yesry s snd @
sertion is capable Of the cearest demonstration and
proof As an evidence Of this abuse have before
receipt the property of real estate which shews
that 81 600 was assessed him, and paid his por
ton Of the assessment for opening street sixteen
years ago. and to this time not the first step has been
taken TO have carried out this great "pubc necessity"
No the necessity ceased upon the Corporation Coun
sci and bis associates receiving their fees AS at pre-
sent constituted, this Office has attached two i'm
portant bureaus, which should, without delay,
be made into Independent Department. These bureaus
the Offices Corporation Attorney and the bureau Oh
Public Administrator There IN reason why the office
Attorney TO the Corporation should NOT be made into
independent department but there many for
favorng this change In the first place the duties Of the
attorney are minutey detailed In the statutes,
feYe, Of appeals, where Judgment d given
against the corporation The attorney, upon taking office
actions the attorney Of the Corporation he reports
monthly TO the Comptroller under oath by item the
business done during the month"; and the amount Of fees
received which latter are paid over TO the City Chamber
lain He also reports yearly TO the Common Council and
finally bis salary paid by the Comptroller. Why then
should this important Office remain appendage 70 the
office Of Corporation Counsel, when in fact, IT is
independent Of II in all its official acts, and with
different and distinct duties to performf There is no
whatever it, but there are many reasons why
should be made into an independent department-one
OF which Is that the Corporation Attorney should not be
dependent for bis appointment and retention Office
any other than the Mayor and Common Council OF New
York Not cent Of additional cost the city would
greater freedom OF action and 10 the Office additional
funess and efficiency. The necessity for Ike change in
important The subject Of changing into department
was considered by Of the committees Of the Legsa
ture last year The influence. however which was
used TO Increase the and emolumens q the Cor
poraton Counsel brought to bear In this Instance
and, stated by the chairman It thought advisable
70 let the subject rect for present" The
secret Of this fondness, which past and present
Corporation Counsels have evnced towards this
bureau, and Of Their un.illnsness to .llo.
ment, may be found the fact that possessed OF
much legal patronage which can be claimed by the Cor
poraiop Counsel his right but which he could neither
lay claim TO enjoy the Office other Than bureau
The existing law should be 80 far altered amended
duty. Not only should the Office have no bureaus at
tached TO it, but should be deprived OF al patronage
os shouS he as.eS .na bs sho
made 10 return 70 the Comptroller monthly the amount OF
all fees received under oath He should have charge o.
and CONDUCT all the business Of the Corporation and Of the
departments and Of all law business IN which the city
shall be Interested, when ordered by the Corpora
ton, and shall conduct the legal proceedings neces-
shall draw the leases deeds, and o<her papers con
nected with the financial department This should
include all the duties and powers OF the Cor
poraton Counsel, and for which salary OF sixth
OF his present income would suffice o remuneration.
The appointment Of Corporation Counsel, Corporation At
orney and Public Administrator, should be made by the
Mayor and Common Council Following the reforms thus
and abuses pracsed under the present system Of street
openings and 10 the remedies suggested In majority Of
neither the interest OF the property the
public wants are benefited BY the present ndscrmnate
opening Of srees In fact those most Interested In these
openngs-tbe property owners-are allowed the least
In the matter A instance the OF Canal street.
where the cost fopenng amounted TO something like half
million Of dollars And whae doc 1t present. Il amockery
In the name Of improvement An outrage on the city, and
~ cifr liza