New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-07-15
CONDITION OF PUBLIC WORKS.
How Ten Millions are Expended.
SEM. ANNUAL REPORT Of THE STREET COMMISSIONER

STREET CONgIsstO>FR> OFFICE,
NEw-YoSk, July II, l>59. y
G~xp,tTr, IT, coprarce with section - Of the
Charter II 1857 which Iequifes that every i'ti 81
depaItI shall report IN wniiug % tue Co'n ~
Council quarterly ,te s'sie OF his department, VIA
,uch suggestions in relation 10 the improvement
thereof and 10 The public business connected there
with. a. be msy deem advisable, have the honor
to subu, the following report tor TIE hrst siN moahs
Of the present year
No rrport was submitted s. the euG OF the frst quar-
ter for the thai the appropriations the year
were not made until sitter the expiration OF thi' ure
On the 18th o. April last, toe Legislature o' the
State passed an Authorizing the rai>lug ~ money
nv FAX io meet the current expenses OF the CITY OF
New York for the year 1872. rnis city vas, up %
iba; time, without authority 10 appropriate money lo'
any purIo,e whstevsr, with the exception OF ua.A,
pended balances slr.aiy appropriated Tor spec nei
uu,po.es and which caLnot without vioai;ol OF la
be ~, erted 20 other objects.
Such tate of TIM = j. productive OF crest irr'n-
,rtles sno uncertain basiness-very embarrassing
upc.r any cirruu stances ADD really dangerous to tue
best Interests If the city, s0d 70 ali "a" ana oTiei De-
canse the Charter declares tina. 10 expense sha be
incurred by aIy If the rfneLts or ucers shefe
o ~hetaer The Object of expenditure shall have been
"urdered bv The Common Council or no. unless AL al
" propra,iun hall have been previously male cover
ing such expense This STATE OF things mas been
foreseep ara various communication relstlVe thereto
were II ade III, reon the Common COubcu by TINS de-
psrtn eut IRON time % time during the year lSoS.
The Finance COMMITTEE of the Board OF Councllnen,
in areport to that booy, daei December - io'> re-
conmet red that the Common tcunc urge upon TOE
Legislature the property OF chsusns zoe Co.uu.e w.
meIt of the fiscal Year Of this city from The :t ot Jad
uary 10 tie lit Of July IN osder 70 avoid tie Uncertain
~ ana doub; Low attending the leg Atty OF all the eN-
p.pdtures ot the city government incurred previous 10
the pas age of the Pax Levy by the Lesl'Ia'uie'
The Mayor IN bis last Annual Message states MS
opinion that it imp that the sa year Tor tins
city be charged nom the first Of January 10 some latr
period in the year, and gives conclusive reasons
therefor.
In compliance with the plain and mandatory terms
of the charter aud IN view of she aci0n OF tue Com
Council ard opinion OF the May r, there was Tor
tunaiely tor doubt as To 1at cOar'e II WAS my
duty TO pursue. My first Ofiic al at this year wa,
Therefore the traDsmltlal ~ n communication on the
day If the organization of TIE two Boards OF the pres
EFT Common CCulc stating the Iec-ssty for refusing
to incur further expenditures under the direction aud
control OF the Street Commissioner un, appropriations
made therefor, aud ASKING Authority from your
honorab bodies Ia incur such expenditures - were
necessary to the weilb.lng of tue City Government
aLd essential Ia toe safety of property.
AGAIN, on the 18th day of Ianutry ia c)mmunlca-
ton To yonr honorable bodies, after calling your aen-
ton to the dangerous and disOrganzng state OF things
then existing. said: To preyem the recurrence of
this condition of affairs year II Is necessary for
the present Legislature To make provlslonS tor ex-
"pendures to be incurred by the City Government
DUNG al least two three months of the year 1901
The want OF money with which "a meet current he
cessdry expenses was highly detrimental to the bust
10
city, and unsatisfactory aud annoying TO al. The
Street COMMISSIONER Duties, a. | understand them,
executive, not legislative; TO obey, not to make
laws. therefore awaited the action u the law-nak-
irg power.
Certain expenses were, however, incurred by the
different Departments before tne passage of the II
Levy, notwithstanding the efforts OF this Department.
ana the Deputy ana Acting Street Commissioner con-
sdered best under all the circumstances, after the
passage Of the Tax Levy. to audit and pass accounts
for such expenditures the certificate of the Heal Of
the Department under which the expense ha been IN
CURED, rather than go into Court with almost GER
tsin'y of n verdict against the city.
The passage OF the Appropriation bill by the Com
mon Council, and ITS approval by the Mayor, on the
lth OF February gave some rebel Tor the uneNpended
balances reappropriated were then made available;
but the annual appropriations were not made avala-
be until the Supervisors empowered by the
Legislature to raise the money by tax, IT, passage by
the Common Council beng but a preliminary upon
which to bare their application 10 the Legislature Tor
enabling act.
Various communications from this Department
during the year 1875, the report OF the Finance Com
ntlee Of the Board OF Councilman of last year upon
the Tax Levy for 1889, and the Mayors annual mes
sage of January last-all agree in urging upo0 the
Common Council God the Legislature the necessity for
woiJug the act makiDg or authorizing appropriations
in such tbet there should be no mistake Ia re-
gard to what work was to be done supplies fur
nsheG under whose authority the eXpendt are was
To be made and what amount 81 money should be ap-
Piled to the purpose. The Common Council OF tuis
yesr prepared such an ordnance and based there N
81 application 10 the Legislature for power 10 raise
money by tax. The Legislature, in the act author.
izng the Tax Levy, entirely ignored the Specific and
definite appropriations to be expended under the
direction OF particular heads If departments, wen.
back to the Old plan, arblraris add largely reducing
gross amounts, without word a. to what work or sup
plies were TO be omitted leaving this point 10 be de-
termned by general scramble, resulting in exhausted
appropriations ana large arreaages.
Before entering upon an account OF the actual busi-
sott Il iAr l
respectfully and urgently request the attention Of yoar
honorable bodies 10 the recommendations Contained IN
my annual report for last year and TO those VI the Su'
perntendents othe various Bureaus uader my charge,
and TO conn uncatons made from time to tune during
the last six months, not yet acted upon.
The officers of the Street Commissioner and ot'he Bu'
of Tins Department, with the exception OF those of
the Collector OF Assessments and the Chief Eaglneer
C the ire Department. were removed 10 No. ~ Park
row in March a.t This has enabled me to assign
proper Offices to the Supernte ndenis and Clerks there
10y aifordDg them proper facilities for the trans action
II their Official duties, and bringing the different
Bureaus If the Department uLder the immediate
supervision and control Of the Street ConmIssiJner.
The system upon which the books, accounts, pay
mcnts, correspondence and general office business OF
this Department j. conducted, fully described IN
my last annual report. Under this system il would re-
quire cOnnIvaIce and collus the part Of very
many persons 10 conceal any portions OF the details
Of tine bu,lnes, transactions o! this Department.
Alteration Of records without detection Is Dext u ion
possible. l am perfectly aware Of the fact that all
that portion Of the business pertaining to the offices
nsy be admirably conducted, and still, If the actual
work i not well executed, the whole is practically
failure. The outdoor work j. III many respects wei
executed but IN this particular the affairs Of this De-
partner, not entirely satisfactory. Serious atteR
lion i given to this sul rct by officers Of toe Depart
ueut. aud wou Il IecOnneni that a change be made
IN the duties. OF apo ntng. and rate Of
persation Of inspectors " work doLe by contract.
There making specifications unless contract
ors are compelled 10 comply With then. Tnc SD
peiiu;erdclts Of many Of the Bureaus are
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