New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-01-04


would again hiring ibis ubjsct before the attention
OF the Common CooDcil, and urge upon them ia in
porisnce. The taxable property Of the city "ouh, |
have 10 doubt, THE were done, b. greatly ncreased.
and buildings rapidly spnog up where al Is how ap-
parert waste.
In order 10 better ensble Of property t.
guise the street, 10 front % their respective lots
would recommend that the legislature he asked for he
pssFaye Of las permitting t1s fair valuation Of the
eTps thus borne by owners 10 be alOsed any iu-
tuIe sssessnsn fJr similar improvements dons 70 the
same str, cts By the city.
The subject of the proper construction of
WBARyEs FOR THE CITY.
construction Of clip. ard bssios not only sufficient for
the pres, Ut hut for the rospecve commerce % the
city, y worthy Of y0ur serious consideration. New
York depends for her prosperity and her gr0-h upon
her increasing commerce. Every facilty sh0ni1t
therefore, be afforded by Der authorities for ~
coromoGation and for it, protection. Oar whstves
such you'd Disgrace any city with the leaf
prefer sious 10 commercial greatness. Some general
system sbOod at be- devised to make these sIac
tures more Substantial and commoc ious
Whsrves built on iron piles have been strongly
Tecoumer dec; bit whatever he the best materla,
well Satisfied they should be OF more permanent
ard substantial character than those which now sur
ropnd the city, l. this respect would suggest that
the oprion If scientific ana practical men IA 70 the
best material and plan of their construction be taken
and acted upOr promptly.
As il well known, part Of The City Hal was de-
stIoyed AMI dam, gee by in the Uouth OF Septem-
Der /, 81 caused MS ia nov generally supposed and
which the evidence taken by the Committee of lnves-
iigatlOD fully sustans, by the remains OF smoudeThg
FIRE xo1ks left on the roof Of the holding used At the
celebration in conmemoratiOn OF tue laying Ct the
Atlantic Gable. The Street Commissioner gss direct
cd by the Common Council 10 Cause plans 20 be pre-
pared for the repair or reconstruction Of the part fe
strnved which nave rot been carried oto effect from
the fact that no appropriation was appucaoe 70 the
work
am Of opinion that the bulldog shoul be restored
10 It's former condition. without the addition OF ful
n, uufli II AZ
be gained thereby, although a large additional expense
would be required. The city has ample ground u
build upon and in the cement If its Offices the
convenience Of the public should be consuited by
making them easily accessible.
There are many other subjects which require your
attention bot wi ch the limits Of this communication
will not allow ne ~ sts'e ~ July az desire ano az
their importance require. Among them m3y be
noticed the svindng operations of those engaged IN
mock auctions tick selling, erniIr.nt DO riding
hodses policy and lottery tlcke's and other nef4rious
business carried on ex'ensyely mere, oy wai'h TIE
poor ard gnordnt are robbed - a large extent
These matters will, however. bereafter form the
subject Of a special message ~ yom honorable body
with a view OF obtaining legislative acton 10 supply
the defect # the present laws on these subjects.
would aleo call your early attention to the subject
OF establishing suitable lines ard grades for the
avenues and streets in the extreme upper section OF
the island adapted to the Natural surface OF tins part
Of the city, ami also N relation TO closing several OF
the smaller parks in the upper psrt of the city, in
view Of the lay ing ont aud improvement OF the Central
Park.
In conclusion ! feel thst it is due to the generous
confidence which have alw ~ experienced IRON my
fellow-czers TO explain why have not been able to
do more than he's been achieved toward nusng Ter,
economy aud ggor into the administration OF the
Municipal Government. To complete the reforms the
Mayoralfy should in ny oplnuion be invested with
larger powers. The Executive Departments are not
directly responsible to him, aud without this RESPONSE
bty unity and efficiency of action cannot he expect
ed. II is not enough thai 'he Mayor shoud have the
ncmnatou Of the heads Of Departments on the xpira-
tion of the terms Of Office Of the ,ncumbens. If ne is
to be held proper sbity Tor their action,
he should have also the power Ut removal. In only
one Department of the City Government, the Street
Department have had tia appointment Of its mead,
as vet the power to Introduce reforms ho~ever ne
cessary and point 10 that Department in its pr scot
cor ditiOn With satifac ton WIN the exception o. the
clerks in my Office ard few subordinate officers ap-
point ed directly by the Mayor have had no other OPP
portunity to change the personnel OF the Ciy Govein.
merit and cannot suspend or remove any head o.
bureau clerk therein, however unit may kno"
him to be.
These subordinate places filed properly enough
by the heads Of the department; but II the Municipal
Government is TO be efficiently administered, the
MANOR must have not only the power OF norlnshnS
heads of the executive depart nents but the absolute
poger of removal. The public would then be able to
hold him responsible for the coDduc; OF affairs.
Under the provisions of the Charter giving to the
Finarce Department the " control at all the hscAl
concerns Of the Corporation and Of prescribing
"the forms Of keeping and rendering all city ac-
counts Of collecting the taxes aud al the revenues oil
the Corporation Except Rssessmehts and oil revising,
auope and settling sl accounts 10 Which the city II
concerned as debtor creditor, i has been claimed
that the Controller can pay any bill in bis discretion,
without the requistOn voucher OF the head OF the
department in which the claim originates. In my
opinion il is proper that the Controller anI ms subor
din aes alone Of all executive city officers shoud nod
office Dy femme Independent Of the Mayor IN or-er
that there may be cneck upon the eXpen iure. msde
under the Mayor and his appointeee. Tne Finance
n, NOT
they have been approved by the department having
charge Of the expenditures. The Mayor aud hls APP
DOR tees should not be relieved oi iu responsibility
but il is well 10 have Independent department 10
credit and finally settle the accounts TOR expenditures
made Ivy them.
The Controller has properly the appointing OF all
the officers ana clerks in the department, and is in 90
way ponsib'e to under the supervision OF tue
Msyor-bu in my opinion judicious system requires
that the bureaus for the collection OF pubic moneys
should not be 10 the Finance Department. All persons
paving MONEYS to city officers should however be re-
quired to register such payments IN the Fnanco De-
paI,ment which would thus be e a6!ed To detect al
once any appronraiinn Of pubic moneys 10y collecting
officers The Finance Department would then exer-
else the functions properly appertaning To IT, aud
would be a check upon al the other ID ptI.ments
Wien collections are made directly 10y the Finance
Deyarn mt or bills auiite1 by II without the previous
seton Of ~ er D. part mens, this sala'ary chock OF
two indrl endcpt Departments upon cacn other would
in nv ou nob lead n stlntafy improvements 10 the
coectoa and disbursements OF tie funds OF tie ety.
The Street Department 81 toe tune % my accession
10 office sppr AIRED to be IN IueNtucsbc confusion, and
remained 80 until the Cont Of Appeals decided that
the appointment made by the Mayor md Alderman
was legal. However, nth great reluctance ana al
NV urgent solicitation, Mr. e ward Cooper cODseuted
TO take and hcd the office temporarily until order
could he restored. ard the Department reorganzed.
Tie objects have now been sccumpis led aud Mr.
Cooper tas retired, AM have had satisfaction IN
beng abe to state that this nPoTt ,nt Deprtme