The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-06

whole amount involved is $68,693 10, OF which
without doubt, onehaif has been stolen outright
from the city. AS for the work on the roads, it
is an utter humbug. Occasionally one may see
a solitary laborer pottering away on the Bloom
ingdale or Kingsbridge road, but they are re-
ally in worse condition than even before Some
of the bills have not yet been paid, and persons
are suing the city for the amount charged. They
have been encouraged by the success of many
suitors who took judgments against the city by
default We trust that the Corporation will
order its law officer to defend all such suits to
final issue, and that some action will be taken in
the matter at once
These revelations from the Street Commits
sioner's Office form only part of the system
of plundering which has been rife in
almost every department of the city govern
ment. The rate Of overcharge is nearly equiva-
lent to the frghtful increase of taxation; and it
is only by such figures that we can see what
might be saved by prudent, business-like ad-
ministration of municipal affairs. We hope that
the new city government will inaugurate such
reform az is needed, but have no great faith in
it. In the meantime, however, we shall keep
sharp lookout upon all the departments and let
the people know how the money goes.
BRITISH CoURTEsIEs TO AMERICAN vAGA-
BoNDs.-The kind assistance and courtesies ex-
tended by Governor Seymour, of Belize, and
the officers of II. B. Ms steamer Baslisk,
tn tho shiuwracLad varabop3o nm Noor5 &ho
schooner Susan, has created a marked sensation,
and augmented the good feeling towards Eng
land in every circle and among all classes in this
country. In view of the hostile feelings to which
these selfstyled heroes gave vent when they ran
away from our sheriffs, and their loud threats to
fight every Englishman they met the British
officers might have imprisoned them, or sent
them up for trial for their lives and little notice
would have been taken of it here. Instead of
that, they looked upon them as unfortunate
Americans, and in a spirit of friendship, worthy
of the highest praise, have sent them home to Mo-
bile, giving them chance to repent Of their evil
ways, and to become honest and industrious citi-
zens Congress should at once give expression
to the general sense of the country, and concur
in resolution of thanks to the British officers for
the courtesies and hospitality extended to the
unfortunate American vagabonds wrecked on
board the schooner Susan. Perhaps Mr. Cling
man, who does all the patriotic, as he cannot get
the Clayton-Bulwer abrogation through, will in
troduce the patriotic resolution now called for
WHY ARE NOT THE CRY ORDINANCES En-
L,OpurDo Wyo Oi cbet.., kocI
ordinances passed at various times by the Com
mon Council, relating to the duty of citizens to
remove the snow and ice from the frontssof their
dwellings, so as to afford an unobstructed path
way for pedestrians. 1t will be seen that the
ordinances themselves are all that can be re-
quired; but the trouble seems to be that the
police fail to enter complaints against delin.
quents, as it is their duty to do; and Mr.. George
H. Purser, the Corporation Attorney, is equally
remiss in his duty in not causing the legal penal
ties to be enforced
The ordinances provide that the snow and ice
are to be removed from the sidewalks within four
hours after the stoppage of storm; that the
cutters must be cleaned, and the snow in the
streets levelled; that the occupants of corner
houses must keep the crosswalks clean half way
across the streets, and that when househo]ders
fail to perform any of these requirements it shall
be done by the Street Inspector, at the expense
of the delinquents.
Now, this is all very well; but it is notorious
that no sort of attention is paid to any of these
ordinances simply because the police, the Street
Inspectors and the Corporation Attorney, do not
see to it that they are enforced. When will our
sleepy officials attend to their duty?