The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-13

few weeks ago. that our city legislators With bu, few
exceptions arc unprincipled, niiefae, schemag SGT
OF cortneFsa iosied upon the community through the
rachery Of primary elections, brissd election pspec-
tore, ballot box stuning, and numerous other illegal
me aus for attaining power The consequence is that
have class OF municipal legislators forced upop
who have boon educated IN barrooms, bIo.hcis ami
political sooifs Ind whose only ia aliaiaias power
II TO cossfnhae schemes for theit assrandizsnen
aud pecuniary gain. The presen. Common Council
are not tho legitimate representatives. Of au in.er
gent community; mono OF our emin,nt mer-
chants, traaeemsn or mechanics are smong tnom
but, on the contrary, they from class Of men
OF superficial views without the capacity cddcaon TO
rsnk ss wise legisls.ors In the present Common
Council under Indictment for murder ami fraud
and those who only short timo previous 10 their
election, were inmates of tho pani,eptary at BiacSweis
Island and there others who actively engaged in
coptrscts with the cyaa act strictly forbidden by the
amended charter, passed the year 1851 In so doing
they perurs themselves by engaging in that work. which
by their solemn oath they they would MOI do 81,
Many OF the schemes oencoc,ed last year but in
consequence OF the determined opposition OF the press and
the strong public senimoni created thereby the ploers
temporarily foea their schemes and the matters
jobs are the folowiDgs-i The rcpaving of Broadway
2 contract for cleaning tho streets g. The establish
OF West chester railroads With rails through prin
cipal streets. T. The widening OF Nassau street. g. The
sale Of the Brooklyn ferry leases In illegal manner be-
sides other schenes u i'm Of tho latter
going 10 swell the aggregate OF their rascsltea 10 All in
eSdtbie Ggure. lI lae.1 sa ..a. gafft .f "a d
de nrst measure tied in the above sthc re-
paving OF Broadwsy-was attempt the part OF tho
Board .! Aldermen 10 rush through series OF resolutions
to award the contract to Charles G. Waterbury TO re'
n N in ma nrS.
scribed b the thirty section Of tho snended char
mon Coanoi for sosi dons or supplies % be srnisksS
shall be made by the appropriate heads " departments
After the scheme concotcd and Waterbury tscd
his proposition TO do the work. several responsible CON-
pctOrr submitted propositions TO DO the work at less
price, and agreed to furnish adequate security for tho
faithful performance Of the All these PROPOSE
lions submitted to tnc Committee Streets (Aider
Booe, chair MANI, but they did nothing In tins pre-
nses except 50 through formal nyosgat,en Of the
fdo committed 70 Weterburys proposition. Among the
competitors for tho CONTRACT we're Aessrs. Cummings
their report stated ~ w 81 lll Fla rsaI aa1N
That although Nssws Cummings Co are contractors OF
the committee deem that their experense In laying Belgian
sxnas he o0nrsa 10 iSose geaiiensn. 80
A more frivolous, one, sided view of the case,
sSad not ssy: 9ssn syen ws
thing in this city and OF our actors engaged
the work OF laying it, have had such experience as to
allow them TO enjoy monopoly Of the work. The at
tempt to contract for this work by directly contracting
for the work from Board of Aldermen was an nfrac
ton Of the charter, Illegal and fraudulent.
Job No. 2-Tbe widening Of Nassau street, from B,ek
man to Wall street This project originated in the muddy
for by the people I'm that locality Il Is not called for
by the cxgences Of public travel It s matter involving
s DS OF ' sS hs Of Ss
OF officials Who would have the superntend-
ence Of the work. In a few years, when the
travel through Nassau street will DO small, and the
street wide enough for all practical purposes. y -
Job No 8-The confirmation Of grant 20 the West
chester, or Yonksrs Railroad Company, 70 lay rails
through the principal streets Of his city This IL sb
worth sewers. millions Of dollars; and there Is $40 r1,a
| Albany lobby and the City Hall lobby to confirm this
grant Tie Board OF Adermeu. contemplate bringing
this matter up for confirmation At carly day. and
tcpate possible the action Of the State Legislature
making this grant and finally TO bring the matter before
bodies to make the grant The per Oenage or the lobby
ties and eposmen large, and the railroad company win
bieedp freely to whichever party succeeds IN establish
JOB No. Is scheme that has been concoced ana IL
projectors have already got the promise Of certain Alder
streets and removing the manure ashes and garbage from
this city for term of years. The projssted plan psQ
al labor. or COURSE if this plan should be adopted an
extravaean sum OF money will be allowed for the work
in order to pay OF the iohbyes who shall carry the
measure through The system OF cleaning streets by
tract has always been miserable failure and the
work should be done by days work, under the direction
/ OF the City Inspector.
Job No Is scheme 10 sell the leases Of the BROOKLYN
ferries together for term Of ton years Had they
mated this scheme II wouhave pre- rented any advAnta
geous competition such would have resulted had they
been sold sngy but the motive to throw the
poly Of these ferries the hands OF the Union Ferry
Company The timely injunction sued ont In behalf OF
the es Of Brooklyn put queus on the scheme, at least
or the present Had this scheme proved successful the
| lobby were to be handsomely remunerated
Among the things laid the table last year. and which
| VIII probably be revived, are + t1 lsf g7
An ordinance proposed by Alderman Booe to revise
the city charter and 10 obtain its Adoption BY the Lssa
mse to employ host OF clerks aud assistants as they
To grant charter to the New Jersey Railroad Comma
N.Y. 70 run ferry from the foot of Desbroses street ia
this city TO the foot Of Harsimus street. Jersey Cty
Mayor Teann vetoed the resolution making the grant
charter, which requires that a ferry grants
thereafter 70 be given should be sold at public auction
resolution open Seventy seventh street from the
Eghih avenue 70 Broadway The petition signed
by bali dozen small property holders who probably
mad little or no interest In the line Of the proposed open
ing, but were probably induced Tor value received to
lend their names to carry out the scheme The petition
was opposed BY the devisees Of James G. King, who
own nearly al the property that would be Affected by
such opening - r' 1at le-'I. - :
resolution offered by Alderman Booc, to pave Tenth
street from BroaGyay 10 Third avenue with Belgian pave
ment Affixed to the resolution was an eiaborately
drawn up paper purportng TO be petition from the pro
perry holders on the hne OF the proposed Improvement:
but on an examn alton name discovered but that
OF the Alderman who sought The passage resolution
among other Illegal and extravagaHt things n.
mated during the year was 10 grant change OF terminus
OF Geo. laws Williamsburg ferry from James 10 Roose-
Welt street, thus virtually establishing ferry, which
inc charter provides sha be sold at public auction 1t is
alleged tnat $4,000 was paid TO carry the measure
through Thousands OF dollars sauauaered in giving
extra compensation to ciera whose salaries are fixed BY
law and The employment Of clerks the various stand-
ing committees. whore the regular clerks ampysu
cien, 70 aschsrge Tho work An attempt was made 10
" oack mali tho telegraph companies by seeking 70
pass an ordinance 10 compel them To out the
wires ulder ground The attempt did not succeed
Ihe Ssth section OF The charter OF 1851 provides
. Whenever any work il necessary 10 be done 10
cowpe.e peree, particular job any supply d needf
for any psncusr puipose which work Job 70 be
severs psrts OF The said work supply shall together involve
the expenditure o than hundred aud fy dollars
the same shall be made by contract, De. r'T- FFT'
Notwithstanding tho very plain language above qnosed
we find that on the twenty first Of july last year. Alder
man Genet offered resolution to the ceiling OF the