The New York herald., 1868-03-08
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.


their names. AS soon as the usual routine business
had been transacted petition, signed by promi
nent citizen, was presented to the Board The petit
ton asks that the court rooms of the city be placed
at the disposal OF the public during the evenings and
days when the courts ore not In session. for i'm
provement in science, literature and morals, in the
hope that such devotion, under the wise legislation
OF the Board might become the source OF intellectual
strength and moral purity.
The petition did not state whether the members Of
the city government would be expected to attend the
sessions which might be held In the evenings and on
holidays in order that they might acquire some ''n
tenectual strength and moral purity" Nor was
wise legislation OF the Board that 1t cannot be
Determined whether the petitioner was using what
paper was referred to the Committee on Law, to
keep company with the resolution on Mr.. Fentons
'high crimes and misdemeanorsn
resolution was adopted asking the Board OF
Education to place clock on the school house now
In course OF erection in the Twelfth ward that the
citizens Of the upper end OF the island might thereby
have some means Of ascertaining the correct time
Resolutions were introduced to pave Washington
street from Liberty street to Battery place, with
Nicolson pavement and Forty-eighth street. from
Ninth to Tenth avenue, with Belgian pavement.
remonstrance was presented from the property
OF that street with Nicoson pavement. This was
ierred TO the appropriate committee after which the
Board took <, up the special order Of buslness-vz
THE LAURENS STREET EXTENSION.
Alderman NORTON, chairman of the committee,
moved that the report be adopted.
Alderman COULTER then moved as an amendment
that the report be sent back to the commttce, and
that the committee be directed to report in favor Of
the widening Of Thompson street.
Alderman CUsHMAN asked to have the report read.
Alderman CUDDY moved to suspend the reading,
read, after which member Of the Board suggested
that If this were adopted and the project to widen
Thompson street introduced in the Legislature were
also adopted, and the Church street job carried
out an enormous assessment would necessarily be
imposed on the citizens, and he thought 1t would be
better for the Board to join with the Legislature in
the Thompson street project. He did not know but
that the matter would have to obtain the sanction
Of the Legislature anyhow.
whether the Legislature had any authority to direct
the widening Of street in the city, and was de-
cided that the Common Council had power to direct
the widening OF street without the consent or ad-
vice OF the State government.
Alderman NORTON stated that the law in relation
TO the widening or extending OF streets had not
been changed In fifty or sixty years. and that by the
law the Common Council was given power to make
such Improvements as were needed on the streets.
Alderman HARDY stated that the law OF 1867 re-
quired thirteen votes in the Board OF Aldermen to
pass such measure, and even If the report OF the
committee We're mol adopted the friends OF Th0mp-
son street could not expect to have their plan
adopted in the face of such report presented
by majority of the committee, and the result OF the
movement would be to put an end to the project OF
widening either streets and thus deprive the city
of the great amount Of benefit that would
accrue to it by having this broad and con-
tnuous avenue constructed. He said the pressure
In favor OF Lanrens street was very great, and
that even the residents OF entire side OF Thomp
son street had presented q petition opposing the
widening of the latter street and advocating the Lau
rens street plan. The committee had fully and
fairly considered the subject, not In accordance
perhaps, with their Individual opinions but in the
various aspects in which 1t presented by the par
what they believed to be demanded by those parties
and needed by the entire city.
Alderman MOTION called the attention OF the MEM
bers TO the maps which had been prepared and laid
on the desks, and, endorsing the remarks Of Alder
man Hardy, hoped the amendment would not pre-
vail.
Alderman Couter's amendment was put and
adopted by vote of 10 to s. This brilliant piece Of
legislation direct insult to the majority of COM
mitee which had done its work so promptly and had
presented the matter so fully, was accomplished by
the Affirmative votes of tie ollowing:-Aldermen
Coulter, McGrath, Farley and McQuade. Aldermen
Norton, Ward, White, Cushman and Hardy in the
The result OF the vote seemed to cast restraint
upon the members Of the Board. Alderman Norton
asked TO be excused from serving on the committee,
and stated that he could not and would not favor
the Thompson street plan.
The regular order OF business was then taken up,
but the spirit OF tne meeting seemed to have been
killed. and after adopting resolutions to allow to the
Convent OF the Sacred Heart donation to pay as
sessments, and 70 appoint Charles Baulch Assistant
two O'Clock.
Board Of C0uucilmen.
The Board met yesterday afternoon the President
Mr.. Stacom, presiding.
DUMMY ENGINES ON THE SECOND AVENUE RAILROAD.
resolution was adopted asking the Corporation
Counsel to inform the Board by what authority the
Second Avenue Railroad Company are using steam
dummy engines on their road between Sixty-third
street and Harlem.
THE NEW YORK DIsPENsARY.
The PRESIDENT introduced Q resolution requesting
the Legislature to insert in the annual Tax levy OF
this CITY the sum Of $4,000 to assist the managers Of
the New York Dispensary in erecting new building
Mr. HARTMAN moved to amend by adding 81 900
to aid the Homeopathic Dispensary In Tompkins
square.
The resolution as amended, was adopted.
PUBLIC CLOCK n HARLEM.
The Board concurrcd with the Aldermen In
requesting the Board OF Education to cause clock
to be placed In the cupola Of the new school house
in 115h street. in order to supply the residents of
the upper part Of the city with the correct standard
OF time.
THE USE OF SALT ON RAILROAD TRACKS.
resolution was adopted calling upon the Com
mittee on Railroads to proceed without delay in
inqurng into the alleged violation OF the city ord
nance by city railroad companies who sprinkle salt
upon their tracks. Mr.. Hartman said that while the
salt upon their turnouts and switches the Second
Avenue Railroad Company used salt upon the whole
OF their track.
PAVING SIXTH AVENUE WITH NICHOLSON PAVEMENT.
resolution that sixth avenue between Forty
second and Fifty-ninth streets be paved with Ncol
son pavement, which was returned by the Mayor
without his approval, was adopted over his Honor's
veto.
Commissioners Of Charities and Correction.
special meeting Of this Board was held yesterday
afternoon, all the Commissioners being present and
Mr.. j. B Nicholson In the chair
The bids for the mason and carpenter work on the
proposed new building Of tae Commissioners to be
erected at the northwest corner OF Third avenue and
Eleventh street were opened and announced as
follows.--
For mason work-John Marshall, sl31os; T. w.
Rollins, s37,4s6 Van Dason Arnoit, $40 97S; John
Mullins, 7490; Frank Lafons $500; J. J. Wander
bit $4,000; q. OConnor $47564; d. O. Weeks Son,
$50, AS: q. b. De BAUM SAL 436 Jas Bogart sac 500;
Moore Bryant, s39,322; John i. Tucker 9,450;
jeremiah T. swift $4,000; w. n. owen, S42, 500;
Joseph smith, $S6,30o l.. N Crow, s3e9,0; Cockercli
a spauidin0 $3i, 900; Moran 4 Armstrong, S36,s1o;
Walter Jones, $4,000: E. Sniflen, S46,920.
For carpenter work-M. McGrath, $2I ,554; w. r.
Berrian, s2o,9S5; John Marshall, s21,92o; w. Ger
mond, S224IS; Jennings and Brown, $4,000; T. $.
Giliick, s2a57S; Ed. Grdley $25, 30; q. Van Nos.
trand, s2o,2s2 J.: Van Nostrand, $2s,275; Robert
Pugsley, S2ll70; Il. Sniffen $27,
A resolution was adopted directing the architect
OF the proposed new building to examine the propo-
sails and TO report to the board the names, propo-
sails, capabilities for performing the work and the