The New York herald., 1869-06-08
Meeting of the Board Of
Aldermen.
INTERESTING MESSAGE OF MAYOR HALL.
Annual Reports of Municipal
Departments.

NHl AlleT brduSdCIlOu VI soiuC
tine business invitation was accepted TO partci-
pate in review OF the New York Schiitzen Corps at
Jones' Wood on the 2lst, 22d and 23d inst.
Tue annual message OF the Mayor was received
and Is as folows:-
Mayors oFFroE,l
NEW YORK, June T. 1869.
GENTITMEN OF TIE COMMON CoUNCIL:-
Al annual reports from municipal departments
haze now been printed in documentary form, and
State legislation has adjusted municipal govern
ment for the current year in accordance with the
VIII Of the political majority The Mayor therefore,
CONSIDERS 1t opporune to obey that charter provi-
sion winch prescrlbes duty 10 him OF communicate
ing 10 the Common Council at least once year,
and otener ii he shall deem it expedent, general
statement OF the situation and condition OF the city
In relation TO It's government, finances and improve
ment. and 10 recommend for the adoption OF the
Common Council measures which he shall deem ex-
pedent, connected with the police, security
health, cleanliness and ornament OF the CITY,"
Later legislation prohibited the corporate authori
ues rom ddml Illustrating the most important ''fnan-
cal interests OF the CITY, and every matter connect
ed with "polce security, cleanliness and health"
Gar are therefore, must be limited ll) to these
financial matters 1or which the city and county au-
thorlties have been exclusively made responsible.
(-l To a few matters OF ''government still vouch-
safed the metropolis. And 3) 10 considerations en-
braced by those remaining charter phrases In the
sectIon just tQuoted-'Improvement and ornament
However, tne original significance ana importance
OF the Mayors communications (or-as they ale po-
litey and popularity termed-messages have beeh
pubic press. Reporters and editors CLEAN the fields
OF public and official Information with such micro
scJpic mlnuJeneSs and electrical despatch that
scarcely any pubic officer, from cabinet ministers
10 constabes can anticipate press summaries and
eXposlVons. Indeed, SO much OF our own official
information is derived from their exertions that this
communication scarcely more than an official re-
cognluOn and recording OF matters and suggestions
already made known by the newspapers.
FINANCES.
We are not at all responsible for the city ana
county tax budgets OF this year. The Mayor, Comp
trOiler, street Commissioner and Chamberlain pre-
pared upon their local responsibility and properly
presented TO the legislature tax evles, they con-
sidered them TO be JUST but they were rejected aud
the TASK OF concoctng them assumed by opponents
OF our local adm nstration. or course, having mad
the power 10 fix these tax puzzles TO suit Them
selves. they must now accept the entire RESPONSE
bliity OF the result.
Quite interesting subjects connected with these
tax eves and with the recklessy partisan ignor-
ant influences which were brought TO bear against
csty authorities by rural legislators here suggest
themselves for discussion; but they can be post
legislative session.
Schedules A and D. hereto annexed, detail the
sums required to be raised by tax during the current
year Tor purposes respectively controlled by city and
county authorities
for those city purposes the amount is only
For those county purposes the amount is only
g.: 02,49s.
Schedule shows the highly satisfactory condition
OF the sinking fund for the redemption OF the local
debt.
The amounts Just stated un the aggregate reach.
lng 500 55Os) OF course exclude expended by
the various state commissions which are scattered
throughout the CITY, and whose officers are allowed
d.
amount and to discretionary spend 1t IN detail en-
tirely unhampered by the dog-n the .manper lepsia
tion that yearly aitiicts the local government
Those COMMISSIONS, too, have all their disburse-
ments amounting 70 several milons adjusted and
settled here without invoking legislative aid. Thus
II Is constltut onal and eXpedlent to partially give
our local authorities right that Is wholly possessed
by every other municipality except New York. The
for tins discrimination lies in the fact that
political virtue resides the state capitol or IN the
bureaus OF legisatyey created officers IL Is only ac
IN nj iSsID ia
BY local jury OF taking briOe
The assessed valuation OF the real and personal
estate In this city lor the current year Will be about
Sl,0OOOCO,OOO. This Is an increase OF nearly
s9a 900 over the assessment valuations OF 1865
from yesr TO yesr The T ayg sserage Greao
such increase will be levied upon property situated
In the upper part OF the city, Last year the percent
age for taxation was 269 this year 1t will be about
Is6 IL is but fair to add that the Citizens Assoca
tion In recent manifesto, CLAIM the credit OF this
reduction Certalnly Its agents were more practical
than usual In their cooperation with the local
6uthorties
But the annual report OF the Comptroller will
answer every practical question concerning city
finances that we or our constituents can possibly
put IL has already been published and commented
upon by the press The public learned with gratin-
cation that nearly I've mhllons OF dollars were added
during the past two years 10 the sinking fund. \
few more years OF such wise and prudent admins
tration OF the revenues by the Comptroller and
Chamberlain as these figures indicate must dis
charge the entire Indebtedness outstanding against
ments
The award OF recent loan evidences the city
credit III was taken at q premium Of two per cent
AZ mas been complained BY au administration journal
that the city IL compelled 10 pay per cent in
terest on Its obligations, bur the federal govern
ment pays nearly nine per cent IN currency upon Its
bonds.
MARKETS.
satisfactory increase in city revenue from the
markets VIII be noticed. In declining to sign bl
for the erection Of new public market Governor
HOFFMAN recently sald:-"An new markets In New
York should be built by associations OF marketmen
OF Dy Otnef private persons. with pTvate cault.l.
The public market system has not worked well, and
should not be extended There are many who urge
sale Of the markets and the retiring OF corporate
authorities 'TrOm the huckster Dusiness.m in this
connection, the Mayor submits an interesting report
made by General Nlele schedule D) upon markets.
His arguments are interesting. and some OF his con-
cusions may invite your action. The Mayor recon-
mends the sale OF the Gouverneur and Franklin
markets properly, and surrounding Of Washing
ton, Fulton and Clinton markets with sectional iron
framewOrks, IN such manner as not seriously 10
interfere with business during their erection; and II
made 20 contain second story OF galleries for stands
they viii thereby relieve he adjacent streets. Before
winter there Will have been erected around Fulton
market slip fused as fish market a structure that
may become the model for other similar improve
ments. 10 viii be Constructed by the Fiahmongersi
Association, recently Incorporated by the Leglsla.
ture, aud which has leased city property for the pur
pose OF the improvement.
wHARvES AND PIERS.
The present condition OF the wharves and piers, as
well OF those belonging TO private parIes as or some
owned by the Corporation, Is not due TO the omis-
slons or dOings OF municipal authorities. some OF
them should be rebuilt and others extended TO the
prescribed limits Yet nekher private owners nor
the Corporation would be justified iaamaking more
than necessary expenditures upon wharyes and
piers at the present rates OF wharfage Every at
tempt Of the municipal authorities TO obtain the
passage Of laws increasing wharfage rates has been
successfully opposed by mon0polists. During the
recent legislative session the most strenuous
exertions were made by the sinking Fund Com
mssioDers TO obtain such an increase, and also the
passage OF bill giving them power TO improve the
entire water front In manner commensurate with
The demands OF commerce and transit, and by the
Issue OF bonds payable In the future But con-
Joined lobby OF pecuniarly interested persons and
political harbor masters proved the strongest In In
nuence. Every aim Of the municipal authorities to
obtain proper control or their own property has
been In years past successfully resisted. Appropra-
NON and plans had been repeatedly asked or SUBJ
nltted at Albany IT. therefore, the local authorities
are not permitted TO control their property none but
pafthans. seeking TO pander TO rural prejudlces at
any depreciation OF the metropolis, should hold us
tesponsoe Tor structures that remain metropoli-
tan degraces.
- LEGAL MATTERS.
the comprehensive reports of the Oornoration
Uounse CORPORATION Attorney and Public Admins
committees.
The Mayor at present merely recommends tbat
Ct In