The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-05
BROOKLYN'S BURDENS.

BRO0KLYN'S BURDENS.
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COMPTROLLER Schroeder Finds an Alleged Def
cheney ia the Accounts Of His Predecessor
500, 16O To BE Accounted FOr-Action of the
Aldermen.
AT the meeting OF the Board of Aldermen. held
yesterday afternoon a communication was re.
ceived from Comptroller Frederick A. Schroder
calling the attention OF that body to an alleged de-
hcency In the accounts OF his predecessor In ofics
Mr.. Evan NJ Johnson. The deficiency is OF cash re-
turned to the city for sewerage bonds and ASSESS
ment bonds issued Tor street improvements, made
under the authority Of the Water Board. In
addition to the deficiency In principal, the ac-
crued interest," IL Is set forth, Is unaccOunted for.
The comptroller encloses statement showing that
the deficiency on sewer bonds amounts to Sal. 40;
that on assessment bonds. $5s.050 Comptroller
Schroeder says:--"Tne Corporation Counsel has ex-
pressed to me the opinion that the laws author
izing the issue OF these bonds clearly intended that
they should lot be sold for less than par inasmucn
as no provision was made to cover any discount by
assessment otherwise. The books OF this once
contain no evidence that discounts were allowed TO
any party. No rate oil sale is stated. the
reports OF the eX-Comptrolier lal 10 make any eA'
hibit OF sucn discounts or Deficiencies These bonds
bear interest AZ the rate OF seven per cent per an
mum, and are as good security as the city offers
Tor sale; those referred To are still outstanding,
and mostly IN the hands Of first purchasers. l re-
spectfully submit these facts 70 your honorable
body Tor consideration and ask that such steps may
be taken as may be considered expedtent to make
up The d deficiencies referred TO-"
The ex-Comptroller, Mr.. Johnson, when written
to by Mr. Schroeder and notified oil the deficiency,
pied that upon the total sales Oh sewerage bonds
made by him as Comptroller there occurred den.
Sal, liz alluded 70. Mr.. Johnson's explanation
continues :-"Upon the total sales of assessment
bonds during my term little deficiency in receipts
occurred, the amount OF which ia. presume, the
other amount stated In your note. $5s,o5o In each
case the books kept by me In the ComptrOller's
office give the correct amount. The
CAUSE OF THE DEFICIENCY
bonds did not bring par. The discount al when
they were 80 obliged 70 be sold Is the deficiency re-
ferred to. In answer to your inquiry, How III my
opinion should such deficiency be provided f0r''
can only say that there seems to be but one way
tnat is, to issue sufficient number OF new bonds
1.-THE accounts are running ones Each bond is
issued against general account, not Tor any par
the course of time The premiums received on bonds
may eventually balance the discount lost. But II
this desirable result never should be accomplished
still see no other way to provide for deficiency on
receipts but the issuing OF new bonds therefor"
Comptroller Schroeder adds that the general fund
accounts" as no mas had them written up TO
December 81 'show a surplus IN some cases and
Q deficiency IN Others"
The general aggregate deficiency 1852 Pa q
The general aggregate surplus 3SlS "a
The net deficiency being .$Ss. las %
With regard to this latter account tne Comptroller
adds:-"I respectfully ask you 10 authorize me to
apply the surplus to the reduction Of the deficiency.
and suggest to your honorable body the prOprieCy
power 10 issue bonds to the amount Of
the net deficiency, payable In six years, the
proceeds OF which shall be applied TO the closing OF
all Overdrawn accounts. Provision for the pay
ment Of the bonds at maturity should be made Dy
directing the insertion OF $4,000 IN each annual
budget until sufficient amount shall have been
raised" He also annexes tabular statement OF the
surplus and deficiency accounts for the enlRhten.
ment o { the Common Council.
The whole subject was referred, without debate,
to the Finance Committee OF the Board OF Aldermen,
with power 10 send Or persons and papers,
The Committee Of Fifty-Costly street Light.
ing-Tbe Common Council Taken to Task for
Its Extrnvagance.
The Sub Committee OF Fifty yesterday furnished
the press with report Of their investigation OF the
affairs or the departments OF Auditor and Assess.
ment as relates to street lighting The document
thus iluminates the subject in opening:-The &C
counts which have been subjected to our examina.
ton show that during the years 1862 1870 and 1871
there have been erected IN our city $3.50 new
lamp posts and lamps. at an average cost each
OF about forty eight dollars, amounting
TO the sum Of $267s4o, and during the
| same time about one thousand posts
and lamps were taken up and reset al
shorter distances from each other, at an average
expense Of about So each, amounting to So, OOO
the total expense for new lamps and posts and for
| those taken up and reset at shorter distances,
during said years OF 1862 1870 and 1871 being about
| $500, 600
During the year 1860 the Common Council, as your
subcommittee Is informed and believes. com.
menced q career OF reckless prodlgality In the
establishment OF additional lamps, many OF the
members seeming to vie with each other In their
efforts TO determine who could set the greatest
number IN their respective districts and not satls-
ned with ordering these $3.50 new lamps, that body
1t appears, passed resolutions TO take up about
thousand tnat mad been previously placed, and set
them at distances Onehalf to 0nethrd less than the
positions they had previously occupied, thus sub
Jectng the taxpayers to oil ABOUT twenty thou
sand dollars, which was not only wasteful expen-
diture, put added greatly to the cost OF lighting
city.
Even If the above stated s. 500 new lampposs and
lamps had been really needed, ana II the resetting
Of the 1,0O0 had been necessary, your sub-commlt.
tee from information received believe that 1t could
have been accomplished for 100000 less than the
sum charged.
The su6Joned statement shows the alarming an
nual Increase III the expense OF conducting this
department OF our municipal affairs.
III 1868 our city population was about 390,0 00:-
The expense OF lighting the streets $685. 900
In 1867 the expense 325, OUO
In 1908 there was appropriated ..."S4UUUW
In 1870 there was expended about. ...... N02O5
In 1871 there expended about. O2.4O5
From the foregoing 1t will be perceived that while
the population since 1858 has increased forty per
cent tne expense OF street Illuminating has in
creased about 500 per cent
In regard to the expense OF street lighting during
the three years, 1t may be stated that the year
1867 the appropriation was $325O00, which was
about the average proportion during several pre-
ceding years, taxing into account the gradual
growth OF the city.
Taking into account also the increase OF popula-
ton, the aggregate expense OF lighting streets
In 1862 1870 aud 1871 should not have exceeded
pense has been ST. 944, 405 during that tme showing
an Of 1854, 405 more than should nave Deen
expended mad the money been economically used.