The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-11
THE PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS.


Tour Through the Principal Public
Departments-Thc Flow OF Emigra-
mountaineering Views OF Commits
sioner Van Nort-Lager Next Sunday
and Sunday After Next.
HERALD reporter who visited the various pub
lie departments OF the city yesterday gained some
valuable information. Az the ONCE OF the
COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATION
he learned that permission will probably be given
to land the passengers OF the City OF Washington
at Castle Garden The number OF immigrants who
have arrived since the 1st Of July is s,0l6. The
number Of immigrants this year reaches the re-
spectacle figure Of 16s, 273, as foows:-In January
there arrived e,4o0; IN February, OFT; in March,
13421 in April A. 74a; in May, 52,1S7, and in June.
SO, LOO. The number or cabin passengers was also
very large, but could not be exactly ascertained.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Commissioner George W. Van Mort, when he is
not employed in giving audience to politicians, de-
votes the leisure to examination OF his pay rolls
looking to retrenchment. Within q short time
over two hundred laborers have been discharged
owing to reduction in expenses rendered neces-
sary by the cutting down OF appropriations by
the Comptroller and his associates Tbe following
reductions were made public yesterday
There were removed five swecpers OF public
buildings and two men on repairs OF pipes and stop
COCKS, and the Commissioner has made the follow
ing further reductions OF salaries :-Engneer-in-
Chief on BOuevards Roads and Avenues, from
$4,000 to $4,000 per annum; three inspectors Of
one Waterman at Croton Lakes, SO per day; one
laborer at City Hail. 81 per day; one Assistant En-
two ioremen on aaueduct repairs. from a Is to
81 per day EACH The total saving effected by re-
movals and reductions OF salaries to-day Is S. 1856
per annum
The subject Of the supply Of Croton water is re-
celvng considerable attention. ihs is one OF tine
severest droughts" said Commissioner Van Mort
quantity of rain In June was only T-1OOth OF an
inch, which il less than during any previous month
| according to the rain gauge OF the Department.
The natural now or water from the Croton river is
now less aS ta NAM three hundred million gallons daily
| dred millions. The deficiency is now made up from
the storage capacity IN the Croton water shed dis
! tricc comprised OF the natural lakes and ponds
| and the new storage reservoir ut Boyds Corners
on the west branch Of the Croton river which has
Department The city Is thus relieved OF the great
Inconvenience OF short water supply. This
between two mountains. and is two and half
miles long andsixty feet deep. IL has capacity Of
1900, DOC, 900 GALLONS,
Land has been condemned for another reser-
| voir," pursued the Commissioner, ''in the Middle
| Branch about two miles from Brewsters station.
! which will contain 1000 00o, 900 gallons when COM
pleted. The plans are now being prepared"
tine a mas been engaged In laying
| at specific points in the lower part OF the city,
which shall not be tapped on the way, thus giving
| 'Ws regards stone pavements;" the Commis-c
stoner continued, In reply to the reporters ques
that was employed last year on repairs TO stone
| pavements. This is wing to tile. fact that
the appropriation has been reduced from
! $780, to $4,000 while it ought to have been
| raised. Numerous
COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE
! by the Board OF Health and private citizens but
the Department will do the best 1t can under the
| circumstances. The subject of wood pavements
is one OF great concern to the department., they
n a
been reduced from SS5, 900 last year to $4,000 this
year, which is entirely inadequate to AFFORD relief
The reporter thanked the Commissioner for
these straightforward, business-like Settlements
and went to the Department OF Docks, 346 Broad
nothing new ia the Department, and, after looking
over the routine business that mad been disposed
o.! during the day, the reporter repaired to the
- BOARD OF EXCISE.
+ Commissioner VOorhis told the reporter that no
OF the Sunday law for next sunday, all the previous
statements OF the newspapers to the contrary not
that the Commissioners had issued as yet no
licenses, having been employed in receiving app-
cations Tor licenses and investigating the character
of the applicants, &C. After dsposing of these ap-
| plications the law will be enforced. But next
Sunday and Sunday alter next the city Will still
| have Its usual supply OF lager.
Some four thousand Elk hundred proprietors OF
saloOns-there are about eight thousand in the
weeks, since the I'd or June and sS54, $3.50 were re-
| ceiyed In that time. About one hundred and SIX
have been refused as they were intended for
| places Kept for immoral purposes. These saloons
| were in the Fourth Sixth, Eighth, Fifteenth,'
Twentieth and Twenty-second wards. About two
! thousand five hundred saloons have licenses that
| have not yet expired. Alter dispOsing OF the
FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED APPLICATIONS FOR
LICENSES
the Board will send lists to the Police Department
giving the names Of ali who authorized to sell
liquors IN each precinct, and II Will be the duty OF
the police to close all saloons that do not appear
on these lists. 1t is remarkable fact that some
one hundred and fifty saloon Keepers are DESTROYS
ana willing TO close on sundays II only their neigh
bors likewise compelled to close AS 1t Is they
say they cannot close without losing their custom.
At the Fire Department there was but little
news Seven firemen perform all the duties OF the
| bellrngers now, and where they had formerly
man now The stopping OF the ringing OF bells IL
working well, and the Department has more men
ut fires now than it ever had before.