New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-20

DEPARTMENT. OF PUBLIC works.
Under the Charter OF 1870 the Department OF Public
Works was invested with comprehensive powers and
dues SIMPLY To keep its head equal in the
Of place and money with its then existing rivals and co
coasprators The consequence was corruption, intrigue
aud rotenness. Claims are now constantly ponr
ing 's o ase q, s," head that Sear the
Indications OF fraud and gross corruptlcn Laws sun
ment the right to call FOR Issues Of bonds extent
actually unlimited. The Legislature saw M, IN teor
ganizing the CITY Government not to invest the ioca
authorities with the power appoint the head Of this
and failed TO repeal the laws that gave
amounts for the expenditure OF which Offices TO be
given numbers far exceeding any departmeh, III
the city Since present Controller took Office he has
raised on bonds aud advanced to TINS Department for
the carrying Of certain public works the sun oi
The laws concerning this Department have become
greatly confused and as am advised by the Corpora-
arise whether certain vast powers be eXecutedi by
this Department by the Department OF Public Parks
Wolves millions OF dollars which are either to be col
looted by assessments or TO be thrown rs TAX on te
CITY for king drives houlevards, &C. far up on tue
island and chiefly for private benefit. This condition
OF the laws principally out OF the exsstion %
the last two years which 1t was sought 10 au 20 lne
already too extensive powers Of the Department OF Pno
lie Works certain powers previously exeeutea Dy ' h
Denartment of Parks Some law should be passed ny
the Legislature OF this department
to proper limits TO more clearly defne these po~oS
and also TO prevent the confusion and loss whh Iua
arise in cases Of conflicts of jurisdiction between
independent executive departments inc De eParoI
rnent OF Public Works has now under conuoi
,ha suppiv of water 10 New-York City. The present
to be adequate Tor the supply OF h OUT
CITY with Croon for time to come ana there
U.s. therefore, immediate necessity Tor any large OK
pendltnre Of public money ~ TINS Of crotoD
water mas Increased at greater rate than the poPula
having TO- AZ
day 1t will have outgrown the capscitJ OF tns 30.
600 900 gallons per day. ,o,
The construction OF an additional aqueduct at perio"
by no means remote will thus become an absolute ne
excellent condition or tine
accessories, which has performed all its functions unn,
ierruptedy for more than thirty is conclusive
uroof of the superior workmanship in its construction
The construction Of bouleyards, drives &C, Involves
Fifty ninth-st upward which Is not one-hslf completed
has already cost the city s69ls62 o. IL was pianneo
transferred to the Department OF Pubic Works'
DEPARTMENT TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS
The Department OF Taxes and Assessments Is engaged
in making it's valuations for the coming year. 1t Ia Ger
tain that we shall see end Of the favorsm that has
existed in valuations and in the system OF purchasing
exemption from taxation OF which have heretofore
heard many complaints.
The gravity Of the public burdens, STATE anu
Municipal. renders the subject OF assessment ana
taxation one continually growing Importance Tue
ambiguity OF the present laws is such AS causes very
great discrepancies OF the method OF administration,
resulting sing uar inequalities III the Distribution
taxation ln regard 70 Te aI w ibs c"nnty the
assessments more nearly meet the requirements VI t9
Law other county OF the STATE. n tctnhICh
compliance with the law concerning real estate IN .ns
county would iDfct upon our cltizens such sare
utb very slight chance OF alienation by the action Of
the State Board OF Equalization the disparity III assess
mens upon personal property this county as compared
with Others Is hsgrant In eight years the
assessments upon the personal properly III ,nS Io"y
the rest Of the assessments upon sueh prop
ery have decreased about seventeen per cent uaI,ns
the law is administered III the interior IS illustrated oy
the fact that few months ago snee cur Wa sou, ~
wealthy town in the central part OF the state, Iof
larger sum than the assessed value of the personal
property in that town. The time-practically a1ou
and enforced collection Of taxes upon per
sonal property In this county is the cause OF neaV
OF 1879 cannot be collected until the Spring or 1914
Much the property then assessed ana taxed mas
obterated by disasters and resulting shrinkase III
the Fall of 1873 yet this county is required to pay the
State upon the gross sum assessed revision OF
the tax laws, and the adoption o Ill equaoie coue W
the legislature would bring this county essential re-
lief. aud be best but tardy measure OF justice.
BOARD EDUCATION
The duties OF the Board Education very extern
siye and most important More than 100000 children
attend the schools the OF the year The amount
OF money called for sustain schools for 1874 is very
large.
1t may be well questioned whether there are NOT
already too many oil ne ap nSed and coped by
the diversity o, their studies am satisfied that the
cost OF supplies form Of school books &c, ought To
be reduced There is for doubt that the pre-
cediug Board left the school buildings IN a very
daultatt0
able sum OF money bring them up TO TAR state OF
reputation This has been provided by the Board oi
Apportonment. , 49,, oi,, 49,. ,aro q growth q,
need for school buildings, ana every enort snonu
be made to have the money required III th's urecuoh
intelligcntly expended.
DEPARTMENT PARKS.
The laws III relation the Department OF Parks have
led to much confusion clearly Of opinion that the
improvements contemplated III other parks OF the city
should he upon very much less expensive scale than
IL IHs,I.. liz ..n.Y lurau f 4.
proposed lay and purchase parade ground near
the nOrtheTly end OF the island Ihs should he dlseo
tinued. From inquiries | have made, am satisfied
that the location OF tins ground j. not al al adapted IOl
the purpose and that the of surrounding prop
erty would regard highly Objectionable aud IN the
considered a nuisance This is not the time for pur-
chases OF land that will require millions OF expenditure
for strictly indispensable purposes ana there can
doubtless be found in the annexed district much more
favorable, convenient aud inexpensive sites Tor tue
purpose.
The CITY Record has been published for period
Of little six months This paper was
established under the provisions OF the new Charter.
The pense incurred in connection with it, ncud-
ing printing and contingencies has ed
10 about sll2O7 CO. This presents striking contrast to
the sums OF pubic money which in the past
years HAYS been eItravaganty expended in official ad-
yertisiDg From 1867 10 1871, inclusive the corporation
more than five millions Of dollars, or over million
amounted to ti5 $50 TO- while the entire expense con
neced with The Record for more than period OF six
mont tbs been but little eleven thousand dollars
For single advertisement the report Of the official
of the election in three OF the daily papers OF the
city, q charge incurred. In the year 1870,
Of t7 1863 So The Record taking the place OF the nine
teen newspapers which, previous to It's establishment
had secured the patronage OF city advertising has met
the public requirements more efficiently than Its numer
predecessorsI The great cause which has led to
the vacation Of millions OF assessments in this city
the failure OF other OF the numerous desig
mated papers 10 publish the notice which referred TO
contemplated improvement within the statutory time
and account Of this failure, beside the 5000 90
which, during the five the city paid for it's adver
Using, IL has lost large by the failure OF
OF The perform the duty for which
they paid in the shape OF the vacated assessments
OF which the pronertN oMn ers have been relieved