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

| Wyls Blackstone, John L. Cumming, Thomas Il. Tap
suffered to remain Enacted on for more than seven
months.
The arsenal in Elm.st, which is now useless ought
| be put In order for state purposes.
II Is doubtful whether the new CITY Prison. Whose
should be proceeded with the present time II
made equal TO the wants Of the city for several year. 70
| come II the investigation which "A now In proHoss
cost would suggest hst ~
made to the Legislature TO relieve the Commission from
10 defer the erection OF city prison The Board Of
Aldermen by unanimous vote, on the 18th OF May, 1879
| condemned the present City Prison as unit and
| unhealthy. They addressed memorial TO the State
legislature asking Tor the ehsctment OF Jaw 70 onla
haps wisely TO the conclusion that in view OF the
large expense would entail IL was better 10 postpone
the project and the Board the 18th OF September
1873 resolution 10 prevent the carrying out OF
| the law authorizing its construction.
The pavements OF the streets IN certain portions OF Tho
city a wretched condition, and 1t is as measure
OF comfort and important that they should M
| put IN repair rapidly possible, and some plas
and by some agency consistent with economy aud ell
Enormous amounts rents Of armores are still re-
quired be paid. Leases having all the external
pearance of legal regularity and made for long periods
but involving most enormous rents still exist am OF
y OF these leases and set them aside and that the eI
pendures for these rents should be greatly reduced
any department is authorized to call for unlimited
amounts OF money The laws that exist OF this charso
money exists should be supplied upon the previous
| approval Of tho local government OF the city.
ENTERPRISES DlsAPPROVED.
No undertaking of private character or for pri
vate interest should be aided in any way out OF th
public treasury OF the city That part OF the bill passed
the session OF the Legislature relating to the SO
called Industrial Exhibition, which compels the city
the Sa be az tss y
should be the bill providing Tor the erection or new
virtually required make present OF 1SooOo TO ono
adyenturers, and by the latter an expenditure
of at will be required which can think.
be very safely be provided for In the future
For the Brooklyn bridge have received an estimate OF
the amount required 10 complete the undertaking. winch
shows 900 more than has been provided wi
| be required to finish the bridge. The circumstances
under which this undertaking originated and inc ds
closures which have been from time to time made our
ing its have not been SUCH as TO secure ier
the confidence OF the public. The city is already
stakeholder this enterprise to the amount OF $1,000
Ing TO Justify any further Investment This Is another
Illustration OF the dishonesty which enters INTO puoio
mates to secure a Commencement and a partial prog
with them the rulnous burdens whlcn ns
been kept the background, but which must DO undor
before benefit can be secured from the invest
ment first made ..s-,-..
take the pockets OF the citizens OF Sew-fork
,5oooo annually to hand over to railroad c1 abs
aid which the city Is compelled TO give 10 tae rev
York Central and Harlem Railroad Companies In SINK
ing the track and abang public nuisance and the IA
creased value Of their property ought think, 10 70
tested Issue should be joined by this city on eVefJ
scheme which the sanction Of the Legislature
and has for its purpose the application OF pubic moneys
private property Submission TO such impositions only
increases their number.
THE COMMON COUNCIL WITHOUT POWER.
Except as opportunity affords for an earnest pro
test against scheme of government substantially the
same as devised and enacted by the charter OF 1870 there
is but little purpose this communication the char
ter OF 1873 you poweress TO act upon the greater
part OF the foregoing recommendations. Our new or
ganc law declares, Section q that in you Is vested the
legislative power OF the government. This SIMPLY
m0ckery 1t continuation Of part VI the deluson
perpetrated by the designers OF the charter
tons and Notwithstanding the sweeping declaration
of the second section tue remaining lls leaves gu sun
operation of of the eleven departments 10 which
bu anf the
government, they are Entrusted by the Charter 70
aud Correction Fire Health, Public Parks, Docks Taxes
and Assessments Buildings Your legislative powers
cte required by to be executed by the Department
Public Works such as the construction OF sewers the
streets still unopened, the fencing OF vacant lots. and
other matters of minor character such as tho
regulating OF public cries advertising noises, the ring
lag of bells along the streets, the use OF hrecrackers
| aud such like.
There been appropriated for the purposes OF CIT,
government, for the which we have just 90
tered the sum OF t!SIao7iS 49, This Is exclusive o.
the bonds Of the city and not from the an
nernitted no legislative power OF couro and have ns
interest except 10 the extent OF sl3.5O being the
the salaries OF your clerks including 5000 for city
tingencies The remainder OF the appropriation amount
|
Of the various departments. upon the estimates sub
mitted by them respectively, aud for the payment
| and the Fourth ave. Improvement. These estimates
| we're made up and submitted to the Board OF
Estimate and Apportionment, anticlpatory OF the
penditures OF the and when the estimated
appropriated the respective amounts were az the
disposal Of the several departments, subject 10 con-
troll far except that the accounts for the
| must be audited by the Finance Department before
being PAID How. when, and 10 what manner these eL'
penditures TO be made Is TO be determined exclu
siyey by the heads OF the departments Each depart
is thus vested in reference 10 such pendtures
with the legislative as well as the executive power
They have exclusive jurisdiction in such matters; you
permitted TO interfere Our departments are By
this amended Charter vested with the powers and iuno
legislative control with the exception OF the Departments
planned; and they all especially exempt from the
control OF the chle Exseqtye, who can only tperteTy
when ,asFe such az sSdse Of power o. pspsSs mfg
sft@oYsL, TIE power Of the government being vested
virtually become the rulers q the city, the Council
being compelled TO occupy very subordinate position
and SO long n. @ M 1 ro ts ac
those Of citizens by whose presence we would DO
The independent position occupied by each Of tho de-
partments naturally leads TO rivalres, which. with
many other evils under which the people suffer in tue
the legislative powers are vested In the Executive
eet to mo- conTO AN eeent aud
| sibility.
To the Common Council should be restored not 10
name but IN reality the legislative powers Of the Gov
eminent while the departments OF the executive should
boards should be abolished There Is board In tho
City Government, with the exception OF the Con
character could not Do more efficiently performed by
have divided responsibility and one Of the principal
necessities for continuing an extensive patronage lar
beyond the requirements OF an efficient administration
THE hETRoPOLrTAS POLICE SCHEME DIsAPPRovED.
am informed that schemes in progress BY
the gambling political coterics and their Affiliations 10