The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-20

satisfactory TO himself, the officers whom lie has
have but one head. to I've nominated BY the Mayor
and confirmed BY the Board Of Aldermen
There were several measures proposed at the
last Legislature necessary TO supplement the char
ter and serve the public interest winch failed OF
enactment
OF the Legislature. Chief among them Is the bill
for tho consolidation Of the city and county gov
Among the earliest protests OF a revived sent-
ment OF reform were those directed against the
loss to the treasury and the consequent increase
OF burdens TO the general taxpayer which resulted
nom the practice Of vacatfng assessments on
grounds which the law holds to constitute tech
nicai irreguiarity. These protests have been fire.
quently repeated by the Comptroller and by myself,
sometimes to your honorable body and sometimes
legislation, devised to meet this evil, has en-
countered at Albany the organized opposition OF
knot drawers whose chief business 1t Ii tn ferret
out flaws In laying assessments or awarding con-
tracts Tor local improvements, and VIII ,se income
is chiefly derived from the spOils gathe. ed In these
piratical raids upon the treasury. Operations OF
this character have attained such magnitude that
they now cost the city about 81 900 900 per annum.
which assessments have been laid In desnste OF Of
circumstances, for wooden and other worthless
pavements. where the fraudulent character OF the
ordinances on which they were based or the notO-
riOus Jobbery which characterized the awarding OF
the contracts justified all legal means OF resist
ance to their imposition. But the majority OF
cases belong to an entirely different category.
The practice Of obtaining orders from the courts
to vacate assessments Is rapidly on the increase.
1t is evident that the whole system OF making ad-
vances to properly owners Tor the purpose Of
carrying out street improvements needs revis on
and REFORM Twenty-Five years ago. as Mayor OF
the city, vetoed the resolutions OF the Comm n
Council OF that period which formed the entering
wedge OF the subsequent gross abuses OF the assess
on December 81, 1878, the outstanding issue Of
80 AZ the me the amount Of
essments due, but not collected, was more than
ooo These figures show , the urgent neces,
meet the large item OF It's temporary debt as 1t
falls DUE l would suggest that. in order to reduce
the enormous amount OF unpaid assessments now
outstanding, the Comptroller be authorized, in re-
gard to all assessments levied prior to January l,
1877. to take prompt and efficient measures for
their collection, leaving to him some discretion as
to those that were imposed lot worthless pave
ments. To correct the past abuse OF the system OF
for some OF the loss thus unlustly incurred re-
assessment should be had by Legislative act in
cases where assessments have been vacated on
any other ground save that or fraud in the execu-
ton OF the work for which the assessment was
levied.
In this portion of his message the Mayor speaks
In very strong terms against the swindhng OF the
Old time through which Old claims which should
have been satisfied In 1871 are being paid out Of
the current revenues OF the city.
The Board OF Excise has collected from licenses
1873, the sum of $50, 449 SO. The amount received
by the old Board for the whole year ending April
SO, 1872 was s3s7 662 2s, and for the year ending
April 30 1873, when the present Board took ONCE,
$685., S4l Sc, showing much larger income in
eight months under the present administration
The net revenue collected by the Department OF
PuDlic Works from Croton water rents shows an
vault permits OF $24,5se 49, while the cost or collec
ton OF both these revenues was reduced from
oS % IN col 20 sv the Bureau Of PERMITS
in the Mayors Office for the years 1870, 1871 and
1872 was Sill, at an expense OF ss5, ll6 o. or
in 1873 from the same source was $55,779, at an
expense Of $3.50 A, or net income Of $47.2l9 Sc;
net revenue from this source greater by $4,000
than 1t did in the three years previous.
teSe 70 50 in
and $52.037 IS in 1871 or an increase OF 5si rs
over is7i and s7,Os5 SO over 1872.
were $402 l9 o. for 1872 $423 545 23 and for 1873
$46s,2l7 70, or an increase Of $e6,Oss Is in 1878
From market rents and fees there was received
in 1871 the of $751; 1S5 33, and in 1873 the sum
OF $s43, s42 81, showing decrease OF s7s24 81.
which is due to the removal OF the stands about
washington and other markets. The cost OF col
lecrlng this revenue was $215S9 81 in 1871 and
$ll.s in 1879 or saving during the past year of
Under the recently appointed Police Justices the
S er Se mons Of
1873 was $3.50. an average OF about S35, 900 per
year 1t is dlti1cut to ascertain the exact amounts
collected and paid over to the city authorities by
no no one n,s year has It reached 81, 600. '
would recommend that the city markets. which
yield fair return over and above the cost OF their
maintenance, should be put In proper repair, and
be immediately sold. Washington Market ought to
be reconstructed and rebuilt.
franchises which are practically reproductive This
source Of revenue has already formed the subject
OF careful inquiry, with view Of rendering itprOnt
The County Court House ought no longer to re-
main in its present condition; trustworthy esti-
it, and any appropriations made lOr that purpose
should strictly CONFORM thereto, so that the work
may be immediately and finally executed
I'm no nf Ma afQdt IN q
commissioners to complete the building, to wit:
Thomas B. Tappan and Smith f. Shaw. These
nominations have been suffered to remain Enacted
on Tor more than seven months
The arsenal in Elm street. which is now useless,
ought to be put in order for State purposes.
1t is doubtful whether the new City Prison
lature, should be proceeded with at the present
time. 1t seems to me that the present prison
can, with slight alteration, be made equal to the
wants OF the city for several years to come.
The pavements Of the streets in certain portions
of the city are wretched condition, and il is.
as measure OF comfort and economy, important
that they should be put in repair as rapidly as g.
sible, and on some plan and by some agency con-
slstent with economy aud efficiency,
Enormous amounts as rents OF armores are still
required to be paid Leases made for long periods,
ofopinon that legal steps should be taken to test
the validity OF these leases and to set them ASIDE
which anv is antborsed to ca or a
limited amounts OF money. No undertaking of q |
private character or for private interest should
be aided In any way out OF the pub !
lie treasury OF the city. That part OF
the bill, passed at the last session OF
the Legislature relating to the so-called Industrial
Exhibition, which compes the city to make the |
loan contemplated by the act, or any other loan,
should be repealed. BY the first OF these statutes
the city is virtually required to make present OF
81, 500 900 to one or more adventurers
For the Brooklyn bridge have received an es.
innate of the amount required to complete the un-
dertaking which shows that $40, 00O0 600 more than
has been provided will be required to finish the |
bridge. The circumstances under which this I'M |
dertaking originated, and the disclosures which |
have been from time to time made during its prog
ress have not been such as to secure Tor 1t the |
confidence OF the public.
The city Is already stakeholder in this enter !
prise the amount OF 500 O00 and do not think
It's prospects sufficiently fattering to justify
any further investment.
The question as to the power Of the Legislature !
to take from the pockets OF the citizens OF New |
York 800, 900 annually, to hand over to rail-
road corporation, to be used Tor personal profit, as
they have done by the aid which the city is COM
PEELED to give to the New York Central and Har- |