The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-22

vast experience and unerring eyes for mishaps
and shortcomings. But Mr.. Dana has our
heartiest thanks for stirring up our juniors.
The Heavy City Taxation-Where Arc
the Leakagos
Every business man in the city of New
York and every person who pays taxes knows
tho fact that the taxation for the current year
exceeds $39,000.000, and that all taxable
property will be called upon to pay 50 40 on
every 500 of its assessed value No sophistry
and no adroit mystiication Of figures can cover
up that fact The Comptroller and Mayor
have informed us that in this taxation is in
cluded an amount for interest on the debt of
1874 100000 greater than the amount re-
CURED to pay the interest on the debt of 1871,
thus showing that the increase of the public
debtkeeps pace with the increase of annual tax
alton. 100000 representing the interest at
seven per cent on nearly $43, 900, 900 of debt.
The people of New York now wish to discover
how it is that the expenses of governing the city
are SO heavy, especially at time when there
is bat little activity in any of the public
works.
The dearest information yet afforded on
this point is to be gathered from the recent
report of the Commissioners of Accounts of
the warrants drawn by the Comptroller on the
Chamberlain for the twelve months from No
vember 80, 1872, to November 80, 1873. This
report was published in the City Record of
last Monday. and should be in the possession
of every taxpayer of the city, instead Of being
hidden away in the basement of the old City
Hail. It shows that the warrants drawn for
the last year on all accounts amounted to
ST. 48 100, Of which only about 500, 100000
was for nominal payment of debt, leaving
about $55, 100000 as the cost of running the
city and county governments for the year, in
Guiding interest on the public debt and
amounts paid on account of assessments. We
say that the 100000 was for nominal
payment Of debt, because, in fact, many of
the bonds which appear to have been can
celled have only been taken up with the pro-
ceeds Of new bonds and stocks and still re-
main in the public debt under another name.
Fifty-fve million dollars is large amount for
a single years expenditure, and the taxpay
ers should closely scrutinize the report Of the
Commissioners of Accounts in order to ascer-
tain Just where the small leakages occur; for
in government like that of New York city
petty extravagances are liable to reach in the
aggregate very large amount.
The salaries and contingencies in the sew
ernl municipal departments will best show
which are managed with economy and which
with prodigality. Leaving out of considera-
ton the departments of Police, Fire and Edu-
cation, we find the amounts of warrants drawn
for last year in the other principal Offices to be
as follows:-
CONTROLLERS OFFICE
Coming encies and special leua expenses. 1874
Extra contingencies, Department OF FL
nance. S9,S4Z
Total.......... $36o.O4l
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
Cont ngencies Observation-Disclosures. 643
Total. 402
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Con tingencies and special legal expenses. 2,s27
Total. $176 324
LAW DEPARTMENT la sr
salaries. 500 1913
contingencies. 50580
TOtal. Sllo. 40
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS
20, 20. :. :.
contingencies. L,SoO
Total. ............... s8s, s1s
DEPARTMENT OF TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS
Salaries INCLUDING Board OF Assess0rs) $685. 7S6
CONTINGENCIES. Observation-Disclosures. $50
Total. .........................$ $685. 86
MAYORS OFFICE
Salaries and contingencies. $34070
The last published detailed report Of the
old Tammany government was that Of 1868
We find in that year the expenses of some OF
the above departments to have been as
follows:-
Comptroller's salaries and contingencies,
legislative salaries and CONTINGENCIES 1855 i4s
Pubic Works uhen Street, Croton and city
Inspectors Departmental. salaries and
Law~saIaries and CONTINGENCIES. 72'54s
Mayors Ofhce-oalaries and contingencies. 53,92S
If we compare these departmental expendi-
lures of 1868 with the expenditures Of last year
we find the following results
CONTROLLERS OFFICE
Salaries and contingencies In 1873 under
Salaries and CONTINGENCIES in 1865 under
Connohy' zoo,sOI
Increase in 1873. sos, lso
PUBLIC WORKS
Salaries and contingencies OF the depart
ments under the Tweed Ring in 1868
(now embraced In the Public Works.. !. $255, 1913
Salaries and contingencies in 1879. 176,324
Decrease In 1873. S73.O54
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
Salaries and contingencies in 1873. $l79, 400
Salaries and contingencies IN 1858. l49.422
Increase in 1873. ................,.,.,.S $3.50
LAW DEPARTMENT trf
Salaries and con ngencies In 1873. $115.77s
Salaries and contingencies in 1868. ........ 72543
Increase In 1873. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 43 235
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