New-York tribune., 1874-03-31
MIR. VAN NORTS RESIGNATION.

| THE COMMISSIONER TO RETIRE FROM THE DEPART
| MEN OF PUBLIC wORKs-vfEws OF THE COM
MISSIONER. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDER
MEN, AND POLITICIANS.
The politicians were startled yesterday by
the rumor that Van Mort, Commissioner OF Public
Works had announced his intention to resign Most oil
those who heard it increduous, and were Inclined
IN trcat IL "a one of the many baseess rumors that are
constantly circulating around the CITY Hall TRIBUNE
reporter called Commissioner Van MORT ana due'-
toned him relative to the mater He replica tnat the
statement true. He bad made up MS mino
TO send In his resignation 10 the Mayor
on or about MAY !. He was asked the
reasons for this stop and replied that he dd not pro
pose TO make these public at present He would proba-
bly, eventually give them TO the public In the FORM OF
letter He had his ideas OF the manner IN when
the City Government ought 10 be conducted anu itS
affairs administered and he had been thwarted IN Vari
Gus ways
He was asked whether he had been especially thwared
or opposed by the head of the Finance Department.
Commissioner Van Mort replied that on TINS point lie
must remain silent He had run his department III as
efficient and ccononca manner "a 1t was possible Tor
him TO do He had made a decided reduction IN the
number of the employees and In the matter OF salaries
He preferred to say ., present At the proper
time he would give his reasons TO the public
Mayor Hayemeyer next called on ana QUESTIONED
as to the reason for this step the part OF CommS
sioner Van Mort. He replied that he was ontreV
ignorant of the cause lis had hcard tho runo' o''
short time previous
One of the members of the Board Of Aldermen said
that to his mind solution OF the question was com
parativey easy. The Departments OF Parks. tho Com
missioner Of Public Works and the Board OF Aldermen
engaged in a struggle for the control OF the puoc
work In the upper part OF tine island. Commissioner
Van Mort was graspins and wished to obtain all the
patronage. To this, he had appointed many
friends of Senators and Assemblymen to lucrative posi-
tons, and neglected the members OF the Coh-
mon Council in this particular The lhdlca-
tons were that the Legislature would not give MT van
Mort the power he sought to obtain In addition there
were bills before the Legislature making the oces oil
Controller and commissioner OF Public works elective
instead of by appointment, "a at present. Then mr'
Van Mort had been thwarted in various ways by the
Mavor and Controller. The expenditures OF thls De-
partment restricted by them in every poSsiDie
| way. In addtun TO these anuOyances, Mr. Van MORT
| had been opposed by men within his own party a"
these things, he believed had con'pired TO induce MN
| to resign
Another member OF the Board OF Aldermen DECLARED
his belief that Mr. Van did not intend TO resign
He believed that the announcement was more ia the ma
ture Of threat. and intonded 10 operate on the
Legislature and compel the Republican majority to give
him the power he sought, or run the rsk OF having
Democrat or sOme man not in afiliaton with the Re
publican party and who wOuld not obey the behests OF
tle party leaders nominated by the Mayor to al the
vacancy IL was doubtful II straight Republican could
be confirmed for any important Office by the present
Board of Aldermen and the party would therefore lose
patronage which attaches to this position and IN
view Of the election Fall thus was very important
| consideration.
| A promiueut Republican politician thought that the
proposed resignation Of Commissioner Van Mort would
be a grave misfortune TO tho Republican party IN this
city. The party he said IA now IN bad condition, torn
by internal discussions and is important that Shon
I've made compact as possible ia view OF thc ERECTION
! next Fall 1t cannot afford To throw away any 9d-