New-York tribune., 1874-03-18
MI-NICIPAL SPOuS.

MAYOR HAvEMEVEE's OBJECTIONS TO THE TRANS
FER or JURISDICTION PROM TIE DLPAETMLNI
OF PARKS 10 THAT OF WORKS.
MayOr Hayemeyer has entered the lists as
champion Of the Department Of Public Parks IN It's
troversy with the Department OF Public Works. In a
letter 10 Gov DIX, after referring TO two sources of
extravagance and wastefulness the Of private
contract OF days instead Of public contract with
the lowest bidder the transfer OF the powers Of a
department that cannot be used by politicians TO
another that willing 10 subserve partisan interest he
states that the Senate BILL entitled An act to alter the
map or plan Of the City OF NewYork, and for the
Improvement Of certain streets roads and avenues and
public places therein" combines these Objectionable
features. He says:
Ffty-nnth-St IN eject If properly treated. pratt
caly part OF the parks, and should be made 70 har
mon IN plan construction with the parks, end be
planned constructed by the same department that
plans and constructs the PARKS. Tbs principle was
CLAUSE the Department OF Public Works that has charge
Of all the other streets and avenues in the city Is
length TO 10 miles and these streets were by
secti6p ss Of the charter; first paraGraph
inent and control of ihe Department OF Public Parks
Then by Section Of the Charter all work for the city
above 8. coo required be given out by contract
after public notice 10 the lowest bidder, and by Chapter
$50 of the Laws of ls73 passed after tine Charter though
introduced before the Department Of PuDc Parks
gwen the power u plan though not TO construct
Nov Senate oI. No 30 purposes to DESTROY these wise
secuoD n takes away from the Department of Parks
the power to construct The is miles OF bordering
the Park aud transfers TO the Department OF Public
Works. department that is already overloaded hay
ing Its control over 800 miles OF streets roads and
avenues aud 20 mites Of CrotOn Aqueduct ali the
reservoirs and hundreds Of miles OF water pipe
and sewers and beside sites not engaged
or decorative work, such as required the streets
and avenues bordering the Parks and such the Depart
meDt Of Parks is dong. This transfer is my judg-
ment wrong IN principle ana against the interests
only Of The city, but OF the whole public that
the city.
q Section g. in the third fourth. eighth, and ninth
lines breaks up the contract system 50 wisely csta
shed in Section In the Charter aud authorizes all the
works these Is miles 0f streets ana avenues aud
pieces of streets and avenues, esch $50 feet III
length making miles In ALL 10 be done III any manner
one Uhe head Of the Department OF Puzzle
Works. may deem eXpedient This work In ali amount
10 100000 This is simply establishing the old Rims
powers aud the Ring system Of doing public work, snc
the ONLY reason for doing II s " use the City Treasury
ano the property OF the taxpayers for the purpose
private speculation aud partisan aggrandiZement Inc
properly OF the city forbids my judgment, the re
turn 10 hs system system traught ouly with corrup
lion and wastefulness.
The Department Of Parks, except for a short tim,
when under hhg rue has given and Is now giving gen
IN line two OF sectOn Of the b l2 miles OF streets and
avenues are transferred from Department OF Park
10 that OF Works and the contract IA M
familiar with the map OF the would
suspect millions of expense 10 the city involved n
tbose three words Such obscure disin ge uou
use words law affecting 20 large inter rests be
longs TO q system OF legislation In vogue before yoa
EleslIeney became Governor, and which you happily
ier the 6tste. have done much 70 check There