The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-09

General Porter then read the following opinion OF tho
corporation Counsel to which he had alluded
Law DEPARrMESr
OFFICE OF couEsEL TO rHE CoRPoRAnoN.
HOY FIRE. JoHS PORTER, coSsissioSia or PUBIC
s-Your to me Of the 18th inst states that you
have applied TO the Board Aldermen an
authorizing the grading &c, Of the kingsbrdge road
road You also YOU desire to have the engineers
d w. % uD,c 9rhs proceed 70 MAKE surveys
believe the Department Of Public Works empowered
under existing laws So that YOU may be preeared by han
the surveys made advertise proposals soon after the
ordinance shall be passed and you refer several laws
The knbrdge road laid out under chapter 565 Of the
and section Of chapte 67 of tie Laws of ise ms comnis
oners Of the Central Park authorized regulate and
or Otherwise as they might think most for the pgbc interest
The authority conferred upon tho Commissioners of the
Central Park transferred BY the charter Of 1870 the
Department Of Public Parks thereby created and by section
Of chapter s2 Of the Laws Of 1872 such authority
seed by that department at the time of the of the
toned laws and BY section ~ Of the charter Of 1873 the De-
OF Is to regulate and other
the Common Council but that under the provisions of
Of more than 1000 must be done BY public
letting unless otherwise ordered by vote OF threeourths Of
spoctiuy, '' 4 DELAFiEiD IS SMITH YTi' re-
Counsel 10 the Corporation.
GREEN STREET OPENINGS.
The Comptroller has addressed the following letter TO
the Mayor the subject of extravagant and unneces
sary expenditures OF money for street improvements
DEPARTMENT FINANCE
n IT. CoMPrEoLLERs OFFICE NEW YORK, Sept 2, 1875.
of authority Chief Executive OF the city to arrest
ton Of improvements other public works. which
works have pushed spite Of ali remonstrance
ON my 9ddng millions yearly TO the pub
dnee the expenses Of the city by the introduction economy
ana system IN the administration fhe various departments
W unlhWiul and cXtortiOnate
The Board Of Aldermen appear to be oblvious to these
facts and OF the necessity for rerenchment expend
of business and the general inability Of he taxi
ana nv 1h eo community at large to bear further
reason now write you directly upon this subject solicit
and unnecessary expenditures on street improvements
those already authorized and undertaken under ordinances
! of the Common Council
Importance of this submit the following statement
Of city for outstanding bonds
issued for street improvements and openings, and
amounts of advances to contractors and
Amount of bonds outstanding September l.
On account of opening streets... So 6S5 soc
For street improvements 19los,9oc
Total .$21 S54 zoe
Amount of assessments ncoected September
Amount contractors and others on
works in progress the assessments for which
For boulevard and kindred work ......... sos.s75
For ordinary street improvements such as regu-
curbng and gutserng 4453os7
Total $l2 7ei 1852
Pubic Worts sy nohnS of G oy enc
sve operations of the Departments of Docks and of Public
Parks WHICH also require large OUTLAWS Of from the
Al recent meeting of the Board of Aldermen the follow
ing resolutions were presented and referred appropriate
Resolved the Boulevard (road or public drve) from
the norher line of l55th the intersection
between 15eth 57th streets the Eleventh avenue
of the BoueyeTd between the s d%d Line
streets, to is intersection with the westerly
curb and gutter and sidewalks tagged space
four feet in width to be done under the direction of the
ordinance therefore be adopted
bridge road from l55th the Harlem River
lated and graded curb and gutter stones set and sidewalks
Commissioner Of Public Works. and that the accompanying
These resolutions authorize street improvements of great
magnitude and expense which be roughly estimated
not only njudeous but entirely unnecessary They should
able to bear the burden of heavy to
the for its advances The large
and others for works in progress, exhibited in the
stricng this class of expenditures The extent to which
these works have been pushed for the years
all proportion to their necessity and the manner in which
they have been and are conducted under the Depart
public money The plan looked to their de-
veopment during series of many years. They
interests of political operators AT the meeting of the Board
kinds subject consideration Involving further ont
lays fpublic moneys and increase Of the city debt
Besides recent and pending ordinances authorizing street
improvements there old ordinances
yet been executed and which undertaken In
1874 ordinance passed ior regulating paving
with square granite block pavement the carriageway OF
Eighth from the circle fifty ninth 15th
street, and this work advertised for proposals.
opened by the Departments of Public Works tomorrow I'D
instD II is estimated that the will be 100000
nearly onehaf Of which will be thrown the city For
large portion of this work the filing fresh
and the pavement will be fairly laid before sink
and require relaying This work. advertised should
be contaminated
Thus expenditures constantly incurred for
these works. and unless restriction put upon
granting Of authority for their prosecution they will
nued through the influence of private and
teres the detrimen OF the of the city
and holders aud tho indefinite increase of the
In view Of these facts offer protest the
cal officer of the city against any further undertakings
this character involving increase of debt for this class
street improvements which and should be postponed
period when they needed desire You the
public in the emphatic that the of adj
by the city this class OF work has reached
beyond which ought not TO If the breaks
Of these Expenditures being constantly put upon
city be answerabe for the consequences Very
spectfully, ANDREW II. GREEN, Comptroller.
THE WARRANT WAR.
IN uhat he I'll ", tIo