The New York herald., 1875-09-24

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
Commissioner Porter has addressed the following
letter to HIS Honor the Mayor, replying to the state
ment Of the Comptroller that the Department Of Public
Works is prosecuting Improvements which are prema-
ture and unnecessary
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS !
Cry HALL. NEW YORK, Sept. 90. 1875
Hon. WILLIAM H. WIcKHAM, Mayor of the City OF New
York
sIR-In recent communication addressed to you by
Mr.. Comptroller Green you are called upon, as the
Chief Magistrate of the city, to 'eXercse your author
y TO arrest the enormous expenditure of public money
for the prosecution Of street improvements and other
public works which are at this time premature and en-
tirey unnecessary"
The Comptroller also states that such works have
been pushed forward in spite of all remonstrance and
opposition on my part, adding millions yearly to the
public debt and neutrahzng If not defeating, every
effort TO reduce the expenses Of the city by the intro
ducon OF economy and system in the administration
OF the various departments and by resisting unlawful
and extortionate claims upon the city treasury
After statement of the public debt arising from
street openings and improvements the Comptroller
proceeds TO say:-"These figures will be largely sweled
by the cost of several large works authorized or
already under way by the Department of Public Works
to say nothing of the extensive operations Of the depart
mens of Docks and Public Parks which also require
large outays of money from the proceeds OF bondsn
The Department OF Public Works Of which am in
g cnarge Is directly assaled by the Comptroller and
deeln my duty 10 you and 10 the taxpayers 10 submit
the subioined statement in reply The improvements
now being carried on in the upper part of the city
| commenced years ago, and therefore long before my
! administration of this Office.
The laws authorizing tho opening and improvement
OF these streets and bouevards save the East
| ern Boulevard and perhaps few small pieces) were
originally drawn by the direction of the President
Treasurer and Comptroller (Air Greenl of the Comms
soners of the Central Park. and much time and eyer
ton were used in obtaining the passage of the same
! And the Improvements were begun and carried IN
under Mr. Green's special administration that com
| mission.
If, therefore, the improvements complained of are
deemed by him premature and unnecessary at this
time by what process of reasoning does he Justify his
action taken years ago2
do not assume officially to decide the proprety or
mpropriety OF action taken by the city authorities
years ago My duty is that of administrative
officer with laws TO execute, not to discuss. think
however, / may fairly object to having the onus OF
expenditure placed upon this department by the Comp
roer when, but for the action of himself and his as
socates years ago. these expenditures could be
under discussion.
regret say that the Comptroller in his anxiety to
appear as the special guardian of the public interests
shortens his memory as TO facts 1t was upon his
action that the great improvements he deems
premature and expenditures he deems "unnec-
essary" were authorized and an increase of the city
debt was made Possibly, now that hard times and
taxation Cypress our burdened people, these improve
mens may be judged to have been premature and un-
necessary" but IT is rather dsingenuous to phce the
sponsibity on this department now upon its
recently appointed head.
For eight years previous to June 1875 the power to
direct the opening Of streets and places north
OF Fifty ninth was vested exclusively in the
Commissioners of the Central Park and in their sue
cessor, the Department of Public Parks OF these
boards Mr.. Green was an influential member.
When they declared that the opening Of any street.
avenue public place necessary the public IN
erest and they instructed the Counsel to the Corpora
ton TO take proceedings TO acquire title for the city it
equivalent to u declaration that the public interest
required its actual Improvement Otherwise the land
might well remain private property and the
ments therefor remain IN the pockets Of the property
owners and the city treasury since the mere acquis
ton Of the land required for street does alter
actual condition or make 1t more available for public
trailc or use.
The aggregate amount of assessments for opening
streets, and public places north OF Fiyninth
street since 1860 is S29, 9,204 lSS 81, divided fol-
lows-
On the city at large. $11 217 429 "a
On rpr Properuy % o ;o 10Y 10
on street improvements for the same period Isl
ON the cty SisSs sa6 II
On property owners. IA 10
Total. SIC, 362 694 81
The following the principal street and park OPEN
ings made on the application OF Andrew H. Green,
Comptroller and Treasurer of the Central Park: =
Seventh avenue (wdeningl 10th street to Cos.
Harlem River. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $412,sl2 OF
Sixth avenue (widenng), 10th street to
Harlem River...... ......:....... 4S2,s67 90
avenue. ........................... 545,S19 81
Boulevard, Fifty ninth street to l55th
street ........................ s,6o7, ,9i6 20
Plaza at Fifth avenue and Fifty-ninth
street $50, $50 so
Avenue ST. Nicholas and widening Man
haitian street. 9so, ,46s 20
Twelfth avenue Fifty y-ninth street to 153d
street ....................... 54,215 90
High Bridge Park. ark..................... 4S3 622 90
Morningsdo Park and avenue. ........ l. 720 1872 40
Triangle at Boulevard, Ninth avenue and
Sixty third street t.................. 153,4S0 90
Riverside Park and avenue 6173,960 so
Broadway widening g................ 4, 1863, ,o05 90
One Hundred and Tenth street widening. 1SS 494 90
Eleventh avenue north OF l55th street.. 729 700 90
Total. $50, 7o4, ,SS4 10
To this should be added openings on the
application of the Department of Public
Parks Mr.. Green being still member
Triangle at Boulevard, Ninth avenue and
sixty-sixth street .................... 52,2s2 90
Boulevard, from l55th street TO Inwood
sLrcet lOZ9,Sf5 w
Kingsbridge road. d................... 1871, ,334 %
Total cost OF openings $23 24S 32j Is
improvements were commenced under the direction
of Mr.. Green on the Boulevard the Sixth and Sew
cnth avenues and on Avenue St Ncholas and under
the direction OF the Department of Public Parks
Manhattan street. 155th street and Tenth north
OF l55th street.
Up to June, 1872, when these works transferred
to this department. and when, with the exception Of
Sixth avenue, not one of them was completed the fol-
lowing amounts had been eXpepded upon them:-
On the Boulevard. 81 26o, $40 45
On SXth avenue. .............-. osZ, o42 vi
On Seventh avenue. Ooo.04I 2S
On Avenue St Nicholas. ................ 323, 10 20
Oh Manhattan street,. l4,335 81
On Ienth avenue. z4oOJZ 30
On l50th street,. ,54l IL
Total. 40
They were commenced and carried on by days work.
by special contract, without public letting.
IL appears from these facts that Mr. Green ago,
and up the time that these works passed from his
control did not consider uptown improvements prema-
for the development OF the city.
Indeed in pressing the beginning of improvements