New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-17
ALBANY.
THE PARK BILL.

- r.yx,~c FORTUNES ALMOST Al AN ESD-CURf-
ous CHANGE FROM ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE.
v,o,, ruE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRlbUNE'J
A,..Ny. March 16.-The bill which was
originally intended to ogslae out o. Office all the Park
commissioners, cxcep; President Sebbns, has had an
unusually unquie existence. 1t has been considered in
committee of the Whole five separate times, has been
committed and recOmmi,ed to the Committee on Ctes
or further heangs four times, has had three hearings
at tho hands Of Taxpayers propertyhoders, and poll
tcans and came back into Committee Of the Whole To-
day for the NTH and probably the last time. "hen IL
came up the question was upon Mr. FaOns amendment
removing the President Of the Commission ana NeSuhS
all the duties in the three remaining Commissioners.
In advocacy his proposition, Mr. Faon discredited
aha economical pretcnsons of the present Legislature
and denounced the retention OF the only member OF the
present Commission who received salary as at variance
with all the prctensiOns TO economy lie thOuSht u'olo
could be no partisan feeling relative TO the retention vi
removal Of Mr. Stebhins, who when last the recpen'o
an Office at the hands of the people was Congressman
representinga Democratic constituency lie hau h'ii
no elective office since them and the speaker couu no'
say what was his politics, indeed what was the
politics of the other members. ,
Mr. Graf thought the original Dill WIS i'ui'S >" f'
posing 10 give 10 man the nlahh'c'u'h' u 'Io -
81 Territory covering the whole Of the upper part OF
the CITY OF New-York The power was too great LOT one
man 90 hold It gave him jurisdiction over the roads
and biVhways of that part OF the island with power 10
Law ont roads and substantially to make the map OF a'
mart o( the CITY, He would oppose the amendments anu
tho massage of the bill Mr. Peabody thought IL Woai
he loss 20 the property holders in the upper part OF 'he
city IL MIR StebOins were removed
Mr. Halliday sand he was suspicious Of the persstency
and eacerncss with which this one man StebbnS Sought
10 obtain the sole power of the Park Commission ana INC
eaernesS and pcrsisteucy OF his repeScntatNesm th'
majority here TO retain him. 1t was incomprehensloo 10
him that man who receives salary should DE retained
aud three members who without pay ana
stand faithfully and zyaOusly he believed rs gnaIuS
against the OF power by man, are 10 DC
removed He could not what gooOd purpose was to
be served by IT, lie supposed Mr. Forster who led
the advocates Of the bill. had communicated with MI
scbbns and with Controller Green and could inform the
House why they wished TO pass this bill.
Mr. Forster declared that he had held no communica-
ton with either OF those gentlemen about IT, and then
repeated the arguments hitherto advanced for the pas
sage 81 the hin.
Mr. Fallou's amendment then LOST. and Mr. Gran
moved strike clause extending the term OF the
Commissioner whose time expires by one year Mt
Forster moved report progress, which was done MT
Forster also moved To order the bill to third reading
which was done by vote of 50 10 Is As an Instance OF
uncertainty legislation, the BILL which Was to leg
isate all but Commissioner Steb6ins out Of office, as
now stands retains al the Commissioners and extends
Commissioner WilliamsOn's time year.