The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-01-04

sne service OF the department. 40 not believe thai
the absence OF a complete system OF telegraph lines
for the OF the department adds sufficiently TO the
danger nom fire 10 warrant In mourning at the pres
ent time the large expense which would DO required 10
procure this Improvement
DEPARrMENr on CITY WORKS
To this department the Message refers at length. IL
has been without President for some time because or
lack OF agreement between the Mayor and the Com
mon Council as TO the proper person TO be selected Tor
that position In order TO AVOID any further emoar-
rassment OF this il is suggested the Mayor
should be empowered to al all vacancies caused by
death or resignation, without requiring the approval OF
the Common Council, or that the Common Council
men are mostly permanently employed by this depart
ment at an expense Of about $SO 900 annually besides
those who are from time TO time actually engaged in
the labor and inspection OF street repairs.
HEADS or DEPARTMENTS.
The Mayor deprecates the continuance OF the practice
OF either state commissions three men at the head
OF any department in the city. BY reduction to
head the of S34 600 salaries may be saved The
adjustment Of the Office Of Auditor on the expiration
OF the term Of the present incumbent is recommended
and his duties be transferred the Comptroller One
park officer only at tie head Of the department Of
Parks Is advised and that he President with four
citizens without compensation, should have control and
management
POLICE AND EXCISE
The Mayor practically admits that the police force is
insufficient In number TO properln protect the city
against crime. One great difficulty lies in the crcum
stance that the number of detailed from patrol
duty to the various courts and Offices in the city and
county is much too large considering the small number
OF men at the command Of the Department
The Common Council is recommended 10 take up the
regulation OF matters appertaining TO the adminstra
ton OF the Excise laws Tho number or drinking sa-
looms in the city is much larger than the welfare OF the
population warrants and much benefit would result
from the enactment of ordinances will render
the granting OF new licenses more diihcut and espe-
cay II Is advised that the license fee for selling spirit
uous liquors be largely increased, in order that the
low groegeres where poisonous alcoholic liquors are
Sold and where the vicious and pro1igate mostly
gregate, may be abolished The Judicial power vested
in the Police Commissioners in regard the admins
tration of the Excise laws Is in the Mayors opinion,
misplaced.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
The Mayor hopes to the laws amended that the
moneys of the Board of Education shall be considered
and in the same manner as those raised for
other departments. He recommends the study Of the
German language in all the public schools
STREETS.
OF this the Mayor says -"One OF our largest items
OF expense is that for lighting streets We are more
exrayagant in our expenditure for this purpose than
any of the principal cities in the country. New York
with its population of 1885, o0 approprates for 1876
$7I 500; Philadelphia with 500 600 pays but 500 900
Boston, with S40 900 inhabitants pays $685. 900; Ba
more, with $50 900 Inhabitants pays $267 600; Brook
lyn with 4S3 600 inhabitants has appropriated for 1876
$500 000 this is $75 600 less than have appropriated
for many years, though the number of lamps has
grown from year to year. 1t is proper to state that
Philadelphia manufactures its gas, and that in
OF the other large cities the price charged for gas
for street lamps less than 81 so per 900 cubic
feet in 1875 which is the price demanded by the
panies supplying our lamps In New York three-foot
burners arc used, while we use four-foot
burners Last year and the two years pre-
Board OF City Works, providing for lighting the
streets for limited number of hours per night In
order to keep within the appropriation, which then
too small 10 keep all of our lamps lighted all
night This year the number Of lamps is larger and
the Appropriation smaller and the hours for lighting
the streets must be further reduced unless other
plan for reducing our expense is devised The gas
companies still maintain their price, while The price of
nearly all other manufactures has been reduced Ma
teral and labor both cheaper than they formerly
WERE and ii is my belief that the time has come when
determined effort should be made to procure reduc-
tion in prices Of coal gas from gas companies
or TO look about for other mode OF lighting
streets. Storekeepcrs and others making large
saving in their expenditures by substituting oil
for gas. This material for supplying light is
however open to many objections; but l
no reason why the lighting of our lamps with
a certain candle power should not be thrown open to
general competition thereby REDUCTION can be OBJ.
tanod. recommend that the size oil the burners in all
lamps DO reduced to three foot burners; that for the
present refuse to make contract at higher
than 81 rs per 1000 feet for gas; that lamps be
lighted for corporations citizens at public expense
and that the gas companies reduce their price
81 rs per 600 feet advertise for proposals for light
ing lamps with certain candle power during
tain hours of the night aud that until satisfactory
rangemen of this matter is had reduce the number
Of lamps lighted in the city sufficiently in order that
under no circumstances We exceed the appropriation
made for this purpose"
The Mayor believes a large reduction can be made in
the item OF corporation advertising without injury 10
the city In 1875 it cost SIS, 900.