The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-30
The Salary Of the Superintendent of
State Prisons.
A LIVELY DISCUSSION. THEREON
A Glut OF Legislation for New
York City.



members
NARROW GAUGE RAILROADS.
In the Assembly tho bill authorizing the construction
OF narrow gauge railways was passed. with an amend
ment that cents in place OF i've be charged for
distances over twenty-five miles
DISTRICT COURTS.
When tho bill to reimburse the elected clerks OF tho
civil district courts was up Tor third reading Mr..
Purdy made speech showing what imposture tho
system Of civil district courts In New York city
really is, with their host OF clerks, assistant
clerks. jantors and assistant janitors sc, drawing
nm amount Of money from tho Treasury totally out OF
proportion to tho services rendered. He thought
these elected clerks should BIO satisfied with 81 500
compensation, as the times were bard and many an
mplishcd bookkeeper ana bank clerk only too
glad to earn that amount.
Mr. strahan pointed out that tho law authorized the
payment Of 900 to the clerks of these district courts
and that II was no fault Of the clerks who supor
by the decision OF the Court OF Appeals that their
right to tho appointments thcy hold found invalid
Tho bill was again rccommitted for amendment, Purdy
Withdrawing his motion reduce tho amount OF com.
pcnsation One.hnlf.
THE CONGRESSIONAL COMPROMISE BILL.
Mr. Post, OF Cayuga, tho other day came In at the
eleventh hour with y resolution indorsing the Con.
gressional compromise bill, and his resolution. In the
usual course. lard tho table Tonight he said
he was prepared to call It w. the situation had
materially changed, and no would let it lie
over and keep warm Tor future occasion,
whom he hoped, without saying So he might
b. better prepared with u six hours speech ON It.
Mr. Hogeboom SAID II would be much moro important
them to let the country know their vote than hear
voices, he hoped vote would be taken right
there, but Mr.. Post declined, and long windy debate
Is consequently in store for u.s.
ALvORD AS AN EcONOMrsT.
II Is the conviction OF Mr. Avord that II low tolls
arc to prevail on the canals tho expenses Of carrying
poses In bill he sent up tins evening TO abolish tho
Canal AUDITORS Department and mako Of II simple
srosr. us popsr ussa This viii II sc.
saving of between $1,000 aud $4,000 He
also launched a bill which meets suggestion made ~
Comptroller Kelly IN regard to the debt Of Now York
II provides that tho present bonded indebtedness OF
city town or county may DO paid up or rotred by tho
issuance OF bonds OF the amount bearing Iowcr
OF than the bonds authorized TO be paid
In any holder OF such boGds be willing 10
surrender them and accept their place other bonds
At u lower OF interest, exchanging such existing
bonds tor such bonds tho par value each and
the proper AUTHORITIES may 10 their Discretion mako
such exchange by the retiring Of tue existing bonds
and the substit uon ana Insurance therefor Of such
bonds. and may extend the date Of the payments
OF such substituted bonds Tor discretionary period OF
years beyond the time when the principal Of such
listing bonds SO surrendered would have become pay
able
pxLIxQusxr TAXPAYERS.
Mr.. Dimond introduced bill already noticed ex.
yosrs Y, vo aud penalty Of only seven
per cent which Is such. an easy ct-down Tor de-
lnQuents be altogether unlikely both
houses Of the Legislature.
Mr.. Fish wishes 10 know. by resolution In order to
find out what It cost to hunt up tho Canal Ring. how
much money the Attorney Gcnoral has spent within
tho last ten years prosecuting and defending suits
against tho State. and what sums are still quo.
BUSINESS IN THE SENATE.
The business in the Senate was dull Tho regular
order bc ng rushed through with lightning celebrity,
Senator Harris introduced a bill amending the charter
OF Albany, and Senator Sprague in relation to mar
rage aud bigamy spragoes cil provides that every
punishable with death or imprisonment for life,
shall Tor three years thereafter be confined IN
trial by reason OF insanity. What connection the bill
do with the titlc however, something which
rasons located and organized n other states certain
rights privileges In regard 70 tho requirement. OF
real now possessed by corporations in this
SALARY or surxRISrENDESr OF STATE PRISONS
Tho bill relative to tue superintendent OF State
Prsonn called forth lively debate The bill provides
Tor u salary Of s.. O0O Senator Cole IN favor Of
reducing the amount TO $4,000. Mr. Aorrssey
enough, but would vote Tor Senator Coles amendment
II he would make II 81, 900. Mr. Harris opposed Mr.
Coles amendment, ana was evident d from tho
Senators that only ono pcrson-Mr. Pillsbury, tho
present Superintendent Of tho Albany Pcnitcnt'ary
was In their minds Bradley was III favor or putting
tho salary at q reasonable ngure and appropriating
specific amount for clerk hire and travelling keeping
these amounts separate and instinct Emerson talked
about and roorm. and thought that SO
o day TOO much for superintendent vi State Pris
per day. woodn talked sensibly enough and said tho
importance Of tho Office greatly magniled by tho
Senators. II was nothing like as Important as tho
Office OF Comptroller, whose salary 50, 900 per
year, or Of the superintendent Of Public Works who
had the expenditure Of millions annually under his
direction Hc thought $4,000 was quito enough,
considering tho fact that the term OF othco
under the constitutional amendments five years
Ao finally moved that the salary DO fixed at ST., OoO
with IN allowance OF ST. 500 for travelling expenses
and 81 900 tor clerk hre annually. Starbuck opposed
the $4,000 amendment ana put u home u his colleagues
hat naea nv ma nj than Iivn ands hss
family on that amount and have anything Lett At
the end OF tho year Senator Cole talked
wages OF tho artisan, aud thought that tho time had
when tho salaries OF these people who stood
finally progressed and mado special order for to-
morrow morning.
run INSURANCE COMMITTEE.
Senator Bradley resigned from the Committee on In
surancc aud Senator WagsaT WIS appointed to Gil the
Vacancy
HODGE PoDoE or CITY HILLS
A singular hodge podge OF bills affecting New York
will soon DO accumulated In the hands OF Mr.. Fishs
Committee Cities There is neither method nor
harmony among them, and, should all or half OF thcm
become law, q SURPRISING condition OF confusion in
New York city must be The result The Committee on
q namo for itself by taking this mass OF
bills and boiling them down TO ono b,iI
which will embrace the best and most practicable
suggestions DO found In all Tho bill to abolish tho
Park Department and hand over It's duties to tho De-
partmcnt OF Public Works IL thoughtlcss scheme
und certain 10 meet with popular favor. Tho peo-
pie are more likely 10 say. Let the Park Department
alone, out give It's conuoi 10 tnrco or ave conspcu
citizens who VIII Tor the most part lend hei
vices nothing. A more apt and practical suggestion
would be TO the duties Of the Dock Departments
to thai of Public Works, where II cgtimatey belongs
Then there Two bills vcsting the street cleaning
business absolutely IN the hands Of tho Police Board
and third bill turning over 10 tho authority tho
business OF tho Health Board This Is icgislating tor
one particular branch OF tho city government with
vengeance. II will strike the minds Of citizens
that tho work OF establishing and controlling adc
efficient police iorce Is occupy
great minds Of the tour Police Commissioners 1tho
business Of srcot cleaning belong to any depart
ment II Is surely that ot Public Health. Other bills
run counter 10 these ono OF them providing Tor tho
abolition or the Department OF Charities ana Corrcc-
tons and the transfer OF It's duties TO tho Health