The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-21
TALKING ABOUT REFORMS.
RETREyCHMENT MEASURES URGED FOR
THE CITY or NEW YORK.
The Heads OF city Departments Before the
Legislative Committee Comptroller KeiIy's
Replies to senator Morrissey's Questions.


The HEADS OF 'hy departments Hefore the
Legislative Committee-C Comptroller Keiiy's
Replies TO senator VI orri..cy's Questions
-. -, - ,r
ALBANY, FcD. W.-Ihc feature OF legiSla-
ton to-day has been the hearing before the
Joint Committee on Cities. under Mr.. Norris
scy's resolution looking toward retrcnchmcnt
in New York city. The only heads of DEPART
-. -, -, y, u'p"'s
ments VINO responded TO the invitation wore
Comptroller Kelly; Commissioner OF Public
Works Allan C.mnhoIl. and polico Compia.
-. r.,''.,. ~ ,",',s a. ,''.9.
sioner Erhardt In behalf OF the taxpayers
ME IN, anu oo"n S''"'''n' Oo'on,i WIN
ara Flanagan was also among the spec
7 rroor,or ond Moron, ronoa Coil, uay~-
o., en-, en- "nu s ., ,,o,,o n n row
ley. Chief Clerk OF the Police Department.
was here to furnish statistics OF that Depart
mont Ricbord Morriao, odi,or 4, cbicf ~
inch'. hich"ru morrlsoh' cutor-ih-chiel oil
the cuv record. ana John j. OBrien OF the
Custom House were among tho wall flowers in
in tho SENATE Chamber The largest delegation
was from Inc Kicked Out and Want to Break
Again Municipal Reform Association" Among
mem ho'ceu Aoc, Dlspecker' VINO was kickeo
out oil the Police Board Charley swan VINO
Farrell who ,vas tictcd on, 81 tbc nosi,ion Of
''', "uo ""' Ai.NVu o"' va '"' pV.''o" VI
Financial Editor OF the Crv Record; John ID.
Couchlin who ,yas kicked out of tho Clcrkship
~ H., MARINE on, and Iir,r,,, no,,os ,yhn
VI uh' "ilhc NOur' anu 'hilihy pa'ics WIN
clerks in the Dstric Courts. They arc under
dcrstood to be unanimously in favor of such
reircnchment and reform rs will enable them
to break in again somewhere.
the hearing was opened by senator Woodin.
who explained that the object OF this conference
was 10 get some imagination from INC response
BILE people OF New York to aid the Legislature
IN preparing and passing laws to result IN re-
| Comptroller Kelly took tho hill introduced
| Vy M. ftsl, anu known ln-t Wlntrr Us ule
emeniments speaking OF the dcm OF We cltyi
ne said That there were twenty-five millions oi
assessments due, and that IN ms judgment
| probably seven millions 81 this would not be
collected. He recommended that the fifteen
millions that were good should be made per-
! taking ny the outstanding bonds of the city and
issuing in their stead long bonds at lower. rate
used in lorisutng about the County Clerks
Office No man could run for thnt office nj an eN-
pense OF less than ~ 800 and he believed II would
ofri'e At small salary Great injury might be
! done hy getting an Incompetent or had man.
Of sta'o6o would be- about right. WIN ANN n mr.
salary for the deputy clerk. His views
The officer should be- madc Responsible for
mo- compntnn, man would sssi,me tint sn n"r
| hilty The ShrrIns office ho Thought could
not hy legislation be- made of nny more value 10
the city than Il is. No man who must assume
The ofii.c At snail salary Hs a Ge to tie tie
] | el.i-lfllra a. luf ShtriN-a ~
| alone. II IA very dangerous institution
! Tho Coroncrs too. he Thought. should 10 raid i,
fair salary and he believed that thr,e Cnroneil
were not suifirirpt without they woro given
| uouty of helm in the shutle Of clerks and phv-
sicians Ills experience had shown that u,rn
who ara paid insuificiently try to niahr II M In
some othrr way 4 coroner shouJ r,s.,,sa AZ
least 5000 year. lIo WIS opposed to abolish
he nensrtn,ent ~ pnhIir Wprl"| H. IT,
thought. however. that the provision u Tie
| charter allowing Them 10 issue bonds 10 tn
- 44IHt.
! ponied. There should not in his opinion lie
less than three Police Commis- .oner- and he
| thought their salaries were nss nov Ion hirh
ese SS ale 10 in t fsP e 4s uf hN
ment a Bureau in the Fire Department. There
! should always boz three Charity Commiss ioneI T.
be ause lts duties could not he discharged 10y
police officers and iremen. and thought a prop-
or Investigation must show that too muih
| om.ers,
| Mr.. Norrissev-Can you suggest anything
that would stop the Increase OF dc debt OF tie
Mr.. keDv-Anything that would reduce sala-
ries and expenses without doing Injustice.
Mr. horriSs-y--ln your Judgment then none
OF the departments IN Tie city couid 10 done
away VIII.
| MIR. h"ly-li you abolish them you would have
To create bureaus which would h" equally "N-
pen We. Ia the general redu,tion OF eNpeps,s
included,
| -, Mr.. flshIpo you agree with the Mayor that
there should b. single headed COMMISSIONS
Mr.. keiy.No l entirely disagrre with him.
| u might b' done Win inc docks and parks. The
Park C9mmissi93ners should be confined e ,he
| parks alone, and the Commissioners ~ Public
| Works should nave iuli control oi inc streets ~
hr"iN; advise revision oi al thn salaries
oithe NY with view To- general reduction. -,
Mr. Corst-Do you think the policemen and
hr"nlrn are lAld ds much IN cohilai'svn rs
Other ,tiin"tS 81 the riiy
Mr. kelly Yes. and IN some cases more.
Mr tiSh-N nat % YOU uilnk would De a Jar
rat,o o rtau1'on ol salarlesf ,
Mr. hellN-l cannot 50 II very large
amount something II ke - upW"' ne believed
me s'rr"t c'anlns sn9um not ~ IN lhr ioll"a
Department nut U"ught II could D" done h't r
ana cheaper 10y "A department created specially
Tor that purp1s'. ne ana not n N,W ol past
experience believe "a me c,.ai lhs OF the sire
py contrhct; IN reply 10 Mi. urdhdnl. ne SAN
ne dlu mol pelleSe IN ltylhS, aINhtin1n Wages
because such w'S tnc ease IN London, fhilhdel-
phla ana othcr cltl's but Il" was IL iiiNor 81 a
general reducti9n WHERE y COULD - done WIN :
out injustice. he Thought mat me Al'lfrlnrn
shpul be- PAID salaries. or els" their "slSlnii IN
would prove u bo more expensive 10 Inc city
than thrlr salaries. Cancellation
ooilnsslon'rt ainpr'n explained MT; l7h
Dill so iif as n'Ti"dh MS d partment; showing
Il l.