The New York herald., 1877-02-03
The STATE CAPITAL.
Abolishing the Department
Of Buildings.
SAFEGUARDS FOR SAVINGS BANKS.
How Two Millions May Be Saved
to New York.

The two houses adjourned to-day until Monday. Tho
session was quiet ana uneventiul. Only q few bills
introduced, the most important being one by Mr.
Chris Fieckc to abolish the Department OF Buildings IN
New York city affairs to the control Of
the Fire Department
The bill TO pay the elected clerks of the civil district
courts passed after good deal more discus
sIou. 1t Is sad to think this Is not 10 be
tho eud OF these troublesome clerks as an
other bill having for its object the restoration Of
the new to the places OF the old is still to be
heard from. When many great and vital questions
Of public interest waiting to be attended TO- Il is
rather provoking TO lind whole body OF grown mon,
who have cut their eye tecth and quit school, con.
suming valuable such picayune subject as
this concerning half dozen obscure clerks, who
appointed in good faith and entitled 10 the
money they seek.
CROWDED COMMITTEE.
Mr.. Cowdn has taken pause the work OF lcgis-
lating for New YORK city. He says therc are quite
enough bills hand to occupy the iul attention.
day by day. OF the Committee Cities In fact. they
arc overcrowded. In session for years has one
committee, IN a few weeks. been called on to take
charge oi such mass Of matcr. There hfy bills
at least referring to New York. and more than that
number to Brooklyn The latter city has como to be
an unmitigated nuisance TO the committee. To
widen, open or extend a street has t0 DO
done by legislative enactment, and the consequence
Is great influx Of petty bills that should properly
under the cognzance and authority OF the Board
OF Aldermen. Mr. Cowdin believes that many bills in
troduccd this session. carefully scrutinzed, would be
found to be mere re-cnactments OF existing laws He
has bill himself IN regard to the appointment OF
commission investigate the expenditures of the city
yovernnen. whore and now the expenses should
Sc curailcd. but II he read the charter he would find
that power Is vested the Board Of Estimate aud APP
p0rtOnment TO accomplish the end he has IN view by
reducing the expenses OF the departments by Topping
OIL unnecessary clerical and cutting down exOrbi
liant salaries. Mayor Wickham never cared to excite
snpopuary among tho politicians by enforcing that
the power it coners and secure AN annual saving
70 The city OF about 81, 000, ,000.
SAFEGUARDS SAVINGS BANKS
Tho Committee Banks Will give next week the
ehiest share OF its attention framing bill for the
better protection OF depositors IN savings banks They
sniee fund to be derived from fractional
per cent OF the deposits be kept with tho State
Comptroller to provide against losses by depositors.
II Is held by those best qualified 10 speak on this sub
Iect OF making tho savings banks secure and giving
sonadence to depostors that all surpluses over five
per cent Of the gross Liabilities OF each savings bank
should form tho guarantee fund, and annually all
amounts over such live per cent should be added
thereto. Mr. Holahan's bill provides Tor tax OF one
seventh OF per cent the assets but some exper
enccd banking men oppose touching tho assets
and declare IN favor OF gobbling all the profits.
There weak spot in the laws relating TO savings
banks provision exists that savings bank shall
loan money directly Indirectly TO any officer or
trustee thus trying to guard against tho dangerous
place 10 be found in and around these banks. An
smendmcnt is demandcd here to the elect that each
trustee and officer should be required 10 that
violation OF that provision had taken place the past
year to either his knowledge, belief or Information,
nnd this affidavit should he attached TO the annual re-
port This, it Is thought, would mead OIL great deal
Of Indirect swindling ol the banks.
AN REMoNsrRANCE.
1t must be the Of the petroleum factories in
Williamsburg and Greenpoint-the ioul stencn from
which in an castcrly wind is SO familiar 70 the
dents OF Murray Hill and other elevated parts OF Man
rcmonslrancc. against tho bill for the abatement of
these nuisances IL Is difficult TO believe that any
other persons could be enamored OF the smells sent
abroad bv these factories on the cIrcumanbient air
as TO go TO the trouble OF pctltionng the Legislature
against their abatement.
Another attempt was made by Tighc, OF Brooklyn,
10 get his bill Tor deprvlng Sheriff Daggctt OF tho
troll Of the Kings County Jail away judiciary
Committee and referred tho Committee Internal
Affairs 1t asserted by several pei that this bill
aud two others that preceded H. aimed in various di.
rections at reducing the Sherills income nil.
Introduced for the purpose OF bringing Sheriff Daggett
to Albany with bag Of money. But even If the bin
concerning the county Jail OF this black mailing
character no individual member should openly pro.
nounce Judgment upon IT, especially when he IS char
OF the committee to which 1t Is referred. No mat
ter how earingly bad bill appear, IL should, like
prisoner before tho bar OF justice, be deemed
cent until 1t iound guilty. otherwise there
Tor Legislature, and charmen OF committees should
be permitted TO reject or enact such measures they
deem lit
SWEEPING OUT THE RUBBisH
Mr.. Strahan nude large number OF adverse reports
this morning from tho Committee on Judiciary. This
process OF adverse reporting is like house cleaning
nj the rubbish is swept together and thrown out of
doors. and only matters OF interest and Importance
arc retained.
PrEDY'S RESOLUTION.
Mr. Purdy says he intends TO call up his rcso-
luton asking for special committee to inves-
ngatc the lilo insurance companies next Monday.
In this II he be IN earnest ho will
hardly succeed, the standing committee will
II as insult. especially they have business
engage their attention, and should be able to do quite
as well AS any specia! committee. Tho last special
committee this tack went TO New York, locked
themselves up in the room OF hotel and sent round
TO the presidents OF the insurance companies como
and see them and lix things. Special committees are
not IN good odor then.
CONTRACTS cRoroN WATER
Dr. Hayes introduced bill authorizing the Commits
DOncr of Pubic Works to advertise Tor PROPOSALS
the sale OF Croton water for shipping building pur
poses &c, for term not exceeding three years. Ten
inspectors shall be appointed that the
faithfully discharges his duty
PENALTIES FOR BANK DEFRAupING.
Mr.. O'Harc introduced bill, providing that here
nfter any trustee or officer OF bank who shall
m'sappropriae the funds on deposit shall bc guilty of
y felony and be sentenced TO hard labor io1' u period
OF not less than two years and nc three times the
amount stolen.