The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-21
NEXT YEARS EXPENSES.
The Council Of Political Reform on the
Estimates for 1879.
WHOLESALE REDUCTIONS URGED
How Over Two Millions Can Be
Saved to the City.

The last open meeting of the Board Of Apportion.
ment for consideration Of the departmental estimates
for 1879 was held yesterday afternoon. The final
declaration of the amount to be raised (which must
be made under concurrent vote of the full Board) will
be issued either tomorrow the day after. Under
the law this declaration has to be made either
before the 3lst of December.
At yesterdays session Mr. 0. B. Potter. on behalf
OF the Council of Political Reform. presented q
voluminous statement in relation to the estimates.
Of which the following is an abstract
The Council of Political Reform beg leave herewith
respectfully to submit to your honorable Board the
results of careful examination OF the estimates
eminent of the expenses of their respective depart
mens tor the year 1879 the time and opportunities
have allowed. For the want of better opportunities
we have been obliged to confine our inquiries to q
few departments. The amounts propose sut
cent to conduct these departments have been OBJ
tanned from careful inquiry into the nature and
amount of the duties TO be performed and the
commercial value OF the services these duties require
Very much larger reduction Of these expenses might
be made with advantage to the public service if
tain acts OF the Legislature repealed which
create unnecessary Offices and fix excessive salaries
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS.
Asked for, $4,000; proposed. $il ,000-saving
$4,000.
an average of six plans day for repairing old and
constructing buildings, an average Of three
complaints from the public in two days. and has sent
out an average of twenty blank notices day
For record Of these plans and complaints and the
issue of these notices eleven clerks employed and
are again asked for. Daring the year average of
900 buildings have been in of erection and
repair. For the supervision of these buildings
and general inspection Of unsafe buildings forty
inspectors have been under pay and again asked
for. Threequarters of the buildings in the
Of erection and repair are in the four contiguous
upper wards OF the city and have not received and
did not require more inspection than two competent
men could give.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Asked for, $4.3o3Gll; proposed. S347S, 96O-saving
$S74,6
The principal reduction made on the amount
asked for is the twenty per cent which the law Of
1866, chapter $751; requires to be taken from the
salaries Of certain officers of the department when
the currency Of the United States shall reach the par
value of gold. The following opinion of the Law
Committee of this Council i'll regard to the present
force and operation Of this law Is hereby given
the bid made by responsible party under stringent
conditions in proposals made by this department
during the last year. to do this work by contract and
which is believed to be sufficient"
DEPARTMENT. PARKS.
Asked for, $667.920; proposed. $324. 8S1-saving
The chief item of saving in this estimate is the
clusion of all expenses for construction work. We
had the honor of submitting to Board last year
the written statement Of ex-Commssioners Philip
Bissinger. Henry G. stebbins and d. B. Williamson
that the maintenance of the parks Of this city
should not cost than s25O.ooo year. to which
we beg leave to refer your honorable Board.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Asked for, $1,0l, o42; proposed. 1888 3O0-saving
$3lO,G32.
The principal reduction made in this estimate is
twenty per cont of the salaries of certain officers to
correspond with the reduction required in tho
salaries of the police force
BOARD EDUCATION.
Asked for, $3.50, 000 proposed, 81, 818 000-savng
$766 900.
We have examined the estimates and the reasons
for the same which this Council had the honor to
present to your Board last year, of the amount OF
money consider necessary to meet the expenses of
the Board Of Education and are more than ever con-
VIII n4In n nj plf and I'm
soundness Of the principles upon which it made
We repeat substantially the estimate, only add
the coming year. with the reasons therefor. We be-
ieye that the tree school system and the public good
and line OF economy here indicated.
REHABILITATION.
Saving in the Department Of Buildings.... $4,000
Saving in the Police Department. S74, 651
Saving in the Department of Parks. 343, 039
Saving in the Fire Department. .......... 3lU,G32
Saving in the Board OF Education. 100000
Total saving. 2.327, 722
Large reductions be made in most of the other
departments, but the Council not prepared at this
time to suggest any definite amount.
Notwithstanding the considerable retrenchments
that have been made in the expenses OF the city gov
eminent for the last few years 1t is evident that this
reduction can be carried still further with advantage
TO the public by comparing the amount paid for
salaries in 1860, which was $3,S762SS, with the
amount asked for for salaries in 1878. which Is
Sl0.13l.5 The purchasing power of money and the
cost Of living in 1860 substantially the
now vet while the population and the amount of
necessary public business have increased but thirty
three per cent the Of salaries have increased
about three hundred per cent
This report was signed by W. H. Webb, o. b. Pot
ter. Willy wallach J. NJ Requa. II. n. Beers. J. w.
Harris and +. i. Wentworth.
POLIcEMEN's SALARIES.
In connection with this report the following COM
munication was also adopted, relative to the effect
of the laws OF 1866 on the salaries of policemen
NV YORK. Dec. IL, 1873.
Mr.. w. II. WEBB. President Of the Council of Reform
Strive have examined the laws OF the state relating to
the question submitted to by the Council of Reform,
whether the provision contained in the Laws OF 1866
force Of this cityv tha. Whenever the currency Of tho
United States shall attain par vaine in gold tho
per CENTS still in force and Of the opinion that
such provision Is in force by Of the various
~ s ne sn s y a o 40 81 tue
75' of tho Laws of 1873 rENkY DAY; ,,,r
have given 20 this question all the consideration posi-
BILE within the limited time allowed unable to
=. "y'se a NY essnpe from ,he conclusion at
prcEsnra NJ 1873. JAMES EMorT.
concur in the foregoing opinion
EDWARD FITCH
Mr.. Samuel Witchurch, chairman of the Executive
Committee of the Central Association OF Taxpayers
opposed the payment of $4,000 to the counsel of the
Aldermen in the recent indictment proceedings He
also in favor OF abolishing the Health, Park and
male janitors in public schools and permit the JAM
to attend to their duties. II any language is
taught in the public schools ne thought it ought to
be Irish AZ that nationality represented n minority
special policemen and this prevented sufficient force
from being detailed for the protection of the city.
communication from Messrs. Fowler and Adrian,
counsel for Judge Pinckney, was received. asking
that appropriation of $4,000 be made to defray the
expenses of the defence. No action was taken upon
the matter and the Board adjourned.
MUNICIPAL NOTES.