The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-21

North rivers. Hundreds OF letters from pleasure
seekers. business men. seamen proprietors OF sum-
bathing resorts and hotels all show that great
injustice is suffered to pass unnoticed by the proper
officers whose duties to that the rights OF the
people and State are not openly infringcd. The
growing interests 81 Coney Island demand that some
decided action be taken to prosecute the guilty
parties. stir up public opinion that their pun
ishment will be natural consequence. The State
Shore Inspector Is plainly authorized to arrest and
punish any persons dumping garbage inside the
limits prescribed by himself There is room
for any doubt as to the policy OF the statute.
The words imperative. not to warn or threat N.
but to arrest the Offenders. When Shore Inspector
Hopkins at times found the negligence and inditfer-
of the Dock Department. and Police Commits
sioners assume an air of defiance instead exccut
ing the law and performing the duties he to
the State lie excused himself from so unpleasant
course by pleading lack OF evidence upon which to
ndict aud convict the culprits. The tugs employed
by the street Cleaning and Dock departments were
fleet and the hours selected for dumping uncer-
tain that 1t impossible to catch them in the act
OF dumping to identity tho tugs and scows used
in such operations. Again, Inspector Hopkins.
when u general clamor arose from the wrongcd ta.-
payers. stated that instead OF taking the garbage to
the scows we're brought down and oftentimcs
dumped inside the Narrows When he kept
watch in the daytime the garbage boats cdno down
of midnight. like so many tniovcs and under cover
OF darkness the foul cargocs were discharged.
few years ago this excuse might have been deemed
plan sble enough, but when the interests OF nearly
500 900 900 centred in Concy Island and Rocka-
way the powerful and wealthy classes who are now
taking the matter in hand viii no longer submit to
the abuses but will insist that each violation OF the
law shall be followed by swift punishment. 1t is Inn
nifty thousand people who daily frequent the
adjacent seaside resorts in open opposition to their
state laws without stirring up a general movement
which will ethnr result in the arrest and conviction
OF the Offenders or the removal of the officer whose
duty It - to prosecute the offenders.
THE PoI.IcR COMMISSIONERS THREATENED
Having this In mind, Shore Inspector HOPKINS a
few days ago visited The Office OF the Board OF Pol
Commissioners, Tor the purpose of taking some de-
cided action in regard to the matter. He had a
lengthy interview with several OF the Comfnis sion
ers, aniong whom were Messrs Wheeler and Mac Loan.
After speaking of the abuses and violations of the
state laws which the Police Department had lent
themselves to he called their attention to the
that although they had from time to tmo promised
to effect remedy and obey the state the violations
still continued. Tic Inspector said that II these
raiIsgressons were occasional aud done through
ignorance of the law the circumstan might palli-
ate offences but the Police Comm ssioners
too intelligent and learned body to be in any
error regarding the true tenor OF the state
statutes. commissioners MacIcan and Wheeler,
speaking for tue Board, began to make old pleas.
Tney declared that the appropriations and funds of
the Department were insufficient to engage efficient
apparatus or working force to carry out the laws.
They urged that with the small tugs which they had
thoy could not carry the garbage scows far enough
out to to reach the limits fixed at buoy
No. 4. Mr.. Hopkins answered this by naming the
Alanson, sumner, Champion and several other pow
erful tugs which could be procured tor the purpose.
lie then plainly threatened that unless the Commits
sioners recognized tho authority OF the State aud