The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-28
and teachers; hit the big ones--Mayor. comptrolsr

and tssehers hit the big ones-Mayor. comptrollsr
'You used to be District Attorney and Corporation
Counsel; what salary did you get?"
"Ha. ha. John studwell was chairman of the
committee in the Board OF Supervisors. The salary
was $1,000. asked to have it raised. and Studwell
agreed to give me 200 per annum. ana in the
that should do all tho work and employ no assist
ant
'.was not that just little sharp ON Mr. studwelis
parta"
''It only fair. 1t simply said. $4,000 per
mum and work II you want to get it. II you don't
work for it you don't get it,"
'Did you employ assstantsY'
mo, sir; had clerk ut the immense salary OF
$780, and there were fifty men who wanted the place
at that figure The clerk was paid by the county.
who also paid for Post Office box, and that was S5
year. and that was all the county paid in salaries
for that Office. When ! was Corporation Counsel
tho salary was about $4,000; the office of Dis
trict Attorney has salary of 900 aud the Corpo-
ration Counsel about the same"
GETTING DOWN TO WORK.
"Well. in case Brooklyn was annexed to New
York should there not be some adjustment over
there about salaries and taxes and the general re-
form in expenses?
"Of course; the Same or something like the same
arrangement that made when Brooklyn
consolidated with Williamsburg and Bushwick in
1854. Williamsburg never paid one cent toward tho
lrst lot OF land taken for Prospect Park. 1t would
be impossible for me to point out to you just
the manner in which such an adjustment could DO
made, but it could be done honorable and
fair basis For instance. let Brooklyn or so
much OF New York on Long Island agree to pay
its own debt and all its own future improvements.
all the judges and oiceholders on each side Of the
river couli be paid in the same way"
''You say New Yorks great estates have been
wasted; how about Brooklyn's-have not her re-
sources been neglected 2?
Neglected That amt the word. Her interests
have been msmauaged In 1867, think. Governor
Nicolls by order of the Duke OF York, gave to tho
town OF Brooklyn or 'Breuckelen as 1t was then
called all the harbors, Ravens, creeks. meadows and
marshes. This grant twenty years before the
Dongan charter, nearly fifty before the Cornbury.
and nearly seventy before the Montgomerie And
I{rn lvu have al
any else interfere with its water 'front.' But tho
record shows that year after year, ana mp 10 this
front"
..Do you know to whom: :"
.'Oh, yes, know to whom. once prepared, myself.
and addressed while Corporation Counsel. the Sem
ate Committee OF the State OF New York. which sat
ances Of city about its water front at that time
made list of all the persons who had encroached.
The most Objectionable business has been done by
the Common Council aud State Legislature, year af
ter year. closing up streets which led to the river
and plotting them off the map. At the first laying
out of Brooklyn, in 1884, there were q great many
streets running to the river and wharves and piers
were in some instances built by the city. Those
docks the city owns yet. but most of the
streets running TO the river closed by act OF
Legislature. stopped some from being closed, but
a great many are closed now, and large warehouses;
are built the street. which land the city bought
and paid for. such parties paying nothing to the
city. II docks and wharves had been built at the
end Of every street running to the East River Wall
about or Gowanus. quite revenue would be OBJ
tanned thererom"
.'Then you think it 10 advisable to annex Brooklyn
to New York;"
provided you do so. The question is. what is
New York to gain? Brooklyn is to gain everything.
How is New York to be benefited unless agree TO
pay some Of her great salary expenses?''
'Do you think the wealthy residents of Brooklyn
will objectT"
.'Some may; but the great majority would vote
YES particularly the aristocratc portion. Tho
ladies all want to hail from New York. have OBJ
served il so much in travel. have old
Brooklyn people. who have lived here all thor lives.
registering ut hotels in Europe as from New York
city. ! once remember of being at Saratoga. in
1859. and seeing Brooklyn member Of Congress-
aud had but one in those days-register his name
from New York city. 1t at tho United States
Hotel, and Sidney Webster. who was present at the
time. amazed to see in the gentleman's own
handwriting the city of New York written out as
his place OF residence, instead OF Brooklyn"
''Then you in favor OF annexation? Would you
take the stump and talk to your democratic friends
in its favor when the time comesY'
eyes, would indoors and out of doors in and
out Of season. really think would raise the price
of real estate in Brooklyn twenty-five per cent the
day it is accomplished"