New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-06

AS to the great branches OF city admins
| tration which come under the head OF Public
Works. Mayor Grace takes iudirOus views.
He evidently favOrs cutting off the pres
ent enormous waste of water, waste
hardly parallelei in any other city IN the
world, in preference to undertaking the heavy
expense of new aqueduct. liberal out
lay for the renovation of pavements is adj
vIsed. Such outlay wisely applied would
simplify the problem of STRENGTHENING and
save the people much in other ways. Inc
Mayor thinks that the adaptability OF the
electric light to street illumination has not yet
been satisfactorily demonstrated, and any one
who has watched the experiment now III
progress IN Broadway above Union Square
will probably agree with HIN. The Message
truly says that the markets are dls-
creditabe to the city, and suggests that new
aud ample buildings should be erected upon
the present sites. Since the failure OF
the Manhattan Market, 1t is possible
that the weight of public opinion VIII
now approve the suggestion. The Mayor,
as a merchant and a citizen, as wen
as public officer takes keen interest III the
improvement of the water front and gives
generous space to the work of the Dock De-
partment. He holds that the development OF
the dock system should be pushed forward
vigorously.
In the Police Department the Mayor finds
ground for critcism-as any careful observer
within the number OF men kept from
patrol duty and detailed for hight
service, which could be done as well
at less expense. 1t has long been plain to any
one who cared to look into the matter that IN
such details, in its clerical work and III other
branches. the Police Department is one oil
the most loosely aud cytrayag nifty managed
departments in the city. Mayor GraceS
determination not to favor an increase OF
the police force until after thorough exam
nation of the detail list. merits approval.
If the average New York Alderman could
be expected to profit by good advice,
the remarks in the Message about the
giving away Of fran 'hises to steam
heating and other corporations nigh, be fruit
full But we fear the seed will fail upon
stony ground. The brilliant success of many
of the ferry companies and strect-car lines ID
swIndng the cry out Of the money due 1t Is
touched upon IN the Message. and it is sug-
cratcd that the computes should b" forced to
pay these debts promptly. But unless Mayor
Grace follows mp this matter with unh5gginS
energy and insists, in season and out OF
season, that dilatJry city officials shall press
;hc collection Of these debts, the swindlinG
companies VIII 20 on as before. director
of a ferry company or a street railroad VINO
h"sitaicS 10 cheat the city OFT Of taxes AMI
chl%rs, if he can. is almost aS rare rs
woman who thinks it wrong To Smnggc il blt
of lace when she comes home from Europe.
one of ihc strongest points of the Message,
and one which VIII be universally approved
except by cxtrayl gant heads Of departments.
J, the position which tn" Mayor takes against
exceeding the appropriations. lie Is very en-
phalir a boni this, and saws that the practice Of
,Wuding during Il large part of the year
,um, beyond proper share Of The annual ap
piopmtionS mas be stopped. This will be
good new, to toXpIycrs, wao may HOW mop"
that 80 tar as The efforts OF the Mayor can ac-
roupi,h It. the vicious practice Of transfer
rne uncxp udcA o,lInc,.s viii cease. And
i'm ca,r.u ION It may br said that If the per
.pr.s,nc. or lhr new Mayor SHALL come up to
the. pIoini-r oi h, Nc~sa.c, ia, people Of his
riiv VIII lavr rood ground ior satisfaction. We
ar,. sptcil., lad now TO recognize his far
prnu,!3". BECAUSE of oar attitude before hI,
election. We oppos d Nr. GIacc, not ouly ON
poitcI lat on personal grounds -hay-
ins bl,u-ht up asail>, hlnI, daring the
short but AcItrd mWiSn, the charges con
cruins marine insurance al CIll"O. NcnId
,ac ,nun.c-, q .>uriucc> 0t their Truth lrou, Ic-
,pon.ib.c m.n @hnm We b,Icycd; bat at
.hr tIre We were prcmN 10 pub
h,h AL that Mr. G,drc'5 coun,r or
n,cni, furnished ia defence. and offered
to pa ll-h more. Nh Grace, however,
then Llbo,rd under the cmburt~ meat OF not
knowing the tull fact, IN !h,Sc ca,cs HIM
srli-hI, brother. vino was the active pIItucr
M Calldo, bang absent, IN Europe, and
,hr papers being i'll Peru. About the
time OF the election he sent us
Il friendly mrSsiEc, through his personal
friend. JuIgo Donohur, TO the effect that he
should get the facts together rs soon rs pos
sbc. and lay them before the Editor of TIE
TmHrNE. aud that then he proposed and
would be entirely content to abide the
Editors own verdict. Some weeks ago
has friend did accordingly place before
H., the ORIGINAL letters, with certified copies Of
bonds and other papers, and the written ex-
nIanuions of VI. i. Grace. We have examined
IN m carefully, ard have to say that whatever
the Insurance Companies may have thought,
these facts Ovcrturn any evidence they, or
their agents or witnesses have furnished,
against either Mr.. Grace or his house. We
take the more pleasure III stating this con-
yictlon, since it is not only agreeable to find that
INJURIOUS suspicious are not sustained, but
since it now concerns the self-reSpcct Of our
citizens that the Mayor of New-YOrk should
not rest under them. Mr. Grace has no knOwl-
edge, az yet, of our conclusion, but 1t plcascs
Ms to bc able to give it to our readers with his
first Message