New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-09
FEELING SECURE IN THEIR PLACES.

CITY OFFICIALS CONFIDENT THAT THERE WILL DE
NO REFORM LEGISLATION AT ALBANY.
The officials who were expecting some time ago to
be disturbed in Office by the proposed amendments
to the city charter reported by senator McOarthys
committee have apparently come 10 inc conclusioh
that no charter amendments Will he passed at ths
session of the Legislature. There was talk OF form
ipg a pooln to defeat the proposed amendments;
but city official SAID yesterday that AFTER careiuI
Consultation with members of the Legislature the
schemers had come to the conclusion that no action
would be taken, as the members could not agree rs
to The h when aked did not
think reform legislation was necessary lor this
q Yes' I think there is no question about th It;
New-York is one of the most pensively governed
cities in the world and has loss to SHOW LOT the eA
pense than other cities. The pavenents are De
cidedly inferior the supply of water is short: the
streets are dlrer the death rate rs hgher anu the
amount CT cssme is proportionately much greater
than in London and other cities. taxes are not
only much higher, but the conyeniences we nave
are much more expensive. For instance, we nave o
noisy, dangerous destroy ing eicN sTeu l"
way instead of the underground roads they nave IN
london IL costs about SIS. 100000 Annually to
govern London. which Contains an area OF $4,000
acres on space of fifteen miles one way by twelve
the other with a population of 100000. The
debt Is about 500, 600. The expenditures OF
Paris for ordinary city purposes. Gl1dinG sue6
police ETC., are about SIG, 100000 per annum lu
Eew-Yurk however, with natural advaltages Tar
mperior to London and Paris 1t costs about
$40 600 600 per annum to govern the CITY and pay
the interest on the debt, which Is about
8i2OOOO,000. These figures ought 10 snow
whe her we need any reform legislation or not"
WHY do you oppose the Mccarthy bill then "
Because / think it is intended to hurt the
Democratic party. / want to see a charter passed
without any polite al points covered up In It,"
Tho above is fair specimen OF the kind OF oDpo-
sition waged against about every meas ure II reform
In regard to this city which appears In Albany.
An example of what can be done In the way OF
reform is shown in the report OF the BUILDING
Bureau of the Fire Department for the i've nloEths
ending December 81, 1850. Previous TO that time
there were constant scandals connected with the
management OF the BuildiI q Department and fire.
0uent illustrations, such as the falling OF the Ma0l-
son Square Garden Building, we're given OF Its in
eficiency Since the department was made merely
q bureau under the Board of Fire Commissioners,
there as been entire cessation OF the complaints
against its management. -, IL,
INSPECTOR EsterbrO0k says the bureau does three
times the amount of work with One-quarter u
force maintained when il was separate depart
ment besides securing greater efficiency. During
the tive months from August to December 81,
1870 when the department was IN existence. ITS
Inspectors made 259 complaints OF persons who had
failed TO comply with the building laws. During
the same UIme in 1880, under the bureau l,2S4 COM
piaints were made, and in January last. 1858. In
the fist i've months in 1879, 1877 cases were sent
10 the Corporation Attorney. for prosecution. In
the i've months in $780, 25S cases were sent to the
Attorney. These figures show the increased vigil
lance of the bureau compared with the department,
and indicate what might be accomplished by similar
remedial legslation in other branches of the City
Government.