New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-01
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
RESERVATIONS AND REMOVALS.


FOR MR. CoSOvER-THE CITY EXPENSES FOR
- 1sS1-REMovALs IN SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS.
Important changes in the City Government
xere made last night about midnight, the last
IS oue taking place one minute before Mayor
B Cooper's time expired. Park Commissioners
& Andrew H. Green~and Samuel G.. Conover
resigned, and w. M. 0lliffe and Charles +.
MacLean were appointed to their places.
4 Henry E. Rowland resigned his recently
accepted position as President of the
q Tax Department, and Thomas B.
4 IAsten became his successor. Mr.. Conover was
3 appointed on the Board of Assessors. The
4 Board of Estimate and Apportionment allowed
forcity expenditures for 1881. $29, 1854, 922 SO.
Removals were made yesterday in three
mpnicipal Departments.
\ 81. MIDNIGHT CHANGES in CITY OFFICES.
u sSs0MMIssioNERs s. GREEN AND coNOvER LEAVE rHE
PARK BoARD-THEIR SUCCESSORS QUICKLY
~, NAMED AND SWORN IN--REAsoNs OF HENRY E.
# HowLAND's RESIGNATION.
R Park Commissioner Lane. yesterday afternoon,
Anuodnced in the Mayors Office 10 some friends that
he believed Commissioner Conover intended to re-
Z sign from tho Park d ard, and that he was to be
given the position of Assessor. Mr.. Green entered
the office after, and there was hurried consul
tation between him and the Mayor little later Mr..
Green was asked by reporter of The TRIBUNE what
foundation there was for Mr. Lanes statement. He
Sseplied, l know nothing about Mr.. Conover"; and
moment afterward declared emphatically, "There
Is not word of truth in the story"
Nevertheless q few hours later Mr.. Green and sIr.
Cenover called at the Mayors office and offered
81 their designations as Park Commissioners. They
were at once accepted by the Mayor.
Mr.. Conover according to agreement, was ap-
pointed member OF the Board of Assessors in place
Fof John H. Mooney, removed. Commissioner
Howland voted against the removal of
Alr. Mooney, because he did not deem
! IL advisable to make any changes late in
the year. and just he about to resign himself.
Mr.. Mooney was appointed only q few months
ago in place of John Mullaly removed for political
reasons.
The question then arose who were to be the sue
eessors Of Commissioners Green and Conover.
The 3 Mayors original choice was ex-Pollce
! Commissioners Charles F. MacLean and
william M. olliHe. a druggist at No.
Bowery. and one of the Rapid Transit
4 Commissioneis for the annexed district. There was
- very strong opposition the part of certain of
Stbe Irving Hall leaders to the appointment of Mr..
MacLean The Mayor remained firm, however and
shortly before midnight Messs. MacLean and Ollfe
were sworn into Office as Park Commissioners.
~ Mr. Ofe said last night that the resignation Of
y Commissioners Green and Conover was not q sur
prise to him and his appointment was not un-
( expected, as he bad been talked Of before. Mr.
Conoyer in reply to question, said he was tired
And sick of the proceedings of the Park Commits
sioners. There vas no chance OF organizing the
Board. and he though it best to withdraw from the
Board. BE was not used to fghting-it was not bis
Iway-and he was glad TO get ogt oft.
When ex-Judge Herry E. Rowland was confirmed
as President of the Department of Taxes and Assess
ments, In place of John d. Lawson who declined 1t,
he was very doubtful whether he could accept the
position. he had a good law practice. and this
|. would be lost if he accepted the place
offered to HIM. strong pressure was
brought to bear on him, however, by Republican
associates and he finally consented to scccpt with
the understanding that II the duties of bis new
sion required 50 much of his time to prevent his
fulfilling existing engagements he should resign.
The brief period of time he has been there con-
WINGED him that he must neglect either his
professional engagements or his duties Tax
Commissioner. BE therefore decided to resign, aud
did so at twenty before midnight, after the
Board Of Estimate and Apportionment. Of which he
was member, had finished its lsbors on the city
estimates. The censiderations which induced him
to take ts step be hss set forth in letter to the
g Mayor and are those already gwen. He had in
formed The Mayor however, earlier in the day that
81 no would certainly resign, and his successor
s. found in the person Of Thomas b. Asten. The
q Tax Commissioner was sworn INTO ofnce at 1l:4Z
p ms -.
Mr. Olliffs's term of Office will expire May /,
~ 1881. Mr.. MacLeaHs term will end in about two
81 years.
"A A The opposition to Mr.. MacLean's appointment by
NOS Of the Irving Hall leaders was personal and
q pcHtical, Alderman Marshall was very strongly
urged for the place by several of the most infuen
rial Of Mr.. Cocpers friends BE was sent for, and
4 appeared at the Mayors Office at late
4 hsnr. When spoken to relative to the
4 matter he declared that he did not want
3 She Office. The Mayor then adhered to his
original ideo and despite the protestations of his
slsissss, saad he wonld appoint oniy Mr.. MacLean.
At1l:5s p m. Mr. oilife was sworn into Office. and
st 1859 Mr. MacLean became Park Commissioner.
One minute later Mayor Coopers term Of office had
expired. ve
Thomas B. Asten, who was appointed as the sue
eessor of MIR. Rowland. is wsllknown Republican.
he was born 10 this city In 1926 and was formerly
engaged IN making piano-fortes. For some years he
hos not been In active business OF any kind. In
q 1864 he was Presidential Elector, be has been in
the Board of Assessors since 1860. He 10 also now
smember ci the kepubican General Committee.
L Green in the Park Department. was born ip this
city, and is thirty seven years old. He was edu-
cared as pharmsceutisf, and succeeded his iather
Uns-,undrsd- -tsntb-st Mr. Oilifie is one OF the
kapd Transit Commissioners for the annexed dts
81 tcf. but he does not bold any political POSITION
= AZ politics he Is an Anti tfammsng Dsin0crat. ~
2xn IN this city he has been engaged in the prac-
~ PES 81 lav@or u number OF years. Some time ago
ee Nae appointed Police Commissioner BY Mayor
fs - lake the place Of Commissioner Nichols
D1t 6y the rp;flsf emcnt Of the latter he was