New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-09
uNEXPENDED BALANCES.
MIR. AsrEN SAYS THERE ARE NONE.

eo>,r ANIMATED TALK AT THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF APPoRToNMBNT.
The Roord Of Estimate and AppOrtOnment met in
The Mayors Office yesterday and adopted rGsoIu,
fion sending the provisional estimates to the BOARD
of Aldermen. Park Commissioners Crimmins MADE
statement before the Board asking for transfer OF
So 500 from uncxpended balances OF appropriations
Tor the years 1886 1881 and 1882 to the approprl-
alton this year for supplies and tbs naT
lawns with top dressing. Controller Grant
offered resolution that the transfer be MADE;
President Asten, of the Tax Department opposed
In regard to the need of q top dressing to be ap-
Piled to the park lawns this fall there Is difference
Of opinion But earnestly oppose this practice OF
making transfers of alleged unexpended balances
of previous years. 1t is q question IN my NINA
whether or not amy made
10 the Park Department this year to the amount OF
S51 900. II is merely increasing the appropriation
to that amount. Transfers have been made TINS
wear already to an amount exceeding $500, OOO-a
sum two three times greater than has been trans
ferred in any previous year. inns tax Oh
balances certain amount of taxes is levied each
year hut the uncollected taxes, rs understand H.
h nGb ~ tbat coeced tax from
easements and never can be collected ii we apPro,
pirate money from these alleged nneXpendeo
balances then will have to be iaSed ny and
doubt its legality" L.. =
Alderman Reitiy-I do not think the mee fiI s II
S n"ior;efv or ANYTHING else 1t is to the public
interest 70 have the parks well cared for am In
favor Of this transfer and believe my constituents
To3trojler Grant, think that there is no ques-
ton about having the legal right TO make THESE
President Asten-Are there any unexpended bal
ancesf ~, - I, 3,
appropriations can be transferred. That is what l
President Asten-I hold that there arc no unex:
f,arn II IN u
that this Board has acted in liberal spirit toward
the Departments. You cannot make transfer when
there is nothing to take from. Long back IN August
the Park Commissioners were told that this appr0-
priatOn would be exhausted II they continued 10
expend the money in the way they were doing but
thew made no change in their policy and now come
here to seek an increase of appropriations
Alderman Rely-Did you not ask for transfer
some time ago for yonr own department. s., o,,o
President Asten-I asked for a transfer rom one
item of an appropriation made for the Tax Depart
ment this year to another item But ! ana not ask
for transfer from previous years maj IS wat
am opposed to- as that IS merely another way OF
Increasing the city debt. If the Park Department
has any unexpended balance OF appropriations TINS
year, then | am ready TO make the transfer
Alderman Reilly TO Mr.. Crmmins-Do you need
Mr.. Crimmins-Yes There is no question about
Mayor Edson-But the President of your Board
said last week that the Park Department could get
along without this transfer. Before voting tOr a
transfer from previous years would IKE 10 Know
that there is any money to transfer. am under the
impression now that it would merely 6e transfer
on paper and that the money would have to be
raised by the issue of revenue bonds IL that IS true
we cannot consistently make such a transfer l
move that the whole matter be laid oyer until the
Controller can make a report on what sum of
money if any, there Is actually III the City Treasury
as the result of unexpended appropriations OF pre-
The motion made by the Mayor was adopted. A
transfer of 5000 was then made from the appf0-
priation for clerk hire in the Corporation COunSels
office this year to that of his contingent expenses,
and transfer was also made for the Commissioners
of Accounts.
NJ Lyddy lawyer of this city, for $4,000 for ser
vices in securing decision in 1881 on the question
of the legal expiration Of the official term OF SuTro-
gate Calvin. letter was read from the Corpora
ton Counsel stating that the services rendered by
Mr. Lyddy were undoubtedly Of public value ana
that it was for the Board of Estimate to determine
Mayo. Edison inquired if the Corporation Counsel
had employed Mr.. Lyddy and If not where he got his
authority to act for the City of New-York.
Mr.. Lyddy who was present. SAID that he was
employed by Mr.. RosecTans.
MAYOR EdsOn-And who is Mr.. ROsecransY
Mr.. Lyddy-A citizen who is not able to pay for
the service. II was question OF doubt when sur
rogate Cavn's term of office expired. The Corpora
ton Counsel rendered an opinion which MY client
thought was wrong and he employed me to take the
question into the courts. 1t was the same klnd oil
and other eminent lawyers rendered to the city at
the time of the Tweed suits, when the, Corporation
Counsel refused to act. Our firm lLyddy Brothers.
took the question to the Court of Appeals and got
an early decision. There were not twenty lawyers
in the city equal to the task OF getting so early
decision on the subject The Legislature was so lm-
pressed with the value Of services that at its
last session it unanimously passed bill authorizing
the Board to pay our bill.
Mayor EdsOn-There are plenty of questions OF
this kind unsettled in the City Government. And
if any lawyer can pick them up and carry them into
the courts and then charge the city a counsel fee Of
$4,000 for few days services, it appears to me it
will be pretty gOOi speculation. Before acting on
this matter l will have to examine it further. IL
may be, under the act of the Legislature We may be
compelled to pay the bill.
Alderman Reilly-lt appears to me that we ought
to ask the Corporation Counsel to state the value of
the services and then pay Mr.. Lyddy.
The Mayor moved to lay the matter on the table,
which motion was adopted.