New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-30

n commission similar 10 thaC suSSeseou w WV
Council of Reform. The Democrats IN the
Assembly refused to refer to the commi''ee
for hearing the charter amendments reoi
ganizing the departments in this clty' anu
made the bill a special order Tor neA'
Thursday. The bill increasing the pay OF the
New-York policemen and firemen was deoateo
in the Senate.
THE NEW AOUEDUCT COMMISSION.
,,.yop rDsoy EXPLAINS A PROPOSED CHANGE IN
ITS MEMBERsHIP-rHE COMMISSION TO CONSIST
OF FOUR CITIZENS AND THREE OFFICIALS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO The TRIBUNEl
ALBANY, March 29.-Mayor EdSon' OF Ne" 80. ao'
appeared before the Senate Committee U" go
this afternoon. in company with Corporation Coun-
sci Andrews. o. B. Potter and Hugh \. Camp MS
fellow members of the Aqueduct Commission anu
made an argument in favor of the COMMISSION 'ii'
10 secure an increased supply OF water ior NV
York Mr.. Edison stated that the members OF the
Aqueduct Commission had held meeting ID No" 'r..
York Yesterday, at which they had ma'eriaily
chonoed the membership of the proposed Commis-
sion that is to have charge of the construction %
the new a,,ueduct aud its reservoirs. Ihey han
decided that the Mayol Controller and President OF
the Department of Taxes and Assessments were too
hard worked officers 10 be expected to DO the act'o
work of the proposed Aqueduct Commission. Ihey
had therefore unanimously substituted Ior the Oon
mission named in the bill Commission to consist Oh
the Mayor the Controller, the Commissioner o1
Public Works and four citizens to be named oy 'ne
Mayor The four citizens were expected 10
do the hard work of the Commission the
Mayor and Controller would occupy the position
of ex-oficio members and the Commissioner or
Public Works would be the right arm of the Commis-
sion in the superintendence of the work. IL mas
been provided that the four citizens should DC ci
zens of the State and taxpayers in New-fOrk'
O. b. Potter followed Mayor Edison. He said :
"We have thrown the responsibility for TINS WORK
on the four citizens. We make the Commissioner
OF Public Works the arm of the Commission every
where Where the responsibility IN the present Dill
is thrown upon the Commissioner OF Pubic VOTES
in this bill we throw that responsibility on the
Commission" -
Senator McCarthy-ls IL possible 10 mahe 'ni'
Commission non-partisanf
Mr. Potter-We believe il can be done.
Senator Daly-What do you mean by nom partl-
san CommisIoni
-sfr Potter-We mean that politics shall not be
considered in constructing the aqueduct W mean
that it shall be constructed ON business principles
Senator McCarthy-I think. with all due respect
70 the Mayor, that we should know who the citizen
members of the Commission are to be. "ouidhV ]"
give more confidence TO he taxpayers1
Nr Potter-We were UNANIMOUSLY OF the opinion
that the citizen members of this Commission should
remain continuously in Office till the work Is COM
pleted and give their whole time to the work
Senator Daly-Are the citizen members TO serve
without payf
Mr.. Potter-No. sir Tho Board of AppOrtion-
ment is to state their salary and 1t is not to exceed
$4,000 each year. 1t is important that we nave
men of ability and talent. We have entire coh-
fdence that they will be men of high character
The officers named IN the original oiare overhaul
ed with business now. They would not have that
continuing interest which is necessary. We are
confident that the Mayor will give us good men.
Senator Carthv L would suggest that the gentle
man he named in the bill. Then i think
the people of New-York and the Legislature
could support this bill ebeerfully. don't care
about their being Republicans. am not contend
ing for a nom bipartisan bill but | merely want 10
know who the men are for whom cast my vote ,
Senator Grady-I am afraid that naming the
Commissioners " Ould defeat the bill In that case
man named by the Mayor would criticised 9y M the
Legislature Besides, il is vicious system OF leg
isaton that the Legislature should name eo ne tne
men who are to dispose OF SIS,Ooyo9go
heIonoing TO the City of New-YOrk.
Who viii say that the four men named
in the Bill Will be in it when the measure reaches
Senator McCarthy-I haven't the slightest doubt
that the bill will be passed unan nously by Inc
Legislature If men OF high character are hsheu "y
Mayor Edson-In the preparation Of the-erlqinal @
bill the Commissioner oil fnDnc WOIhs hao DcSh
gwen more power than the other members Der OF inc
Commission. That was not intended. Whiie we
did intend that the Commissioner OF PuDhc WORKS
should be the executive arm OF me
ComlnissioD we dad not intend that
he should have greater power than
his fellow-cOmmIssioners There is no msunderr-
standing The bill will be changed TO accord with
our intentions that all the commissioners snail nave
equal powers. ,,1,.
The committee then adjourned till Tuesday next,
when another hearing will b. gwen TO Mayor Ed
son and the members Of the Water Commission on
the bill. At the next meeting IL is expected tbai
the Mayor will present the amendments u the Dill
that the Commission has adopted. At present these
amendments are only sketched IN the Dill Inc
chief one is that in regard to the membership Of the
Commission which was discussed to-day.
Mr. RoOsEyELT's PROPOSITION.
Mr. Roosevelt introduced in the Assembly to-day
AbilI authorizing the Mayor Of New-York to ap-
point subject to the approval OF the Governor,
three citizens, who. together with the Mayor and
Controller, shall constitute CrOton Water Com
mission. These Commissioners shall construct an
aoueduct, and reject and accept bids for the work
TO be done by contract They shall authorize the
payment of claims for damages 10 property. The
three citizen Commissioners shall receive annual
salary of So 900 each. The Commissioners of Public
Works shall furnish the Commission with all books,
reports maps ETC., in his possession. Inc governor
charges being made by any ten taxpayers OF New
York.
PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
THE BILL 10 REoRGANIzE THE CITY GOVERNMENT IN
IHE INTEREST OF THE DEMOCRATS TO BE
RUSHED THROUGH THE HOUSE.