New-York tribune., 1885-07-09
FASTING TWO MILLIONS.

The advocates of the Harlem Bridge job
| broke out into chorus of condemnation OF the
Mayor yesterday. This Outburst is not surprls-
| ing to those careful observers of city affairs who
know how deeply prominent ex-Oilicl.l Is IN
terested in the success of this scheme and the
nature of the influence which he enjoys in GER
| tain newspaper offices. When In office he
fought tooth and nail every claim against the
city which could not benefit his personal
friends or his political supporters, no matter
| how honest it might be. When schemes came
up from which his friends might derive adj
vantage, the way to the city treasury was not
| SD ierociously guarded. Not that there was any
| dishonesty or corruption in his administration.
| Oh, no, not at all. But he could always see the
merits of city Improvements when these i'm
provemeEts had served the uses of his friends
| or his faction. To the merits of other improve
ments he was singuarly blind.
The advocates of the new bridge have failed
TO present considerations that commend them
selves to taxpayers and have not answered the
Mayors objections. Their arguments are of the
sort that became familiar in the days of the
| Tweed Ring. The Tweed thieves were always
| talking about the magnificent future OF New
| York. They wanted to make this metropolis the
| most attractive city In the world. But they beg
cared the taxpayers and filled their own pockets.
Millions and tens of millions of dollars were
spcnt on improvements on the West Side and
far uptown that the city has not yet grown up
to, and will not need for years to come. Miles
of streets were graded, severed and lighted
for the use of future generations. Splendid
projects by which Manhattan Island was to be
| MIA nf
laid out, and the widest, the most prodigal of
them all found supporters in the columns OF the
papers that now clamor for new bridge over
| the Harlem.
This city is burdened with an immense load
of debt. 1t has on hand the enormously costly
task of doubling the water supply. IL is COM
mtted to q great increase in its park area. 1t
needs large number of new school houses. Its
Police and Fiie Departments, its educational
system, its courts, its public works, and indeed
every branch of its government are requiring
larger amounts yearly. It's expenses are SWELL
ing far more rapidly than the valuation of the
taxable property. 1t is a time of general bust
ness depression. anxiety and distress. The
heavy taxes and the high rents which are the
necessary consequences of heavy taxes grind
the faces of the poor and are felt with more and
more severity by those of moderate means. To
spend two millions of public money at this time
| on an arch over the Harlem, where no bridge
will be needed for twenty years, is extravaganza
| that cannot be defended or excused. The men
who expect to raise the rate of taxation by such
prodIgal outlay will not make the city more at
| tractive to residents. They will drive away
| overtaxed capital and overtaxed labor.
ba ifv haa nv N
improvements, there are many ways in which
| it can be spent to more advantage than IN
decorating the Harlem with stately arch in
order to raise the value of estates on Washing
| ton Heights and on the north bank. 1t would
| take millions of dollars to put the pavements of
Newly in proper condition. Millions more
might be spent on our schools, where they
| would be fruitful of the best results The
drainage of Central Park, the thorough repair
| ing of our sewers, the cleansing of the foul
spots in the tenement district, are all Of vastly
| greater importance to this generation OF New
| Workers than q new bridge only 800 feet
above High Bridge can possibly be. Many OF
our regiments need new armOries and many OF
our Overcrowdcd public institutions need new
| buildings. ArmOries and hospitals will be of
| far more public benefit than decorative
| bridge. The new parks, even those beyond the
| borders of the city, have stronger claims on the
| people and would be OF far more service than
| this bridge. The old Tweed plan of parade
ground and the schemes to extend Madison
ave. to Union Square and Lafayette place to
| Centre-st. have more merit than this project.
| But it is suggested that the new bridge will
supply delightful re esOrt for easure-seekers.
Can the city afford So, 0O0, 900 for that purpose
when High Bridge is only LOO feet from the
site of the proposed structure? 1t is urged
that neighboring property Owners paid $37 900
in assessments for the proposed Improvement
many years ago, and that it will work grevOus
| Injustice to these estmable gentlemen if the
| bridge is not built Immediately. The courts
are open and juries are always compassionate
to claimants against the city. These property
owners can get justice easily enough. But
should the city lose two millions because few
rich men paid $37 900 years ago and their land
has not yet risen in value SO much as they de-
| siref
The bill to carry out this scheme was intro
| duced in the State Senate by MIR. Plunkitt-a
| legislator who rarely supported good bill and
| never opposed bad one. If all Plunkitts
schemes had become laws this town would soon
| be sold out at Sheritf's sale. Take the widest
| scheme to scatter public funds where they