New-York tribune., 1885-01-18
MR.. SOUIRpS OPPORTUNITY.

NIX. SQC1hLS OIfOhl
Now that Mr.. Squire has put an end to all
uncertainty about his political kinship, we trust
that he will go resOlutely to work to redeem his
many promises to conduct his department in
business-lke way. Up TO December 81 no one
of the local factions was anxious to claim
Mr.. Squire as its own. If any chieftaln IN
| Tammany, any ward leader among the County
Democracy, any captain of hundreds IN Irving
Hall had been asked at any time before the last
dav of last December who Mr.. Squire was, he
would probably have replied with great prompt
ness that he didn't know and he didn't care.
Befo1e the clouds which enveloped the City
Hall last month rolled away and disclosed to
the astonished gaze of this community Roliln
NJ. Squire sitting in the seat Of Hubert
Thompson, the question of his politics dld not
agitate single mind except his own from the
Battery to the Bronx. But when 1t was seen
that he was really planted in Mr.. Thompson S
chair to stick up rose mighty clamor. lahl-
many swore that he was devoted to John kel!y
The Counties" were ready to make aliidavlts
by the hundred that he was Mr.. Thompson 5
man. Even Irving Hall had hopes. Now Mr.
Squire has run up the County Democracy coiors
to his masthead, and Tammany is left like
Rachel weeping for her children.
But the serious question for New-YOrk is not
what political camp Mr.. Squire trains in, but
what sort of an administration of the public
works he will give us. If he allows the
prodigality, debauchery and dishonesty which
ran riot in the department during Mr. lhomp-
SONS term to continue, he will not only cover
himself with the contempt of his fellow citizens,
but he may be less fortunate than his prede-
and fri Of
Attorneys. But if he will clean out the cess
pools purify the department and make 1t
orderly and efficient he will receive the cordial
praise of all honest citizens, no matter what
parties or factions they may be members OF.
One of the first things for Mr.. Squire to
set about in earnest, if he proposes to do
ANYTHING moro with his department than to
farm il out to Mr.. Thompson's friends Is
the Improvement of the city pavements.
Under Mr. Thmpson's waSteful and ineiii-
cient management they have sunk into de-
plorabe condition. Our greatest business street
and our finest residence avenue now have
roadways that even Ncw-Orleans might be
ashamed to own. Some years ago the pave
ment of Broadway was sound, substantial ana
solid Ii has been torn up again and again for
gas pipes, water pipes, steam pipes. pneumatic
tubes and sewer repairs, and has been read
so badly under the eyes of Mr.. Thompson's
County Democracy inspectors that 1t Is now as
full of ruts and gulies, of hills and valleys. as
trail in Western mining camp. Here Is
deep depression, there a jagged cleft. Here
rises sloping knoll, there a craggy BLUM. AT
some places where the stones have sunk foot
or two an old barrel has been stuffed
in to stop the gap. OF course the ex-
pense of cleaning such street rs
this is enormous and Of course the wear and
tear of vehicles and horsefiesh caused by the
condition of the pavement make up total OF
losses and injuries that is not pleasant TO con-
| template.
IT is not necessary to enlarge on the pitiful
| condition of Fifth-ave. Mr.. Thompson was
impartial in his inefiiciency. He made the rich
suffer as we'll as the poor, the riders In VIC
torias as we'll as the plodders on foot, and the
roadway to Central Park was suffered to be-
come as rough and uneven as the pavement OF
Avenue A. Mr.. Squire has special appropri-
alton with which to begin the repavement OF
Fifth-ave. He has sufficient funds IN the de-
partment appropriations to accomplish great
| deal in improving Broadway and other impor-
tant streets But to achieve any satisfactory
results he must promptly cast aside the Flynn
that doth so easily beset him, and free himself
from the ponderous incubus of Mr.. Thompson.
| The Department of Public Works will never do
apy good work until it is clear Of the ThOmp-
| son-Flynn influence