New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-01
MIR. HEwIIr'S PARTING MESSAGE.
THE WORK OF THE YEAR-NEEDED IMPROVE
MENTs-ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK.


MENTs-ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK
The following are the principal points Of Mayor
Hcwitts message tho Board Of Estimate and Appor
honment: ,
1887 found very grave ABUSES IN rcrc the subject
OF general compliant The heads OF deparmeni l
bS tsc ststement that tho appropriations were INSULT
cent for the due enforcement OF law ana uT pv a.
months of INV administration therefore devoted
to careful Investigation OF the facts ana was 9d'n
carrying on tho government during the year 1887 were
sSs for w sGRRs s the of the
several departments very considerable reforms WIZ
aSsst m Of PSd to Ss %sor
arrests for violation Of the Excise law were c' i
i IsmsS 81 pOH sia Of things due tie
fact that the accumulation Of business hsvon n
ss aSy Of Ss existing %assS py,ns TO , SS,
Judge we're secured The effect was to consider
soe nemanen Addition to the force Of
so apparent. that the Legislature authorizes ute eie
snoe Of the third branch Of the court The machinery
Of justice having been thus improved vigONuss
ospi,culsrly those known as dives My personal
appeal the Commissioners Of Police was me. ey a
summer Of 1887 the most notorious If not ALL Oh
these sS"Ss Dss ac mad. to enforce the
Sunday liquor law. and although az the present uhe
10
certain that the arrests for its violation made In
increasing numbers. and that the offenders are, 10
have received the punishment due to the offence Inc
Board has been informed by he District, attorney nat
calendar when he took office on the 1st of January
upon the calendar only about 900 The effect of this
reduction is to insure prompt trial for those VINO
longer any excuse for not enforcing The law. 1t may
be proper for here to state that the attempt 10 pre-
erages on sunday was Undertaken without consulta-
ton with me. and. IT is believed in some quarters was
Intended TO prevent the proper execution Of The law
took the earliest possible measures TO provide for
test case which resulted In confirming my belief that
ranted by law
CHARITIES AND CORRECTION
The condition Of the public institutions under the
care of the Commissioners of Charities and Correction
was early made ground OF very serious complaint
1t was alleged that the food supplied to the inmates
was not good; that the cusodans often persons
unfit be charged with the duties confded to them,
and that the institutions were so overcrowded as
absolutely TO defeat the object of their existence On
investigation. discovered that the accommodations
provided by insane asyumS totally inadequate
to care for the inmates. The first step was to lease
buildings from the Commissioners Of Emigration, by
which 500 or 600 lunatiCs were properly housed.
called upon the State Board of Charities to investigate
tire condition Of the asyums, and their report con
frned all the allegations which had been MADE, ex
ccp; that there had been any failure of duty on the
part OF the Commissioners and the physicians. The
whole difficulty was chargeablc TO want OF sufficient
wifi the requirements of humanity / therefore le
quested the Commissioners. in their estimates for the
year 1888, TO include sufficient to remove. as
far as practicable, all Just grounds OF complaint
LAW DEPARTMENT
1t found necessary to appropriate TO the Law
Department for tho expenses Of 1888 the sum OF
sci ,544 more than was expended in 1887. This in
mainly required TO pay counsel fees which
had been previously Incurred in the proceedings 10
acquire the new parks and for oher litigations in
which outside counsel had been employed. In the
Law Department the year has been one of great &C
tivy, and IN the amount of work done by the O1ce
Of the Counsel TO the corporation In court the record
for isSs SIX hundred sad ana egn
Trial and special Term %, arguments made at cen
DEPARTMENT or PUBLIC PARKS
Tho addition in the budget of 1883 was s173,9OO
which chiefly for the increase Of the police
force, for the and maintenance of the streets
bordering the parks which were added to the jurs
dcton of the Commissioners. and for the arrangement
and opening OF the small parks, which have been
greatly appreciated by the public.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
In the Health Department the increase was S4i,76o
This department l found to be in demoralized cond
ton in consequence Of the removal Of the president
Of tho Board, which had not yet been confirmed by
the Governor As this removal became
effective the Board reorganized, with results
which have called forth general commentator. Dur
Ing the last year this city has been subjected TO
the inTOad both Of cholera and yellow fever No ap
preheiHiOn was excited in the public mind, nor in
ments made by the Health Department
plete call forth general admiration.
POLICE.
The increase for the Police Department
sI79.38s 60 which was mainly used for the payment
Of salaries Of the additional policemen required by
law and for additional accommodations for the police
force
STREET CLEANING.
On my accession to Office met with COM
plants in regard the filthy condition of the streets.
Prompt steps were taken to change the method and
time Of collecting ashes and garbage which had
been offence to all decent people. An additional
appropriation Of SoO9,459 made in order to
enable the Commissioner of Street Cleaning TO sweep
the streets more frequently. and although complaints
have never, within the memory Of It's citizens been
clean as they arc at the present time They never
are pu IN good order and the various corporations,
which have the right to tear up the streets are
own pleasure The substitution OF electrical cable
power for horses S on Inc s of the WIN DO much
glad, before the close OF my term OF Office, to have
en nay sont 70 e tS Use copdon on me
shall 10 replaced with rails which Will not obsruct
the ordinary Of the streets
PUBLIC WORKS
The increase in tho appropriations 10 the Depart
men: Of Public Works in 1888 s42o5s9. This
large sum was altogether covered by the increase
In the appropriations for new pavcments and re-
pairing the existing pavements. The result has not
boon according the expectations, for the reason
tDdt the Common Council refused 10 duihuiiAc the
rcpaving OF tho called for By the Commissioner
Of Public Works.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The excess OF appropriations in 1888 over 1887
amounted TO S171,72S, which mainly required
for new houses, apparatus and additional foics
EDUCATION.
The sum of 1906, o7s was added to the tax levy in
1888 more than was paid in 1887. This money was
imperativcly required to put the school houses mo
proper state OF repair and for the erection OF one
additional schoolhouse pending authority from he
legislature 10 issue bonds for the construction OF
other school houses The work VI repairing the ca
sung buildings g. almost entirely compIeleu
shu me neglect Of past years has been corfccteu
PROVISION has taAn erection Of seventeen