New-York tribune., 1890-08-08
THE MAYOR ON THE PARKS.
LETTERS IN PLACE OF THE SUPPRESSED
REPORT.
MANY OPPORTUNITIES ToR SEVERE CRITICISM
-suGGEsT1oNs TO TIE CoNTRoLLER--wHAT
COMMISSIONER GALLUP SAYS.

Mavor Grant sent ont two important letters yescr-
day one addressed 10 tho Park Commissioners and tho
other to the Controller VI the city. They rotor to the
administration OF the Park Department and we're caled
out by the reccnt investigation by the Commissioners
OF Accounts the report ot which, for reasons best
known to the Mayor himself, has never been made
public. Ills criticisms arc contained In the ictter TO
the Park Department, which Is as follows:
have received from the Commissioners Of Accounts
report made by them to dated July 3, 1917, setuhe
he results Of their investigation Of the methods and
OF the Department Of Parks BY this report am
made aware that there exists 81 there has Tor some
years past system in the administration OF the affairs OF
the department relating the license fees payable TO the
city which consider should be changed
You aware that BY tho sixty.fourth section OF the
Consolidation Act it Is provided that whcnover any work
necessary be done complete perfect any portcu'
ar Job or any supplies needfu for particular pur.
pose which and Job TO be undertaken or supplies
furnished for corporation and the several parts VI work
or supplies shall together Involve the expenditure more
than a. 00O shall be BY contract under sueh resu
stons covering 10 shall be established by ordinance OF
the Common Counci''
1t that in your department this PROVISION Oh 10"
ignored In :he performance OF work Feoaeo OF
supplies furnished In alterations repairs or
the buildings in the parks used places fof the ae o
REFRESHMENTS BY the delegation to the licensees OF thc
power max 20 the premises occupied anu
deduct from the License fees payaoc 70 me CITY
have sscertained that this system had It's origin as
Doaton advised your predecessors in office that 'hey
could allow rs q sct.o1 against the license fee Dill
which the tenant Mr. Ryan, had Incurred Tor sohc
necessary repairs which had been performed by MIN 70
the extent Of S53.
IL IA not necessary for me question the correctness
os this opinion In the circumstances In which the same
VAS given but the system which has been estaDished III
your department upon the authority oil ths opinion Is c
which should not be continued All the revenues Vi u'
city from whatever obtained, are payable into the
city treasury either credit Of the sinking FUND or
to the credit general fund To the sinking tho
specific are pledged anu all revenues no. ~
pledged payable to the general funa ana appea W
the reduction Of taxation. All license ices coec'eo !"
vopr are pavabe general fund Of the
city. Repairs or improvements on the park buildings
should only Proceeded with when an appropriation mas
been made By tho Board OF Estimate and Apportonmeh
providing for aud limiting the amount to be expended Oh
the part OF the city the execution OF such Improvements
and repairs.
In these circumstances have TO suggest that IN all
licenses you may hereafter resolve TO grant, you shall
provide the payment OF the license fee Into the treasury
sad all Improvements or repairs required snail DC
pcrformed BY YOU as OF the city, either
by contract above 81, 600, or upon certihcate OF
necessity where the amount will he less than slooo,
but In either case only after appropriation bas been
made by the Board Of Estimate ana AppofuOneht cover
Ing such expenditure.
The report has also brought TO my knowledge certain
other matters relating the administration OF your depart
which demand your special attention refer par
tcuarly to them:
Firs-The manner I'm which the OF the depart
ucn are kept property purchased by the department.
Is received the same, when received 10 disposed
The report shows apparent deficiency In the purchase
and delivery Of forage also In the Items OF ciothne lot
park keepers and relating to horses and sheep. As 70
these classes OF property, Is clear that e
records OF the department do fully account for the
quantities purchased the natural increase or now the
same disposed OF.
second-As to the administration by the department Of
tha pIFpbaa nd
birds and animals In the Central Park From the report
IL appears that system exists amounting TO Substantial
mpost,on in connection with this collection OF animals ana
birds particularly in the matter OF importing MAINTAINING
and d,sosing Of animals received the Central Park
Thrd-Aucon sales Of property belonging to the fity
made by order department Such sales appear 10
be conducted not calculated to secure the oe'
interests OF city. The property Is not properly au'
vetsed for public SALE 1t appears to be eisposeu
prces less than the value thereof and even then soa
appears 20 BE- the duty OF In the department. 10
see that received at the sale are pad INTO 'c
treasury, in one instance the money was ho' p'u III
until discovered by the Commissioners OF Accounts c
months after the sale.
ro,rh Thu nropaity clerk in addition to the duties
which nv your bylaws ho required to perform Of r"'
ng dsbursne and accounting for all properly pirhao
and used by the department. requed to perform e i
her duties Of payma,tr the Department OF Financ" InS
inter duty he pcrforus delegation from the Iohuoei.
In ,he OF those double duties he prepares all
the nav rolls Of department and IL Is upon MS
cate that the Commissioners OF Parks certify these pay ros
for paynent to the Department of Finance AS paymasef
he pavs the rolls so made There is. thus no ehech
ha,eyer up,n the action property clerk ana pay
msste: combined Names may be put upon the pay roS
dummies and payments may De chargeu LOT III
made which reach the person whose name aPp"arS
This has occurred instance shown By tht report
Supeiintendenee. BY the report 1t appears hat
bor 4 exrayagance In this particular item OF expenditures
on the Tart OF the department. Why foreman az SiZo
DIR month required direct three pant'S-anoher AZ
500 per month six laborers; why an assistant
foreman at $40 p'r month is required 10 Sup'e wv
or why an assstantt foreman at the same pay Is
required to supervise lsboer are questions very per-
tinently asked IN the report
siyth-New parks. There arc buildings on the LANDS
,scenty acquired for new parks which, shown by the
onor. ar, insured at the expense the city valuation
OF $500 0OO and further appears that some OF these oua
ngs at public expense are occupied by parties VINO
either pay small rent live There rent free privileges
that should large revenue to the city Fui pafucu
lars relative 10 these matters forth in the report
have brought several dctals confined in the re-
port especially notice As appears to me that a. 10
each parcular there is imperative call for better ana
improved administration OF the affairs OF the department
and should De pleased be favored by with an ex
panaton In detail all me matters referred TO In this
report action you to take a. to secure
improved administration OF the department in the future
The rcrort OF Commissioners Of Accounts deals to
great with the In which the accounts OF the
are ept and in view Of Section 1913 OF the
NewYOrk City Consolidation Act ana OF the powers vested
by hat Controller OF the city TO regulate the
form In all relating TO the city are kept,
shall communicate with him. and solicit his COOPERATION IN
relation to the which the accounts OF the Depart
ment OF Parks shall be kept TO accuracy and
efficiency in that important branch OF the affairs OF tie
department.
The report Commissioners OF Accounts at your
dsposel for examination.
The Mayors letter to Controller Myers charges q
lack OF system in the methods Of the Park Depart
mcnt, aud makes suggestions for dividing certain
duties now performed by one person, the property
clerk OF the department. II IS as follows:
By y report mad" by the Commissioners OF Ac'
counts the result examination made by them
methods Of the prk Department, lac
proper system therein clearly demonstrated have
called the attention OF the Park CommIsoners TO this ard
other mattes shown by the report OF the Commission