New-York tribune., 1890-06-04
FOR ONE HUGE CITY.
DISCUSSING MUNICIPAL CONSOLIDATION
FIRST MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COM

FIRST MEETING OF THE LEGI sLNTlVE COM
MlssIox-ANDEEw II. GREENS ADDRESS.
! The first meeting of the commission created by an
oct ~ thc last Legislature for the purpose of nqurnE
,n,o the expedicncy Of consolidating the various
i.tna,,,ios around the Harbor of New York, was
hod at the office of Andrew II. Green No 2l4 Broad
w.1 Yesterday afternoon. The act provided Tor tlc
| annointment by the Governor OF six Commissioners
but the name Of Frederick W. Dcvoe was omi'tcu
from the document by clerical error ana ~ u
contained the names Of only five COMMISSIONERS
They were Andrew II. Green. J. ;. !. Stidhdh'l'
calvert yaux. J. L. Hamilton and George f. Cathcart'
All were present Yesterday. including MI DcN"e' "ho'
bouevcr took no part in the proceedings. a. IL was
considered that the omission of his name maze MIN
ineligible 10 act at present. Additional commissioners
are 10 he named by the Mayors OF NewN ork ana hooN
lvn and the Boards of supervisors oi NeS'chcS'c''
Kings Ouccns and Richmond counties Inc o"''c
Engineer and surveyor is also member ol inc pou'
Tho hoard organized 10y electing Andrew H. Green
,ro.idort : r. Sranahan vice president. and Will
lam p Rodcer, secretary. the aStnamcd oll'cr Ho'
bcirc q member 4 resolution WAS adopted request
ing MAYOR Grant to appoint Mr. Devoe a. ooh'ls
sioncr which will leave a vacancy To pc hIlou N 'no
Governor The board will report lis conclusions l"
the Legislature from time to time
Mr. Green made an extended speech. lie oaIleh
attention 10 the foruous coincidence that the com
tho Nation had actively entered upon the Work OF
taking account Of it, population, resources a'eNe
mcnts and prospects, with view of Prc'ehn5 l" inc
peopie data 10y which they might guide thei iutuic
actions The work the commission was about 10 enter
upon he said was inspired by the same consideration
He continued in part:
Directed a, we are to inquire into the eNpcdiencE
of consolidating the ncighborinS munlcdlte, H VII.
be duty TO examine the muhi' IaI ,olul,lo"s -
which they are now regulated. ana To p--''"t '" .
data Will guide popular opinion I" yu"l' .i =;
clusion upon the question OF their in'uIc i'Ia,i" W
each other. 1t Is 10 be desired ihil We loon Hp H Iii
subject in its broadc>t aspects, that We ds'"lu "
jcaousies If there be any, in con,dcrine 50 s',",
question. ana that the report We are dcc'td /" nm nm
to the Legislature shall contain valudbic an"
information. AS the conim'rc.a ''Plu ~ Tr .r,i,,.
nation have profound udst III charge IN, i,,
lions which mieht lire a community from the p"lH
Of hcalthful progress were never 80 ldNl-hB ,P',H
in our path More than any other city Nc nave ~"
greatness thrust upon In period "M'Ii j. h''
span in the life Of great cities in the "d W3I'" ~
nunity ha, assembled around this port "m'i. "' ~ ~
contgnitv Of boriers. by commercial associations, o
industrial pursuit, and by socia! ,cnt'inen, one III
relation but that oi polilcai i M doYbt
At the present rate of progress there 'tn p' 'i' @', @
that in another generation this ciiy VII te Z - mum IN
stand al the head II the line Of gcat cucS "ho,f l'
nuenccs guide the dc,tnic', Of the worm VI
Considerations for future re,taess aca the gae,uoi,
we are directed examine Nat u lc.i fo,'in,b ,b
for our communities here. me g"VerI'in'. I ',
populations established around this port paToeIc1 on
among two states. four Gue~ and 'l1 coul''. D., an
appear 10 be- a too complicated arIa'sei'' !" J." "
eiicicnt one. .. -......i,..,.,,o.
There j, no doubt that the different municlpaHuc,
Of our port have many Interests IN common, "n,cn i
must he regulated BY considerations Of common "cI
fare having regard to the rights and "ishe'' my Ii.e
sentiIhnts and opinions Of all II Nou.u t- rFtd-
judci0us t. formulate civic arrahgcWehI n',5d Ht
which theSs rights wishes ard opinions ,Puu nll.
official advocacy and atbitrdmeht r'tner ,Am, a." AZ,
they should remain subject t. such mpf"Nlscd di'
pensation a, nuctuane occasion oI caplcl"G, 'hdi'
may dictate among the proyincc. @i - @'n'nt , nor,
conditions affecting the general health Of all The pe"pe
the maintenance OF public and domestic Gu'i lh.
ad iustment OF line and grades OF travel DO inherent
sections. relating to comprehensive scheme "i u""
III embracing the entire situation.
ybich NAV concern itscf for the defence Of all our
cities from assault. since it, original -'tlcm'ui ~
the Dutch this city has -FOUR 'ime, >uhr''u Ih.
and occupation by forces sent ont hy iorcln hc'i>
The commercial capital o great aho ,piilt'" I''.DI,
oceans and from the frigd zone - the tot', idhhrd
Oh each side by jealous ncrhlor' one "i "W'h j. me
spoiled child Of the most dominecrng nation on earth
now equipped with the anplc-t fleets and seeking tp
control the interocean business Of the continent and
ready 10 push 10 point OF rupture on some trivial
question 1f mart me jurisdiction. must be the point
p.o'.'''l -; ", '.,,ct All uafions knov rat tbt-
group Of cities j. within a gun~h" of q coast Whcrc
there are no defence: An assault upon The cities
igUOmiuy In concerning means 70 avert such --hle
imfamy all these cities may consolidate without sacn
This Commission If it shall accomplish nothing
more Will have done incetmahlc service - or
own community. state ana country u It 'h"l a"'hcn
York. ''''' ''
When the Commission adjourned it was 10 meet
subject to the call of the chairman. There seems
10 be a unanimous sentiment IN the Board IN favor
Of consolidating New York. Brooklyn, Long Island
CITY and staten Island under municipal
government The scheme is that the city should
extend in all directions twenty miles from the present
City Hall Secretary Eodgcr, ha, figured II ont that
in thirty ycars 100000 inhabitants W0ud occupy
that area which would make 1t by far the greatest city
on earth