New-York tribune., 1890-01-26

The Lighthouse Board is again making an attempt
20 obscure the brilliant electric lights Of the Bridge
lie ground taken by the Board is familiar - t"e
public II is alleged that tho lights bright and
.larinc that they interfere with navigation. Prc>
len; IowelTs letter % the Brooklyn members Of Con
grcs, ought 10 be convincing 10 any who viii look
A. the matter calmly and without prejudice lie as
,eyts that not single accident Ia, occurred on the
East River from the binding Of navlsatorN' eyes by
he Bridge lamps during the seven years shoe u'l
xcre put in operation. Furthermore, the ieTyboat
pilots who naturally have the best opportunities for
udgne of the effect Of the brilliant rows Of lights over
heir heads have no complaint T. make. II would
ee a distinct aesthetic loss il these lamps were re
moved or shaded in such way a 10 illuminate the
Bridge alone. They unique feature in our even
ing landscape. and it is extremely satisfactory % have
virtual assurance that nothing will be done by Con
cress in the direction Of giving the Lighthouse boad
power 70 extinguish or obscure them.
Evidently projects for further increasing the facil
ties for reaching New-York from Brooklyn viii hold
a conspicuous place in the public mind for somc
time to come. senator McCarrens bill for bridge
from broadway to Grand-st., New-YOrk. IS already
before the Legslature there is talk Of another
bridge project; and "a novel tunnel scheme Is the
latest development in the direction o. practically an
Initiating the distance between the two cities. The
accounts Of the latter which have been printed make
good showing; but in such cases the public will be
apt to insist that seeing is believing OF course II
the tOb0gcan tunnel is constructed and works sue
oesSfully will obvate the necessity OF any bi1dge
at that pont,-a good sized it, however. As Tor
Mr. McCaIren's scheme, its author hardly showed
the best Of judgment in provoking the ahtas'hl7hi
Of New-York by proposing that its cost which l. set
down at S15.OCO,COO. should be divided equally DC
tween the two cities Brooklyn paid two-thirds Of
the cost OF the New-York and Brooklyn Bridge ana
has got than twOthirds Of the benefit OF IT, ana
she certainly would be willing to do as much or moro
in case second bridge Is undertaken. That bridge
is needed from the Eastern District TO Manhattan
Island Is obvious. and the river is narrow there
the second bridge ought TO cost good deal less than
the first one.
Mayor Clasn has taken IL upon himself 10 declare
In publishes Ettr that the present method OF
eectng Aldermen N Brooklyn is a successful and
valuable innovation" \ considerable number Of his
fcllow-citizens do not share that opinion with him.
il will be remembered that effort made last
winter to legislation providing for a return to
tie Old system Of elections by wards, but the De
uocracy was strong enough 10 defeat IT, because Of
the advantages which they derived from the method
devised BY MAYOR Low in the hope Of securing a
better class Of citizens as members Of The Common
Council That hope sadly disappointed. although
the men Of high standing nominated by the Rcpubli
cans last fau for Aldermen-at Large gave promise
% a change for the better But not Of those
,.cn was elected and t. all appearances the Board
will continue for an Indefinite period TO consist Of
fifteen Democrats and four Republicans. The talk
Of home rule with such local legislature as Brooklyn
has IS supremcly ridiculous. The inSignlhcancc Of
the Common Council Is indicated by the total lack Of
Interest in its proceedings except now ana thch "he
II coItrives 10 block enterprise Of public in
portance. like the extension Of the wateIw0rk which
It's nori.action postponed for four or five years a
visit TO the Common Council chamber on any Mon
DAY afternoon will convince any scepucal cltlzeh
that Tire movement which has cut down the Alder
mems powers to the fraction that now remains to
them has been wise
Dr. Kretzschmar, the supervisorat Large, has
won public approval by putting an early veto upon
needless extravaganza Of the Board OF supervisors
Although the veto has been ovcrridden
this good beginning and shows that Dr. Kretz
schmar intends TO profit by the Of his prcdc
cessor whose vetOes saved the taxpayers good deal
OF money. lie also seems 10 have given some In
teUigent attention 10 the question Of annexng the
four remaining towns Of Kings County TO Brooklyn,
and thus getting rid of the dual system Of government
for the city and county, which is source OF needless
expense. Probably he only voices the general senti
meDt OF men who have devoted thought TO this ques
ton when he says that nothing In the direction OF