New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-17
century.

James Howell is Of English birth, and his father,
James Howell, lived AZ Bradford, In Nltshi"'
when the son who bears Lis name was born on
October IL, 1929 At the early age Of SIX years
he was brought by his parents Ia this country
and they settled at New-Lsbon, ONO. Inc
voutb received his education in the frontier schools
Of that region until SO. when he came 20 Brook
lvn. since that time the city Of his home. lie
began business life al the age OF seventeen an"
served for a year in tic capacity OF clerN III
groccrv Store But the confinement and lack OF
exercise in the life did not suit him and ne went
10 work in an iron foundry where he soon mas
tered tie details OF his trade and became fore
man of TIC shop In 1853 he decided to 60 into
business for himself and invested the fcw hundreds
Of dollars he had saved in a foundry, out Of which
has grown the great iron business of Howell n
Saxtan Of Nos 3J3 Adams-St. and 277 HUDSON
I'VE which employs a force Of several hundreds OF
men and Is highly successful AMI profitable. Inc
iron work IN some OF the public buildings the
sewer manhOle covers and other castings iIr pup
lie use bear the imprint of the firm. besides thc
grcat amount Of work done by II for private IN
dlyiduals and for corporations
Mr. Howell has long been resident Of the
Eleventh Ward and enjoys such great personal
popularity ,hat IN spite Of the fact that he does
not agree with the majority OF the residents OF
the ward in politics hc has repeatedly received
u majority Of the votes In 1864 his lelow-Dcno-
Gratis elected him 10 represent the ward III the
+ Board Of Supervisors Of Kings County. His keen
cominon-Scnsc and business ability made him a
capable member OF the Board, and he served upon
important committees His constituents Thought
so well of his services that he was twice re-
elected Supervisor and then when the Offices OF
Alderman and Supervisor consolidated he
l In tofp 10 fIpu
the candidate OF his party for Supervisor-at-iarsc
and was elected and presided for one term over
the body Of county legislators. II was while he
held this Office that the erection Of the new
county Jail in RaymOnd-st was decided upon.
I'm 1915 the Democrats sought an available
candidate to oppose the Republicans. who had
| elected Mayor Schroeder two years before. The
/ good record Mr. Howell had made in the Office
! he had filed led ~ his choice and he ran against
| John +. ncnry. The result OF the election was
! the defeat OF the latter by 5000 votes, business
/ matters playing considerable part in the cam
paign Mayor Howell entered upon his first term
Of Office when the city had not recovered from
the financial crisis of 1873 and indeed feel
/ ing the effects most heavily, and deficits and
debts burdened the treasury. Rctrenchment was
made the watchword OF his administration and
| there was a marked change from the cXtrava-
gance which had prevailed III thc HuSn days allcr
the War. To curtail needless expenditure caused
! by paving miles Of unoccuped streets nj great
! cost out of which favored contractors had grown
rch the act requiring the collection Of two-thirdS
! Of the assessment for any street Improvement be-
fore il was begun was passed with the approval Of
! MAYOR Howell. He was rcnomnated in 1875 and
| succeeded i'm defeating Franklin Woodruff by "A
majority Of about 10000 in a campaign in which
| uersnnaI matters largely entered.
The same policy OF cutting down expenses that
prevailed in his first term was continued in his
second and in his four years Of Office, while the
assessed valuation OF the city was increased only
81 q 900 900 the tax rate lowered from 50 "a
! TO 50 g. But this economy went So far as Ia
prevent the erection Of proper number Of public
school buildings and the lack had to he made good
! in subsequent years. Among the notable events
of Mayor Howells incumbency was the action
of seventeen Of the Aldermen in passing resou-
ton granting an elevated railway franchise over
the MAYORS veto, in defiance of an Injunction of
the Supreme Court, for which they were sentenced
70 Imprisonment in Raymond Street Jail. Under
him also the last of the threc-hcadcd commissions
in the city departments held Office, when the Al
dermen still had the power 10 confirm or reject
the Mayors nominations, resulting in innumerable
deals from which the city is now free At
one time long deadlock prevailed in III. Board
! Of Aldermen over the choice of president, the
Board being equally divided between two candl-
dates, save that one member persisted in voting
! for himself.
DESPITE TIE sentiment of n considerable portion
| Of his party, Mayor Howell Tenominatcd for n
! third term III 1850. The independent Demo