New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-14
POLITICAL AND PERSONAL.
PUBLIC MEN AND AFFAIRS.
NEED OF BETTER sTREETsLTHE NEW AND OLE
BRIDGE PRESIDENTS.


nected with H. whereas there many country roads
which would be extremely desirable places TO drive
through II they were not I'm wreched condition. most
II not all, Of the time. some Improvement has been
made in certain city streets since Dedford-ave. Flat
bush ave. and Henryst. laid with an improved
quality OF asphalt, and some other streets were re
laid with granite blocks in place OF rough cobbestones
But wherever there Is much heavy travel on the new
pavements they soon become uneven and and are by
no means as good when first laid. showing the lack
of care in preparing the bed upon which the blocks
Of stone are laid. The fact IS that the Of the
contractor is over nearly AL the streets OF the city
When many new streets were paved with cobble-
stones a few years ago they were covered with huge
Irregular blocks IN the sides and only few properly
sized stones In the centre for a roadway. When the
first asphalt pavements were laid they were mere
poultices spread over cobbstones and wooden blocks
but after they had cost much TO repair as to lay
originally, proper foundations for permanent road
way were put beneath. The same cheap work by
contractors laying granite blocks has recently been
seen.
BY the use OF the streets at all hours and all sea
sons ply sclans arc the best qualified 10 Judge Of their
condition. Dr. c. L. BOnnel Of Hanson Place, said
recently to the writer: Brooklyn has the worst
streets in and around It Of any large city know
The pavements are simply horrible in many parts
Of the city, and use up horses and carriages at
ruinous rate as well causing serious discomfort to
those who ride over them. And out In the suburbs
the roads are wrctched, where they ought to 10 good
see how il Is around Boston and Newark for instance
Fine macadamized roads etxend In all directions In
the suburbs like Brookline, Roxbury, orange ana
Montclair and it Is pleasure to drive. Here VIC
are shut IN 70 the drives Of Prospect Park and the
ocean Parkway and the latter not kept In good
condition as il should be. People kept In these
drives when they should have the inducement OF
good roads to drive in Flatbush, Bay Ridge, Jamaica
and otlrer of our fine suburbs. There Is the shore
road in Bay Ridge with It's rare outlook upon the
Bay Staten Island and the NarrOws. If take any
one driving there / try to keep his attention upon
the outlook. so as to divert him from the wretched
condition of the road itself. 1t is almost as much
as ones life is worth to try to get out 70 jamaica
from the upper part Of the CITY, Flatbush ought W
afford fine drives but the streets there are stony
or sandy Something may be hoped for when flhtonsi
ave- is laid with asphalt pavement through the town.
But the whole system OF making aud Keeping the
suburban roads should he reformed
Tho revolution I'm the Bridge management effected
ON Monday bids fair to take It's place among uie
most successful political movements ever carried 10
success in the city. The fact was made manifest TWO
years ago that Mayor Grant desired that Iam1nah1
Hall sbould have slice OF Bridge patronage, when
he appointed seven Of his political and personal chuns
as Bridge trustees. retaining only one OF the former
members OF the Board, JsdOr Wormser. For year
the new trustees did not interfere with Brookyns con
troll but then another Of Mayor Grants IFehus'
George b. Mcclellan was made treasurer, at the snug
salary Of 81 900 a year. year ago ex-Mayor hoWel
was reelected president by unanimous vote TINS
was his sixth term II was whispered at the time
that he would be expected to step aside
for n Ncw-York man TINS year, but he
evidently did not hear the whisper and went
on managing affairs as he had previously done. WIN
I'm the last few weeks Controller Myers found IL IN
possible 10 learn what he desired to know respecting
the action Of committees OF the trustees Withou' "cn
trouble and De and Mayor Grant decided that II was
fine to teach Mr.. Howell that he did not own tho
pridre So the plans were carefully laid and the
game was PLAYED shlfully. Taking advantage Of the
rlause NJ the law that gives twenty days after Juno
. for the appointment OF new trustees Mayor Grant
and his associates failed 10 make any appointments
although the Bridge Trustees were reappoihted On
Juno o As the Board had never organized until tie
amendments had been made In both cities, 1t was
thought By the Brooklyn men that no organization
vrould he effected last Monday, the NewlOrk men
had not been appointed. Treasurer Mcclellan as
sprcd Mr. Howell that Mayor Grant said no appoint
rnents would De made Monday, so Mayor CHuPiH
and Controller Jackson told that their ATTENDANCE
would not be needed at the meeting but Mayor
Grant and Controller Myers put their heads together
and selected ex-senator Wagstaf the next bridge
nresIdent They induced George W. McNulty To re-
sign as a trustee and appointed Colonel Wass'ah III
his Mace Then in q body, with Colonel Nasstan
towering over the Others, they appeared az the buse
Office As soon as the election OF oHhcers was III
order Mayor Grant pulled handful OF ballots Win
Colonel WagstaGs name on them from MS pocket anu
circulated them among the New-foTK trustees anu iio
was elected by their votes and promptly seated
The whole thing was over In three minutes ana the
prooklvn trustees were dumfOunded- They tired 10
rally but in vain, and the election OF MI Ho"eN aS
yicepresldent and the reelection OF secretary Doa'I
and Treasurer Mcclellan speedily followed. MI H0WeH
o+ first decline the minor place offered hHl Dt'
accented Despite his claims since expressed t'at
President Wagstaff was not legally elected he VIII
continue in the post Of vice president
A,frd WagstafF, the new Bridge president, Is The
evth man 10 hold the Office In the more than twenty
,oors since the work was formally put under way
when the first Board Of Directors was organized IN
1850. Henry G. Murphy made president OF the
,-e,r York Rrdre Company. When the two cities TOOK
control Of the structure IN 1875, and trustees were
snDojntad Mr. Murphy was retained In the oHce VI
nrosident While he In Europe Tor TWO Sed's
Iersrniah p Robinson filed his place, but upon his
return he resumed direction. In lo7o' Cohuro.e,
etenmetz and City Auditor zimmerman overruieu
MAYOR Howell in appointing trustees ana icit Mr.
Murphy of the Board. But so grOat was the popular
demand for his retention that General Il. F. Tracy
restgneA A. a trustee and Mr.. Murphy was appoln'ed
TO succeed him. lie remained president untu hls oea'
in 1882 william c. Kingsley, who had been VICE
president succeeded him He held the once al inc
opening of the structure ana aI'er"a'u uh'A nl' u
in 1885 j. S. T. stnnahan then took the ONCE Dus
only for a few months, as he was not reappoh'ea d
trustee and then ex-Mayor Howell succeeded 70 the
place six years ago.
President Wagstafi Is extremely tall man. Ine'isuF
inc six feet four inches, and he is sometimes huinor
onslv called Flagstaff lie was born In l744 III
Neyy-York In 1865 he w-is graduated from inc
Columbia Law school. He had previously served III
the state militia, and as colonel Of the ION new
ha 1od
county ,nto Brooklyn In the draft riots in
,aGo He was also chief Of staff OF Governor
Crawford He was on the military staff OF Governor
Fenton being Republican in those days. In loo7
no was a delegate to the Republican Nauonal con
ventlon and as&ed IN the nomination OF President
Grant In the same year he was Republican mem mem,
W =, tho Assembly from Suffolk County. In 1872
be TONED in the Liberal Republican movement ana
heartily supported Mr. Greeley. In the next year ne
no. elected 20 the Assembly for New-YOrk on tle