New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-06
WHAT BROOKLYN TALKS OF.
TIMELY TOPICS IN THE METROPOLIS OF
TON(, ISLAND.

nent and interest in all parts Of the city. The build
ing Of the conspicuous in Brooklyn. was
recently erected, and supposed to be thoroughly
substantial If not absolutely reproof The origin Of
the fire is mystery, and probably never be
planned II had been under for some time before
the alarm was given, and although tho first engines
summoned responded promptly it was considerable
time before the fremen were able TO get to work upon
the flames Meantime they had been creeping upward,
and when they reached the upper part Of the building
If was doomed The lack of water-tOwer painfully
evident The failure Of the authorities TO provide one
properly subjects them TO the severest criticism. In
the upper stories the fire wholly beyond the reach
of the ordinary appliances. and all that the arcmen
coud do was devote their energies to preventing the
flames from spreading. There has been some severe
criticism Of the remen, but the whole 1t does not
appear to be well grounded The insurance men, at all
events have spoken in high praise of their work
surprising statements have been made by the head
Of the firm in reference to the character Of the build
Ing which, it seems. beled It's appearance, since Mr.
smith says that he always expected that 10 wOuld burn
up Certainly the representations that 1t was fire.
proof were wholly false. II ought not to require
another conhagration in tall building to bring home
TO the proper officials tire need Of watertower and
another lesson of this fire. Of that not long ago In
Batterman's store, is that Brooklyn should be supplied
with fire insurance patrol similar to that which has
been Of so much service in Newlork in saving prop
erty In buildings where fires occur It also appears
shat the water supply was none too abundant; II
another fire had broken out in the same quarter on the
city at the same time, the lack of water would
probably have produced most serious effects. The re-
fusal Mr. Smith to answer certain questions put 10
him by the Corporation Counsel who is conducting the
investigation Of the fire in the absence Of the Fire Mar
shall has attracted attention IN Albany, and led to inc
discovery that no authority exists TO compel
witness to questions in such inquiry. This
Is an obvious defec in the law 1t is singular that it
nh ,rplt
investigation into the causes of fires perfectly plain
vet it is in the power of witness TO defeat such
Investigation by simply refusing to answer questions,
and he can do so with impunty. The bill which
Senator McCary has introduced ought to become
law.
The conference Of prominent citizens with the Mayor
IN Tuesday in respect to the library project was inter-
estng and will probably lead 10 good results Less
was Of the derablity OF disassOcatlng the library
fom partisan politics might have been hoped for
hut good suggestions made by DR.. StOrrS, Dr.
Hail. Professor Hooper, Mr.. Hendrix and the other
speakers. The committee appointed by the Mayor TO
consider the matter and report at future meeting
Of the conerrees is an excellent and Will handle
the question mtslhgently and broadly. In my opin-
ion It is fair 10 presume that the bill as IL leaves
the committees hands will be different In some respects
from that which Mr.. jerks sent to Albany. The
elimination Of politics from work that is substan
italy public happily seen IN the provision OF city
En Institutes coming museum. Everybody recognizes
the desra bilty-nay, the necessity-of keeping an
affair Of that kind out OF the hands Of politicians
The same thing may be in the proposed Botanical
Garden in NewYork. There the city IS 10 furnish
half a million dollars when 9250,0O0 has been raised
BY private effort and yet the control of the garden
Is not 10 be IN the hands of the city authorities
Some such arrangement in reference TO the projected
library IL would seem, might easily be made If not
why not? 1t Is not impossible that under such an
the present Brooklyn Library could be put
in us an asset the side of private enterprise The
fine collection 0. books in Montague-s would furnish
a splendid nucleus for public library
Mayor Body might have done than 10 ap-
point George V. Brewer as Park Commissioner under
the rev law providing single head for the Park
Department thus putting it level with all the
other city departments, except that Of Excise. Mr.
Brewer was the president OF the late Park Commission
and therefore had superior claims upon the new oice
which carries a salary Of $4,000. He is man OF
conceded ability, and his experience stands him III
good stead. He has won public approval by MS
first important official act-the looping on Oh tho
head of Aneurin Jones. Jones goes unIaInenDu. ms
eccentric conduct long ago called for his dismissal
Int Jones was provided with that convenient tnhg' d
81 mil, and 81 was able 10 hold on. Commissioner
Brewer and he however, have not been on speaKing
terms for some time, ard a vacancy III 'ne onioo Va
superntendent q necessary sequence vi 4u'
Growers appointment. There Is one good tihhe u W
said for Jones' though, before dlsmlssne MN iorcVc
He did not do his worst. something festsiheu MN
He did not exercise his mania for creating vistas
during his soiourn in Prospect Park For that THel
much thanks His raid upon a prominent Tusu
who desired paint some rhododendrOhs IN tio rum,
on the ground that he WAS professional WIN
probablv be the longest remembered OF MS ui'ni7i
lisent performances. We shall not look upon 'ohe'0
like again.
The big sewer under Greene and other streets ID
practically completed. The ten THOUSAND or mo'0
persons who inspected It In the course OF ING ~ceh on
loved a novel and interesting experience There "&'
not much 20 be SEEN Of oourse-only tanner fourteen
Zoe, in diameter lined with brick-but the ocuiai
demonstration of the existence OF Such oni's u"uo
meath the city's streets is worth enjoying anu io
berfng AS one stroled along the dry fOot"ay ""oi'
this huge sewer afforded during the tine IL "'s opc
10 puslio inspection he could not help recalling VcVor
uugos blood chilling accounts Of what TOOK pace III
the sAwers OF Paris To enjoy the underground OK
oursion really 10 was necessary TO advance Deyoho He
norton lighted with lamps and eectrcS, ana venture
out into the darkness candle IN mana.
The we'll known object Of the enumeration when mas
inst been taken and the demonstration OF the ias'
and fraudulent character OF the returns III NJ" ~
CITY, will not the result III bTooidSh :" W
accented with any confidence. IL was ule uchDcia'0
nfent,on Of the Democratic party to get large hghreS
in IN. cities for obvious reasons. Hence IL Is ho'
surDrs;ug that this has been done. The enoitS 10
swell the population unduly must be cHceeu'hsy US
PRESSING 10 cx Mayor Chaplin. for they sho" r"U V'
o,,, has hsen Growing TOO fact. on this point MI
CbapIn is ON record in authorized interview pup
ushed in The Eagle" June 20, 1890 II Is inter
esting at this time to recall what ne SAID men, moic
especally as a few months larcr, WITHOUT Any IT,
traction OF this interview, he proceeded 10 oruer
police census. 81 do not expect" sad tNe OK nayo
o. ,b. d.to named to attempt any supplemental
,eusns. 1t would have conclusive qualty OF
anv sort. have not felt that Brooklyn ha9 any
good cause for complaint lie population Is reureo Z"
any figure in excess Of 100000 such present popu
lation indicates growth since l9so OF aDo". AZ
and that f. fast enough for any city 10 grow