New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-08
~ THE Darn.

Citizens Of New York who are in the habit 81
laughing ~ the Roanl Of Aldermen bccaus" II IL
supcrfnons. at times when they are not weeping
because 1t Is something worse, are III hohor
bound 10 acknowledge n mcriiorous performance
by the city Fathers when opportunity "n'rs'
Such m opportunity has arrived II came y's''r
day with the presentation and adoption OF a re-
mort hy tho Law Committee on IN" recent lhpors
Of Mr. Thomas /. Gilroy. jr.. and his partner III
behalf 81 the municipality. Those gentlemen
one 81 whom /, may bc remarked Incidentally II
,hc beloved AMI duiifu son Of his fiihcr the laic
Nayor. were engaged for a considerable period
nrior 10 the frs, Of January last past In the task
of constructing u compilation ~ city ordinances
For This work Undertaken by and with III" con
sent and approval Of the Corporation 'ouns'l, 'r
10 be more exact. in consequence ~ Their mp
polntincnt by him for the purpose. they received
~ various times from the public treasury sums
Of money amounting In the aggregate !" S'l""
Having completed the compilailon they SUD
mttcd II several months ago 10 tho Corporation
Counsel by whom in turn. though somewhat
torJiIv II was forwarded 10 the Board ~ Alder
men II seemed proper fo subject this fruit of
long toll 10 an official examination hei' r. IN
shrining Il among the municipal archives. ana
II was accordingly referred 10 the Law commit
l
tee for that purpose.
The committees report. az we have already
intima-cd. IS an Interesting document After a
brief reference TO the circumstances In when the
compilation began. 1t proceeds 10 describe tho
task os being of simple clerical nature. well
within the capacity Of n Corporation CounscIs
| assistant or even Il clerk TO the Board OF Alder
mon. II consisted. rs We are told merely IN
emitting such ordinances as had become Invalid
and submitting such rs were In force. Ihcrc
was naturally. therefore. som" reason 70 expect
that having devoted their intcllccts 10 the under
| taking 10 the extent Of SJ.lO0 worth. Mr. Giroy
and his partner would in due time succeed III
creating n compilation which. II not monument
OF genius would possess substantial merits rs
n catalogue But on the contrary 1t Is now ON
cjolly declared, greatly 10 the establishment, rs
we must suppose Of Mr. Glroy and his partner
/ that the compilation omi's numerous ordinances
now In force. consists in considerable part or
ordinances which have been repealed and as
whole is absolutely useless 10 the ingenious In
aurer after such truth as 1t was designed 10
expound.
TO the casual observer II would accordingly
appear that Mr. Gilroy and his partner are moral
" II not legally indebted 10 the city In the sum
! Of S.1OO together with reasonable amount Of
damages for disappointed hopes and total waste
OF cverybody's time except their own. The
casual observer occasionally secs point which
official scrutiny ovcrlooks, but In this instance
we should suppose that the city authorities would
probably discern the proprcty Of taking meas
urcs tending toward reimbursement. II IL pain
full, OF course, TO witness the sudden extinction
Of legal light. originally kindlcd by parental
care, which has shone long over the mnnlc-
ipality and will he greatly missed But this
Aldermanic report puts out Mr. t'ilroy and his
partner beyond doubt. and the community will
have to stumble along In the dark as best II can.