New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-26
FOR GREATER NETWORK.
HOLD THEIR FIRST
MEETING

"a COMMITTEE OF FIVE WILL TOMORROW BE
NAMED 70 srBMIr a SKELETON BY ocTo-
1f BIER 15-Ex-MAYOR GIIROY A MEMBER
IN PLACE OF CONTROLLER FITCH.
The Greater New-York Commission met yesteId'F
IN the Mayors Office ana began It's aoors OF ara %
q charter for tho metropolis. on the 'h''s'o'
OF its existence the problem Of The nature Oh '"'
greater c.ty's government came up for d's 's'O"'
William c. Dc Witt Of Brooklyn. wan;cl tae com
mission 70 decide al once. before IN" wprH on me
charter begun. whether the proposed eoNei"-
ment was to hr centralized or deccntrazeH' "ne'"''
there was 10 be city with one Mayor an" "'
Common Council or whether the new city was 10 DC
a collection OF boroughs. each retaining c.T''''.
powers Of home RUE after the example OF the -! oi
London" There mnch learned deDa'e 0" UNI
fcaton" and Identification" but the question Mas
not settled when the Commission TOOK an a1J'u'"-
men. until tomorrow.
The members OF the Commission are Mayors
Strong OF New-York Wurster of Brook yn anu
Gleason OF Long Island city; Andrew H. NI"'h'
president Of the Old Commission; General hehJih1n
F. Tracy, ex-Judge John +. Dillon. Setn Low PIVS'
dent Of Columbia University. and ex-Mayor lho'lHs
F. Grroy of New-York City; Genera. stewart l..
Woodford Sas b. butcher and William G. DE VIII,
of BROOKLYN: George NJ. Plnncy. IT,. of Richmond
County: Carrot j. Garretson. Of Queens county A.
;orrcv- General Theodore +. Hancock ana STATE Fl-
g.neer and Surveyor Campbell w Adams All were
present excepting Mr.. Green, who has been H. ana
General Woodford. Ex-Mayor Gilroy took the place
20 which Governor Morton had originally app'ih'el
Controller Ashbel p Fitch. who on Monday d'cl'ied
the honor on the ground thai he could no' prol'',
serve In the dual capacity OF Commissioners ""''
Controller. Mr.. G.roy yesterday received from '"e
Governor the not!-e Of his appointment IN place Vi
Mr. Fitch. The replacing OF one Tamrnahy repre-
sentative by another makes no change IN inc po''0'
complexion of the Commission
Mayor Strong was made temporary challha" AZ
ter which Mr.. Gilroy suggested that III ueie'n"'
20 the absence Of Andrew II. Green. the ia'hei
of the greater CITY," no permanent organization oe
formed General Tracy agreed with TINS Vew'
urging that Mr. Green best qualified TO Suide
the Commission in its work. and mat 10 ors"ii'N
permanently then might only serve 10 uisoi S""
,ze Mayor Wurster and William G. lie VIII OF
Broolxlyn took The opposite view. and declared
mat the Commission had a herculcan task before
IT, and that therefore it should organize at once
General Tracy's name was then placed oeloio '"e
Commission and. despite his protest that ne Was
not prepared to accept the charmansnip' II was
forced upon him by unanimous vote Dlstrlc'-A'-
torney George NJ Pinney, Jr OF RlcA'ohn Oo"""'
was then made permanent secretary
Several of the Commissioners wanted to employ
q secretary and stenographer. but 1t was pointed
out that, as the Commission has but vow" WIN
which TO do Its work. paid secretary was out OF
the question. The matter OF the stehosrapheI ""S
referred 10 the chairman and the secretary, WIN
power to appoint. There are $50 applicants Tor the
'Ex-Judge Dior. moved that a committee OF ,hree
he appoi1tei TO Law out the work for the Com
,,issior and this was supplemented by ex-MayOr
Lows resolution that TO eacn OF the Connissioa-
ers be assigned a certain department as ms esl,e,
cial work to investigate and report on as lne
best means OF furthering the Work or the Nohlliis
son Mr.. De Witt went even further IN anie .
both suggestions He argued that I've ~ VI
sve he appointed draft skeleton cnarter Dy oc-
eober for presentation 10 the COMMISSION tnci.
Mayor Wrrster said that the latter sugges,S2n
would be tmpracticabe because the committee Wou1
FIRST have 10 know what form OF government was
Ia ha6
London. or great MUNICIPALITY. 10 Assn thc
Commission 10 present the skeleton cnarter, ne
Thought, would be hardly safe as much time would
be unnecessarily wasted
Mr. Gilroy said that the committees shouid get %
work first and pass on the various QueSllonS III
voved they would affect the dineTent iocaitie ,
varying phases and complications then lhe Worh
on the skeleton charter could be begun, ana AFTER
ward 1t could be amended as the Commission sa"
Mr. Low explained that the question OF charter
. vzo,ld have to be dealt with al length AS an In
stance ne cited that the Mayor of this city Is a
OF others the Mayor Of Long Island City Of stin
Others and 50 with the different heads or Depart
uerts and bureaus: each had 10 be determined nTst
and then the charter skeleton hooked together Tor
stmdv az TO its various points and dependencies:
Mr. De Wits suggestion however, prevailed, ana
the committee will he named tomorrow morning,
when the Commission meets again
general discussion followed as 10 the 0iNisIon OF
the work among the Commissioners. ana MT Low 5
proposition to have each Of the Commissoners take
iip one subject special line OF inquiry was
Siias B. butcher was appointed Treasurer Of the
Commission and Mayors Strong. Wurster and
g Gleason appointed auditing committee was
decided ask for s. 600 from the proper oircers or
fhe three cities TO begin the work. The Aldermen s
chamber in the City Hall rendered 10 the Com
mission as O place Of meeting and accepted.