New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-30
THE CONCOURSE JOB.

The scheme for "concourse," or new boule-
ward of stately proportions and enormous COST
beyond the Harlem ought not to be adopt
ed in the form in which 1t has been presented
to the Legislature 1t is not denied that thor
oughfare running through and opening up
region which is sure TO be well populated in the
course of time may become n necessity before
very long but 1t certainly Is not important
that operations should be begun at once. Every
body now expects that consolidation will become
an accomplished fact on January !, 1898. The
new charter which will then go into effect pro-
vldes, or is supposed to provide, for the estab-
lishment of municipal government capable OF
administering all the local affairs of the en-
larged city No part Of the charter received
more attention or was more deliberately worked
out than that relating to public improvements
1t remains to be seen whether or not the essen
TALLY novel methods Of initiating and conducting
public enterprises which that article prescribes
are thoroughly we'll adapted to their purpose
but 1t Is only fair and proper that improvements
on large scale, for which no pressing demand
exists. should be left to the discretion of the
next administration working under the changed
conditions which the new charter will create.
There are cases, Of course, in which delay Of
a
ed Hall Of Records comes under that head, but
this scheme for a great and costly boulevard
does not.
Moreover II there Is one thing about the COM
ing consolidation as to which there Is entire
agreement among all whose judgment is valu-
able, It Is that the new arrangement IS going to
be a very expensive one for the inhabitants Of
this city. They have got to defray by far the
larger share Of the cost Of union, including LID
era expenditures for bringing adjacent munich
palities within measurable distance OF their own
condition OF development Nobody now knows
or can for some time to come accurately calcu-
late how great this burden will be- and how It
will affect rapid transit on this side Of the East
River and other important undertakings 1t Is
obviously no more than reasonable prudence,
therefore, TO postpone additional improvements
OF large magnitude until we know where we
stand.
These are considerations relating to the gen.
eral character OF the boulevard scheme but there
Is also a special objection to one Of its features.
1t is proposed to put the job into the hands OF
a commission Of six members, each OF whom IS
to receive a salary Of $1,000 year for nobody
knows how long. This Is an utterly indefensible
arrangement for the benefit of individuals, and
presumably also Of political organizations, at the
expense Of the people. Under the most favor
able conditions, the projected boulevard would
cost an immense amount Of money. The sum OF
S1OOOOOOO has been mentioned but twice that
sum IS not fantastic estimate Of the ultimate
outlay. There is no reason whatsoever why fat
salaries for special commissioners should be
added to 1t. As we have said, the new charter
creates elaborate machinery for the execution
and maintenance OF public works machinery
which is claimed to be adjusted with perfect
precision to the requirements Of just such an
undertaking as this. 1t is especially incOnsis
tent and absurd for those who swear by the
charter including the Senators and Assembly
men who damned it through the Legislature. to
favor proposal which IS hostile to one of It's
main provisions and TO its whole spirit.