New-York tribune., 1897-01-14
ON BOROUGH IMPROVEMENTS
ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE CHARTER
COMMISSION.
NORTH sIDERs ANXIOUS TO RETAIN THEIR OLD
sYsTEM-TIIE EXTENSIVE POWER GIVEN
TO THE BOROUGH PRESIDENT
ATTACKED

One of the most important of the hearings before
the Greater New-York Commission was held yes
terday In the council chamber OF the city haii Inc
section OF the charter under discussion related 10
the borough boards. larger attendance than us"a
was noted. North Siders. who assert that the cha'
ter as drawn practically puts a stop to proposed
Improvements. were out In considerable force Inc
feature which most Objectionable was the pro-
vision which makes 1t necessary to submit an I'M
provement of 81. 900 to a vote of the electors
Among those present were Corporation Counse'
Scott. Tax Commissioner James A. Wells. ex-Asses-
sor Henry a. Gumbleton. Assemblyman Arthur T.
Butts Aldermen School and Randall, Street Clean
!. Ing Commissioner Warng. General Coils. Commis
sloner of Public Works: ex-Judge Ernest Han ana
ex-Police Justice Charles y. Tantor. General BEN
jamin F. Tracy having returned from Albany
where he presided over the Electoral College. was
in the chair. as usual supported by Commissioners
Strong Gilroy Low. De Witt Moore and Pinney.
Mrs f. p. Kinnicutt. who said she was greatly
interested In street cleaning. proposed that the
name Of the Board OF City improvements be changed
to the Board Of City Works following the name
given to the same department in Brooklyn.
Colonel Warng spoke briefly in favor OF the reten-
ton In the new charter of the present plan OF ap-
pointing In the Street Cleaning Depai tment-
The Department under a sort Of Civil Ser
vice for the men, and ne thought this feature should
be retained.
A PLEA FROM THE NORTH SIDE.
Tax Commissioner Wells spoke for the North Side
Board Of Trade and the twenty-six taxpayers asso-
Citations of the district. Mr. Wells said that the
North Sders wished to retain the old system OF
public improvements: he said 1t should be extended
TO the outlying boroughs. Streets and sewers were
dealt with next and Mr.. Wells showed that the
Department of Street Improvements in the two
northmost wards had done remarkable work The
president OF the Borough Board would nave 100
much meddlesome power. Mr. Wells thought. in SO
far as 1t applied maps of the streets. parks and
public places.
Corporation Counsel Francis NJ Scott was the
next speaker and gave dissertation regarding
public improvements which showed an exhaustive
study Of the questions involved. Mr.. Scott went
step by step into the development OF suburban dis
trcts explaining the sewer. water. gas and elec-
tric mains and their necessity. The borough
president the point Of Mr.. SCOTS attack Inc
borough presden; not the man In whom
should be vested the power 10 lay out new streets
or t. make the maps because he would In all
probability be far removed from those e'who khe"
the most about such matters.
Mr. Scott dwelt particularly upon the great dan-
ger of political dickcrinG in the matter spoken Oh
The Municipal Assembly should have absolutely
no say whether or not maps should DE
adopted. Mr.. Scott said that the Municipal AS
sembly surely would not know the difference be-
tween a good map and poor one. and that Smith
or Brown might get the of a member OF the
local Assembly and have maps passed benehtihg
his but njurng his neighbor's property fast eN-
perence had demonstrated the fact that the Leg
islat,ire had done great wrong IN TINS respect anu
bevond doubt If the Assembly had a finger in the
pie under the new charter the same things would
result Following the same line OF argument. MI
Scott said the Municipal Assembly should have no
saw as to what streets should be reopened or what
sewers laid.
AS TO LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Mr. Scott thought that local Improvement should
rest with the borough boards That was applauded
too. for that's the North Side idea. Local improve
ments should be made without consent Of any munich
pal assembly said Mr. Scott That also ap-
pauded The speaker added that this city as whole
Out of s2 100000 of public Improvements had paid up
all but s9n0.Go and this latter sum was not paid be-
cause the city authorities had never tried to collect
the money. II the money was sought by the proper
authorities it could all be collected. or not less than
sjcOTo be outstanding MI scot, was dsked II me ne
thought that the city as whole would CONSIDER such
bonds for local Improvements without having any
say as 10 the proposed improvements Mr. Scott
thought the city would be willing TO enter into such
Attacking the Municipal Assembly. Mr. Scott said
mnlsrative powers. The vesting in the Assembly
of power to cut down department estimates was
at cdds with any department. because of refusal
of peThap, ~ i bn mGs ranrGse Its Dad
Mr. De Wit asked t. In view OF he hTr iact tnat al
to taxation he disapproved the comforting Of such
power on the Assembly. He said he did.
Mr. De Witt pointed out that it was prmeval
law of the American people that taxation should
rot he made wi hout representation. .
ION. I'll let them fix the tax rate retor'ed MI
who now authorizes taxation in your city?
From whom does that power em"nate' queried
The Board of Aldermen. nomipally." .
Then you have no legitimate body in your city
at present that authorizes you 10 collect your
mo. sir none except the Legislature.
We'll the legislators will be here henceforth,
and not in Albany" retortcd Mr.. De Wit:
Both speakers were appauded frequently
AN EXTENSION OF TINE SUGGESTED
Instead OF separate chapters relative TO condem-
nation proceedings for school sites, fire houses
and other public improvements. Mr.. Scott thought
a general chapter covering all OF the matters would
be better He would submit brief he said, In
cooperating his ideas Mr.. Scott suggested that
the Commission request the Legislature TO extend
its time two months, TO file amendments TO its
work which must be concluded, as now provided
1t was stated last evening by a,lnember OF the
Commission that the changes suggested by pr Cor
pSraion hy Ib SGTt naa on Dr g "
General Coils, Commissioner OF Public Works.
followed Mr.. Scott, and urged that the PUBIC
Works Commissioner should have fuller powers.
and asserted that 10 bring the Municipal Assembly,
into matters Of public improvement would LEAD
Ex-Judge Ernes, Hall argued along the lines Of
he tie simpler he rorm 1t Ole boronsb ns
dents the heads Of the local boards OF Improve
Assemblyman Butts spoke for the Schnorer Club.
Mr. Butts argued for perfection OF the borough
government as the basis of success for the greater
city. .
A. c. Holtenroth presented petition from the
taxpayers Of the districts of the recently annexed
towns. A. A. Levy representing certain property
holders. attacked the assessment feature.
Ex-Police Justice Tanor spoke in behalf OF the
Republican Club and attacked the whole scheme
OF boroughs He said that what the people wanted
was one city. a municipality, not series OF town
governments such is proposed in the
charter. The Republican Club wanted nothing but
an assembly and a board of public Improvements.
Mr. Taintor said and he felt he must cricise
the Corporation Counsel for his singular views re-
garding taxation without representation for he
thought the people should he kept in close
touch with their representatives as possible.
SUPERINTENDENT CONDON'S BILLS