New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-26

| the year 1896 over 1893 was SOL I9 81. III |
| this is added the decrease In expense as com
pared with the payrolls OF the first OF the yea
1895 the gain would be over SOL ,WU The IN
crease Of revenue from water rents Tor Io3
over 1894 was more than S145OOO which wit
reduction in expense added. would be equal I
fully S115OO0 The present Register iouh
something over 1000 receipted tax bills that ha
never been sent to the taxpayers, some OF then
dating back two and three years or more
These facts Indicate that. notwithstanding
serious shortcomings In the administration o
the Department and the. political activity OF IT
head. the improvement In many branches of it
work has been considerable.
DOCK DEPARTMENT.
The Department OF Docks is under the contro
Of three commissioners, and its expenditures ar
chiefly met by the issue Of bonds. Under tn
management Of the present Dock Commissioner
the cost OF dredging and other contracts ha
been steadily decreasing, 90 that the actua
awards OF contracts for the year ending April &c
1896 averaged about II per cent under tn
engineer in chiefs estimates. and for the yea
ending April 30 1891, about II per cent unde
his estimates.
a notable increase OF revenue from leases an,
been secured to the city by the present Boar,
FOR The use Of land under water covered by vari
Gus structures. and reclaimed land occupied b,
private persons and corporations for which n
compensation was formerly received
1t is due to the present Dock Board that tn,
plans have been completed and the execution
begun Of the only large scheme OF water-fr from
Improvement in the history Of the city which Ia.
was adopted after the Board had applied itsel
for two years To the task OF deyising som,
scheme Of Improvement which would In a com
prohcnslye way. provide suitable accomnoda
tons for the increasing demands OF shipping on
the North River. Agreements to lease the frs
Ave new piers in this plan contemplate rental.
which will yield annual revenue OF from ; Il
~ per cent interest on the total expenditure
TIE improvement will thus. In addition to IN,
great advantages II offers TO commerce prodnc,
fair revenue to the city.
RECREATION PIERS
An act authorizing the erection OF recreation
to carry out its provisions while Tammany was
In power. The Tenement House Commission o,
1894 had recommended the establishment OF
piers. Mr.. w. OH. Washington. q member OF
the committee, made "A special report on pier
parks
The present administration has already opened
two recreation piers. and three more will be
ready by the beginning OF next summer The
pier at Third-st.. East River the frs, TO be
opened. Is the smallest OF the Ave. 1t Is 200 feet
long. " feet wide. and the second story is 22
feet high. The pier at Twenty fourth Ct East
River. is 700 feet long The Third-st pier Is
built OF steel and will accommodate comfortably
Ave or six thousand people. The importance OF
these recreation piers. or play piers as the chill
dren happily nyle them cannot be everest
mated
PARK DEPARTMENT.
The Park Commissioners appointed by Mayor
Strong claim the credit Of introducing business
methods where purely political system for
merly prevailed In their own words: "AII OF
the routine work was turned over to competent
PERSONS and these were looked after with the
same care that is practised by n business firm.
The new Commissioners. having rearranged and
reset the Internal machinery OF the department.
had time to do those things which the public
wanted done" Among these perhaps the most
,ressng was the supply Of new parks for the
poor In the most densely populated portions OF
he city. Within year Corlears Hook Park
las been opened. on the edge OF one Of the
most thickly crowded tencment-house districts,
md occupying a space which once q filthy
'puare, covered with dirt and Uttered with
broken down trucks. II is under the direction
Il these Commissioners. also. that Mulberry Bend
Park has been finally changed from q dust pile
nto All oasis OF beauty. Within . short time