Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-12-30
GREATER NEW YORK. .
Her Citizens Usher I'm the New Year
In n Joyful Manner.


New York, Jan. 1.-The exit of the old
year and the inauguration of Greater
New York was celebrated fittingly Fri
day night. One of the, events that
marked the occasion was a grand pa
rade, conducted under the auspices of
the New York Journal and Advertiser.
The scene in City Hall park previous to
the arrival there of the procession was
spectacular and brilliant. Although
the head of the parade was not expected
to reach that point much before mid
night the park was crowded as early
as eight o'clock, and the crowd
struggled and jostled for an hour or
more when, on the arrival of Police
Captain Cross in command of the small
army of officers, the park invaders were
driven to the street line, where they
were held in check by a Gordon of police.
Only those entitled by passes were al
lowed within the park limits.
Old city hall was brilliantly illumi-
mated with strings of electric lights,
beautifully coored electrical shields
and American flags composed of re-
volving lights. On the dome of the
municipal building were placed eight
searchlights that flashed in all direc-
tions and cut across the lights that
5lazed their rays from the roofs of the
post office and newspaper buildings.
Many of the buildings surrounding the
| park were decorated with handsome
electric devices, while several bands of
music We'd with the bearers of trumpets
and tin horns to entertain the populace.
In front of the city hall main entrance
platform had been erected for the ac-
commodation of the judges selected
to award the various prizes. 1t was
! prettily decorated and surrounded by
myriad of electric lights.
The programme included the raising
of the New York city flag over the city
hall by Mayor Phelan, of San Francisco.
| A telegraph wire connected Mayor Phe-
lan's office with the cupola on the New
York city hail. A system of weights
had been arranged by which when San
! Francisco's mayor touched a button
the flag was run to the top of the flag
staff. A salute of 100 guns was fired at
15-second intervals by Wilson's battery
of four pieces. The party of Chicagoans
which arrived Thursday morning
brought the flag of the municipality of
Chicago, which was placed beside the
New York city flag at midnight to show
the fraternal feeling between Americas
greatest cities.
The passing of Brooklyn as munich
pality into that of the Greater New
York was observed with elaborate cere-
mony at the Brooklyn city hall. With
in the building was handsomely dec
Grated. The exercises began with re-
cepton in the mayors office Later
Mayor Wurster presided at meeting
held in the common council chamber.
ST. Clair McKelway delivered an ora
ton From Greater to Greater" This
was followed by the reading of poem
1.-The Passing of Brooklyn" by viii
Carlton. Rev. j. NJ. Farrar then deliv-
cred an address on Commerce and
| Church" after which Rev. Father Syl-
vester Malone pronounced the benedic-
ton. During the night about 10000
people attended the reception at the
city hall. where at midnight the bell in
the tower rang In the new year and the
new city.
Greater New Yori is now the second city
| OF the world and her citizens have entered
| upon what is believed to be the greatest
problem of municipal government ever pre-
sented. With the last stroke OF the clock
| at midnight announcing the advent of the
new year there was born city such as the
| emperors and kings OF history would have
| deemed great for an empire. For six
months, until the machinery of the new
| municipality gets into motion, the mayor
Of Greater New York has the power of an
autocrat. He may appoint officials with
| salaries running into the thousands with
/ as lavish hand as ever emperor treated
| his favorites. The mayor will appoint every
department head in the city except the
| comptroller, who Is elected for four years
He will appoint all commissioners, all JUS
| tices OF Interior criminal courts, all the
| members of the school boards, with the ex-
| ception of the commissioner Of educa ton
the justices of special sessions "a the po-
lice magistrates, and is given the power TO
remove any official in New York and APP
| point his successor There are five bor-
| oughs In Greater New York, namely: Man
| haitian, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Rich
mond. The municipal legislature consists
| of the council, with 2S members, and a
| board of aldermen of 60 members The
| president OF the council was elected by the
| people. The president Of the board of al
| dermen will be chosen by the members of
| that body. Mayor Van Wyck is given
| power to veto any ordinance or resolution
of either body OF the municipal assembly
! unless fve-sixths of the members of both
| houses declare otherwise. Each of the
| five boroughs has borough president, but
| his principal duty is to preside over the va
| rious local bodies in his borough.
Greater New York has an area OF BOG
| miles and a population Of 3,500,000. London
| leads 1t with between 100000 and 5000, 000
Then follow Paris, Chicago, Berlin, vi
emma and Canton. New York has only one
city in America to beat in the way of pop
ulation. That is Chicago, which is rapidly
nearing the 100000 mark, but greater
Gotham will be safe from the trans-Alle-
gheny metropolis for some years to come
At present ii dwarfs other American cities