Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-30
Some Interesting Data Concerning
the New Municipality.
WILL Be SECOND CITY OF TIE WORLD
Its Corporate Existence Begins on
January |, 1898.
GREAT POWERS

The charter under which the election in
Greater New York will be held was finally
passed by the New York state senate April
Ii, 1897, over Mayor Suongs veto of the
original act There was a very brief de-
bate and the final vote was "a to 10. 1t
vas repassed by the assembly later in the
same day, without word of debate, by
vote of 1ob to 32. 1t then went into the
hands of the governor. who affixed his sig
nature on May ), and the new charter
thereby became law 1t was stated, and
ray well be believed, that Governor Black,
before signing the charter, conscientiously
examined a great mass of lawyers briefs
and other documents which had been sub
mitted to him by advocates and opposers
Of the Greater New York
Statistics of the City.
The city Of New York from January l.
1898, will cover BOG square miles and con-
tain about 3.50o,000 people-a population
surpassed among cities by London, Eng
land, only. 1t will elect S. assemblymen-
more than third of the lower house of
the state legislature. In twenty years
the city may be expected to have a
majority in the state senate.
ON January it will have 1o93 church
edihces, 2 great universities and % other
educational institutions, 63 libraries 30 art
galleries, 81 theaters, 81 clubs ILL., hotels
rs banks. Its parks will have an area of
t5osb acres; its cemeteries .isilent popu-
iatlon OF 4,UU0,OOU-more than its houses
ard streets.
Its bonded debt will be about s2II 600 ooO.
Its annual tax budget from 81, tAp afto tn
s61.0Oo,000; its foreign commerce consider
ably more than that of all the rest of the
country combined
The area of this new municipality will be
about 359 square miles, Lit will contain
LEU lISi of
ROADS, and 700 miles of sewers 1t will
contain about 10000 buildings, of which
l''o,ooo are used for residential purposes
and its daily consumption of water will he
about 350000.0O0 gallons
Districts Embraced.
The city as consolidated comprises the
county of Kings, the county of Richmond.
the city of Long Island City. the towns of
Newtown, Flushing and Jamaica, and the
westerly portion of the town of Hampstead
iE the county of Queens. The present
critics. wards. towns and villages are not
10 De abrogated further than is provided
IN this charter. Boroughs.-The city is di-
v'ded into five burroughs.
1. Manhattan-The island and its several
naturally related small islands
= The Bronx-All of the present New
York north of the Harlem
g. brooklynmComprising the present city
T. Queens-The portion of Queens county
included in the new city,
D. Richmond-The territory known as
Richmond county or Staten Island.
Each borough elects its president for
term OF Tour years at a salary of 5000 a
year Tor the boroughs of Manhattan
Brooklyn and the Bronx. and of $500 for
those OF Queens and Richmond.
The City's Government.
The municipal assembly consists of two
chambers The upper chamber is the
council whose tnenty-ninaN members are
elected for four years, from districts aver
aging more than $4,000 population. The
lower chamber is the board of aldermen,
whose sixty members are elected for two
years, one member from each state assem-
ply district. Ex-mayors of the consolidat-
ed city nave seats (without vote) in the
council. Heads of departments while in
office have seats without vote) in the
board of aldermen.
The president of the council is elected by
the city at large for four-years' term.
his annual salary is 5000, and he has all
the powers of the present president OF the
board OF aldermen. including that of act
ing mayor in case of the mayors illness
or absence from the city. The president
Of the board of aldermen is elected by the
board itself from its own membership
The council appoints city clerk. whose
term is six years, the annual salary 81 900.
The municipal assembly has control over
ordinances properly Notwithstanding
and repeating police. health, park. fire ana
TeSulatOHS, autnOrlZlilS tne eS-
Establishment and construction of markets,
parks, parkways, driveways, boulevards
bridges and the requirement of additional
waterworks, for all which improvements 1t
can issue bonds: granting railroad and
ferry franc hises; assigning places for hold
ing the various courts, and fixing salaries
of city officials on recommendation by the
beard of estimate 1t is the trustee of
municipal property.
The Executive Department..
The mayor is elected for four years. at a
salary of $4,000 a year. and is not eligible |
for a second term Immediately succeeding |
the first. Els powers and responsibility are
large. He appoints-and may remove dur !
ing the first six months of his term-all |
heads Of departments except those which |
the charter declares elective. such as the |
controller. The mayor can at any time |
In his term remove the commissioners Of |
accounts.
Administration Is conducted under the |
following departments: Finance, law, po- /
lice, parks. buildings. charities. fire, docks