The record-union., 1898-01-01
SECOND CITY OF THE WORLD.
NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN
ARE MERGED INTO ONE.
The Mayor Of the Great Municipal
ity Now Has Almost theFower
Of an Autocrat.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-The citizens of
New York, which this morning became
the second city of the world have en-
tered up what is believed to be the
greatest problem of municipal govern
ment ever presented. With the last
stroke of the clock at midnight an
nouncing the advent of the New Year,
there was born a city such as the EN-
perors and Kings of history would have
deemed great for an Empire.
For six months, unless the machinery
of the new municipality gets into mo-
ton, the Mayor of New York has the
power of an autocrat. He may appoint
officials with salaries running into the
thousands with as lavish a hand as
ever Emperor treated his favorites. He
will appoint every department head in
the city except the Controller, who is
elected for four years. He will appoint
all Commissioners, Justices of Inferior
criminal courts, all the members of the
School Boards, with the exception of
the Commissioner of Education, the
Justices of Special Sessions and the Po-
lice Magistrates, and is given the pow
er to remove any official in New York
and appoint his successor.
New York, namely, Manhattan, Brook
lyn, Bronx, Queens and Richmond. The
municipal Legislature is composed of
the Council, with twenty-eight MEM
bers and a Board of Aldermen of sixty
members. The President of the Council
was selected by the people. The Board
Of Aldermen will be chosen by the mem
berS of that body.
Mayor Van Wyck is given power to
veto any ordinance or resolution of
either body of the municipal assembly,
unless five-sixths of the members of
both houses declare otherwise. Each
of the five boroughs has a borough
President. but his principal duty is to
preside over the various local bodies in
his borough.
Notwithstanding the warning ele-
mentS and the announcement made in
the afternoon that the parade would
be postponed, a great crowd Of merry
makers, maskers, wheelmen and mem
bers of various societies with number
less floats met at Union Square ready
to march through rain and mud to do
honor to the old city and welcome the
new. Promptly at 1915 o'clock the or
der to march was given. The crowd at
the starting point was enormous.
Following the police escort came the
Marshal and his aides, and they were
followed by the Chicago delegation in
five open carriages. The German So
cieties joined the procession at Fiji
teenth street Following them was an
immense float representing the Brook
lyn bridge, with cables of evergreens.
on which the wedding of Father Knick-
erbocker and Miss Brooklyn was being
celebrated in truly German style, amid
much merriment.
Six divisions OF wheelmen We're in
lfne, and behind these We're representa-
tives OF the volunteers in all depart
ments, soldiers. firemen and others.
At exactly - o'clock the searchlights
Oh the neighboring buildings were turn
ed upon the flag staff of the City Hall.
AS the hands pointed the exact hour. a
little white ball was seen to climb the
staff slowly. The Mayor of San Fran
cisco had touched the button, and the
electric current sent the furled flag of
the City of New York to the top of the
staff. Here it broke out and swung into
the breeze. Then bedlam broke loose.
Hundreds Of bombs were thrown into
the air, and salute of hundred guns
was fired by the National Guard
SANTA ROST. DEC. 31.-George
Hood, one of the Oldest and most highly
respected citizens here, died at his
home this morning. He was a native of
Scotland, and "a years old. He began
business here forty four years ago. His
son, John Hood, is one of the leading
business men of this city, The funeral
will folya placo on C,,pdo1-