The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-20
CALLS CHARTER A BUNGLE.
-,voR vAN WICK RIDICULBs TIE
Ia LIT AND ITS TRAINERS.

- sH.iapt for IbuS-b ethy hoCttntu 70 TWO
-..,vru,uca OF the New Chnrter-Tho
n...opr.e appropriation Is HunE Up.
=. poord OF Estimate continued yesterday
A. cork OF considering the estimates OF the eX-
me- n the various city departments, as I ow
p"",i,pted. for 1898. The making Of the budget
tedious operation, and IL looks now rs
- Il would not BIO finished for several
,nou ps James p. Heating, the COMMISSIONS
', ricbways, asked for $3,34S,095, Of which
os, sss was for the borough of Manhattan,
,,,5 $50 for the Bronx, $47s,131 for Brook
=. sosi.9l4 for Queens, and S135,lS4 for
s.r,ond. The estimate included $500. 900 for
s,.rtInp the actual work Of building the Grand
c.acorrse. tho total cost OF which has been es-
1901 Mt between Sl2, OOO,0 o and $4,000
ooo The old Board OF Estimate only provided
COS ooo for the work to be done on it for 1893.
"Is it absolutely necessary that this work
.,oula be done this yearf' asked the Mayor.
.I think not" replied Commissioner Heating.
.Tben | fancy it won't be DONE" said Mr.. Van
Wyck, with n sly smile.
.,prt tho old board allowed $4,000 for the
work" said MIR. Heating.
"And that was about the only mercy that
,odv ever showed the Taxpayers of the city" re-
tortsd the Mayor. 81 don't think you will get
the appropriation you ask for
81 will take anything you will allow me. and
Al The best ] can with It," said the Commits
eioncr OF Highways.
.Now. that's the way I like to hear q head
~ departmcnt talk returned the Mayor.
In explaining tho appropriation asked for
Rrooklyn, Mr.. Heating said that a separate or
oanization would have to be established in that
and all the other boroughs, which would neces-
state the hiring Of a great many engineers.
clerks. and other persons.
cie u nntire " said the Mayor. shat the same
man was appointed Deputy, Commissioners of
Highways and Deputy Commissioners OF sewers
he Also be appointed Deputy Commissioner of
Water supp ~ Why is it necessary to have
separate offices in all the boroughsf'
ri understood that separate offices were. re-
ouired by the charter, replied Mr.; keating.
The Corporation Counsel explained that the es-
Enlistment OF offices in the various boroughs
outside OF Manhattan was discretionary,
Il don't wonder that you have trouble In
s Sns't commissionsr Of Highways. Even tho
best lawyers can't %construe 1t, We don't care
what the intention was a., Of PIT th dsn 6qngii neoI piece
owners of the value Of their property. We
don't sec our way. clear to maintain separate
offices in the various boroughs nor do we in
TEND TO provide the means to run them
The question was then raised as to whether
or not 1t was lawful for one man TO bold Two r.
Sewers and the Deputy commissioner OF High
ways in the borough Of Richmond. ;.
all in me our heads" said the Mayor: II an sure,
however. that it contains a provision covering
that point. As a matter OF tact don't believe
Apparently they proceeded on the theory that
everything existing was wrong and that all
In explaining the appropriation necessary
for Queens, MI. Heating said that no money
had been spent there last year Tor the general
maintenance of streets and highways except
$4,000 for street cleaning. ,
From my experience with that borough
Scarcely civil Civilized" remarked President Feitnol
OF the Tax Department, and the estimate OF
the Commissioner of highways was referred tc
Maurice f. Holahan. the President Of the
Board of Public improvements. asked for $i94;
Bronx, 49,, 100 for Manhattan, $39,440 fol
Brooklyn, S44.64O for Queens. and $4o.94O FOL
SE ssiass' d dessiIed ws sfste ineaaen ~ the ssp iiem,
from which the estimate was made was read BY
the clerk of the Board of Estimate. 1t con
long train OF assistant engineers. consulting en-
gineers. plain engineers, transit men, rod men
S aSsn % hs' hea nnd fs0% @@o woe Would af Ike To- s5' sas.
he said. .For Instance. what are the duties OF
'They are about the same as those Of the chic
engineer" replied MIR. Holahan.
sngineersiS persisted the Mayor.
because the tirSt duty of the Board Of Public
In dm tSo ciIT mt I T. TO prey PTSyia9 ps an aufh Mrt H mat
han quickly. "There is not now in existence suct
u map and 1t must be made before a single i'm
charter says that ! must furnish all the, plans
for improvements undertaken by O member Of
the Board Of Public improvements"
But each Commissioner of the departments
made from the old Public Works Department IL
obliged to have a corps of engineers said the
don't know what is required Of other head
Ct departments" replied Mr.. Holahan. but
do . fRen y wha ka s6S l SHc fsssu safs Of sse MIA Mayor. 81
agree with the Comptroller who said that II we
employ all the engineers asked for the entire
SSSi6le supply in that profession will. be ex
Mr.. Holahan again insisted that no would
ped the services of every engineer asked for IN
propriation down to 500, oooi" asked The
why, simply that three-fourths of the worh
81 ny department would be left undone." re
70 Increase the assessments except by public
improvements, and no improvements can bt
made II the work of my department Is ham
bonded debt limit, ard tho surest means of keep
ihg II from bankruptcy is through an increase
81 0d6 assessments SeS l estimate that at least 500.
oy ~ ihs completion OF the surveys now being
carried on in the territory east Of tho BronA
Iyeysd and mapped ed str can be opened, the
land can be laid out into building lots, and thu
Is I"H Why Gan put them upon the market ma ina
ministration. j want also, Mr.. Mayor. to carry
gut the suggestions embodied in your message
Uthe Municipal Assembly,"
deportation Counsel Whalen supported Mr.
h%olahan. He said that it would be dangerous
70 carry out any improvements until authentic
maps OF the whole city had been prepared. il
was then developed that no authentic map;hat
sSer been made Of Manhattan Island north Of
aooth street, and that tho maps of Brooklyn
Sere conflicting TO such a degree that the un
ee~ertaking of any Improvement there was likely
70 entail endless litigation. OF Queens 1t wal
sSa mat only & of Its $50 square miles haC
ener been laid out. In the 142 square mile
outside OF Long Island City there were ne
RoSslnle means OF fixing a boundary or estab
aShins a grade. 'Why, ! don't believe there 4
= surveying instrument in the whole borough,
Sa1n President Holahan.
Inc estimate OF the Board of Public I'm
governments was referred TO the Comptroller.