New-York tribune., 1898-01-01

1
John T. Dillon Controller Ashbel p. Fitch, General
Stewart /. Woodford silas b. butcher. William c.
De Witt George NJ, Plnncy. 1r, and Judge Garrett
J. Garre.son.
The specific work OF drafting the charter devolved
upon a Committee Of Five Messrs. De, Witt. Green,
Dillon. Low and Giroy. with Chairman Tracy and
Secretary Plnncy OF the Commission as members
ex-oflcio; and the actual task was accomphsheu
mainly by William c. Dc Witt. OF Brooklyn' ana 0he
late David J. Dean. Assistant Corporation Couhse'
OF New-York City. who spent most OF the summer
upon It. The charter became . law by enactment
of the Legislature In the spring OF 1897.
THE NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
Under this instrument the government or the
city is vested in 4 Mayor. who has tho unre-
strctod power OF appointing the heads OF Depart
ments. and absolute power OF removal during the
first six months of his four years term; Munich
pal Assembly. consisting OF two houses-the Coun-
cil thirty members. and the BoHrd OF Alder
men one hundred and four members: twenty-five
local boards each composed OF the local members
OF the Municipal Assembly. one board for each or
the Senate districts of the five boroushs; Board
of Public improvements, embracing six important
departments; a Law Department 10 manage the
city's legal business and n central Board Of Edu-
cation with a branch Board for each OF the 1--WE
boroughs Tho Controller Is tho only important
city officer besides the Mayor. whose once IS
elective
FRANCHISES UNDER THE NEW CHARTER
One OF the most important provisions OF the
charter Is that governing the obtaining OF iran
ch!sos BY corporations. The life or no Uancnlsc
hereafter 70 be granted exceed twenty-five
years Formerly all that was necessary to secure
a franchise was to have II agreed to by tho Board
of Aldermen and signed by the Mayor Now such
an application may be introduced In either pranch
OF the Municipal Assembly. where 1t remains on
the desk for twenty days, within which time
COPY OF It must be sent to the Board of Estimate
ha
uro by a majority OF that Board Is fatal TO II, but
II tho Board accepts 1t the measure may be passed
by a three fourths vote in the branch OF the NUM-
cipal Assembly in which It originated. Ihence IL
goes TO the other house where 1t must also receive
a three-fourths vote after which it is sent to the
Mavor II he disapproves 1t, it can be passed over
bis veto only by hve-sxths vote In both branches
of the Municipal Assembly.
TAMMANY's YEARS or FATNEsS.
The Egyptians of old had seven years OF lean
nes, and then seven years OF fatness. Tanmany
Hail. reckoning from the incoming or Mayor
Strong to tho outgoing Of Mayor Van Wyck' VIII
have experienced both conditions within the span
OF single seven years. The last three years nave
been unden!ably lean for the dwellers IN the
tents Of Tammany but the coming four years Will
be for them a period OF fatness such as has never
before been enjoyed by any political organization
in any city Of the United States. The old city or
New-York surpassed all the other cities IN Valua-
ton Of property. in the amount raised by taxation
and in tho sums spent operating expenses ana
for iroDroveuents To its great totals are now to
be added the an cunts 10 be raised b. tho Borough
Of Brooklyn n city OF 11so,mo Inhabitants ana 10
be expended there: and the revenues and d'sourse-
ments account Of the remaining ooroushs oi
the greater citv The colossal resources OF the
whole city are t2367 6O OF assessed real estate
and s4o4 o0l Os3 Of personal property.
The new charter empowers the administration
which takes control OF the city to-day TO expenu
vast sums for public improvements. the total whch
will be disbursed under Mayor Van Wyck being
estimated at 10000 0co. The salaries OF city OF
fclas COR tho four years will swell this amount 70
s2s 600 COO and this does not include the payments
for State taxes and the expense exclusive OF SAL
aries of administering the city government laA-
alton and bond issues will supply this enormous
sum and Tammany Hall the disbursement OF the
scores OF millions OF dollars, exclusive OF the sal
aries and the enjoyment OF all the other millions
10 be expended in the salaries themselves AND IL
the men of Tammany do not line their pockets ana
swell their bank accounts tremendously. the eighth
wonder OF tho world will have been seen here be-
fore the beginning Of the year 1902
CROKER THE DISPENSER OF MILLIONS
This estimated yearly expenditure of s3s 700 for
salaries and $00OoNpO for public improvements VIII
make Richard Croker the dispenser OF a revenue
larger than that of many a kingdom republic.
and from It may. without approciabls loss. be set
aside a campaign fund. raised by technically le-
gltmate methods. so largo that its founder ma!
by It's aid become potent factor In the Democratic
National councils. The amount 10 be spent yearly
under the direction OF Richard Croker-for MI
Croker ts absolute master Of Tammany Hall, and
Tammany Hall IS for tho next four years 10 be
absolute master OF the citySS30O000, surpasses by
nearly $30O0o,Oo0 the revenue of the Kingdom OF
Portugal for 1S96-s7 The combined budgets OF Nor
way and Sweden for the year were only
about $4s 10000 The revenue Of the Netherlands
n that period was only $55 c0o0oO The revenues of
Bulgaria and Ruman!a together were not much
over $5O000,000 Belgum's revenue In 1885 was tri-
fe less than SIS 100000 with nearly equal expendi-
ture And the to be raised in single year In
New-York will exceed the yearly revenues of three
or four Of the South American republics taken TO-
gether.
RICH ARRAY OF CITY OFFICES.
The list Of offices under the new city government,
with the salary If any. attaching 10 each (est-
mated IN where the charter provides that the
salaries shall be fixed by the heads Of departments
by the Board Of Estimate and Apportionment
is follows
The Mayor. $1,000 year He will appoint the
following heads OF departments:
Chamberlain. at $1,000. who viii in turn ap-
point large number of deputy clerks and assist
A Corporation Counsel. $1,000 with assistant
clerks r apd pos snD9Tdlnaies x cb ,o will
sPp9nt e Chief M Of i;oce at %e9 % nye I've deputy.
$500 and many etettive-sergeants at 5000, 25i
doormen at 81 900 forty surgeons at 5000 6,32 pa
trolmen at from $500 TO sl+0 Superintendent Of
Elections at 5000 his officers, clerks and assist
ants: one Chief OF the Bronx Bureau OF Elections,
s. 800 with clerks officers and assstants Chief
OF the Brooklyn Bureau of Elections at $4,000 one
Chief OF the Richmond Bureau of Elections at
$500. and ono Chief Of the Queens Bureau OF Eec-
tons at $500.
Three Park Commissioners. at $500 who Will
appoint secretary and a landscape architect,
with clerks and employees in each Of the Ave bor
Oughs.
Six Art Commissioners no salary;
One Fire Commissioner. 1880 who will appoint
deputy-chiefs, fire marshals. battalion chiefs and
other officers, with salaries ranging from 5000
downward.
One Commissioner Of Jurors for Manhattan and
the Bronx.
Two Commissioners OF Accounts. 5000
Sealers of Weights and Measures.