The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-23
Brooklyn Borough improvements.

Some Of the Brooklyn representatives In
the Municipal Assembly have been sub
iected to what seems to be unwarranted
censure because Of their stand in holding
up" ordinances for improvements, to cost
So, 600. 900. Commissioner OF Highways
HEATING has proposed the issue OF bonds to
the amount OF 81, 900, 900 for pavements.
and his reluctance, unwillingness or inabil-
ity, when called upon to do 80. to furnish a
statement In detail of the streets and sections
TO be benefited by such expenditure OF pub
lie money, is the cause OF the refusal OF the
Kings county minority to assent to the
authorization requested, They arc not
without reason in their course.
Through the financial restrictions i'm
posed by the debt limit, many imperative
local improvements in Brooklyn were put
of, awaiting consolidation. The delay In
undertaking them was borne under the as
surance that after consolidation Brooklyn
would not be Disseminated against. The
report of the Commissioner OF Highways
shows that during the year 1898 the sum
Of 81 ,922, 900 was expended in paving and
repaving in the borough OF Manhattan,
whereas in tho borough Of Brooklyn, which
needs new, more and better pavements de-
cidedly, the sum expended was only $780,
900. though territorially the borough OF
Brooklyn is three times larger than is the
borough OF Manhattan, and OF its $40 miles
Of paved streets Brooklyn has $40 Of prin-
tive cobblestones. In twenty-five Of the
thirty-four wards of Brooklyn, too, there
are nearly 0 miles OF streets wholly un-
paved in the settled section OF the town.
The charter provision requiring the as
sent OF t~hree-quarters OF the members Of
the Municipal Assembly in matters OF pub
lie expenditure had for its object the pres
e~rvation OF the rights OF the minority bor-
oughs. II, counting o n the provisions OF the
charter. the Brooklyn members are deter
mined to enforce more equitable treatment
of their own constituencies by Withholding
their votes, they cannot be accused OF being
u%nfaithful representatives. The successful
operation OF the New York charter Is
based pon an equitable administration
toward each Of the boroughs. Ii plan
adopted by the Commissioner OF Highways,
who, unlike some of his predecessors In
the same public work, is not n civil engi-
neer, and who was at the time OF his ap-
DOllllllNhL II any NAp'ht hho'iONSS
on the subject OF paving, Is a practical de-
NAL of the authority OF the Municipal AS
sembly, a representative body, elected from
the various localities, whose members are,
presumably, acquainted with the require
ments Of their several constituencies. To
refuse to surrender all discretion and au-
thority in expenditure to a Commissioner
not qualified by his training or his political
extraction to discharge it in%telligently or
impartially does not seem unwise.
Brooklyn Is increasing very rapidly in
wealth and influence. Its material as well
as political relations to New York demand
closer and better communication. The ex-
tension OF the several transit systems,
steam, electric, bridge and trolley, assures
an improvement in the future, but the con
dition OF the Brooklyn %pavements is an OBJ
stacle to the borough's growth and its
| representatives are justified in demanding
for their constituents what no fair-minded
| administration should wish to withhold.