New-York tribune., 1899-07-15
"A CRIMINAL CONCEPTION"

When Mayor van Nyck Sald at lhuisuaS =
meeting of the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
tiOnment that the plans for the new Hail OF
Records were conceived in crime. OF course
he did not really mean it, What he meant was
that they were conceived under the Strong ad-
ministration and that the project was advanced
TO such a point before Tammany's return to
power that II has been found impossible 10 undo
the work and begin II all over again under Tam
many auspices and Tammany contractors. That
is the fact which eXasperates the Mayor when
ever he thinks of il. and which on Thursday put
him in the mood to say 4 characteristic and ugly
thing The expression which came hrst to MS
lips was that Tho undertaking was conceived in
crime but any other which would have signihed
his state OF mind as accurately would have an
swered his purpose just as well and been JUST as
far from the truth.
The enterprise on which Tammany looks with
Jealous resentment is one of the most creditable
improvements fostered by the Strong admins
tration There has never been time in the life
of this generation when the Registers office has
not been recognized by all intelligent citizens as
disgrace to New-York. and menace TO inter
ests of incalculable magnitude. II has been Off
cially condemned by Register after Register as
unsafe. nnwholesome and in all respects un-
fitted to the purpose II is compelled to serve. II
has baen made the subject of Grand Jury pre-
sentiments and of innumerable pleas and warn
ings from lawyers and others competent TO estl-
mate the consequences OF its continued use ana
the irreparable loss which its destruction by hre
would cause. More than once efforts to replace
it with suitable building which should he
capable of protecting its contents have tempo
rarily aroused public expectation or practlcal re-
suits: but for one reason or another no actual
progress was made until in the year 1896 an as
ISOLATION was formed and pledged itself to put
the business through If that end could possibly
he achieved by united. energetic and persistent
action. To the great credit of its members and
TO the encouragement of good citizens VINO are
inclined to despair of getting useful things done
quickly in this politics ridden town. they did put
the business through to the extent OF obtaining
the necessary Legislation. procuring a site, ap-
pointinc an architect and having his plans ap-
proved-and all this before Tammany came back
TO reverse the civilized processes of government
which the Strong administration had instituted.
That is the manner in which the project OF n
Hall OF Records fit TO bear the name and per-
form the service was conceived
On the face OF it, the sum estimated by Mr..
Thomas, the architect, as necessary for the in
terror work does appear extrayagant, and even
without accurate knowledge Of details 1t seems
safe 10 say that that part OF the edifice could
have ueen made sufficiently solid and handsome
for n much smaller sum- But this is not the
consideration which makes the Mayor angry,
and merely to cut down the cost is not the meas
IRE OF his desire He wants to get rid OF Mr..
Thomas and bring the work under the control OF
/ r'oy, tbrou "a architects
tractors lie would be delighted II Mr.. Thomas
should retire but We hope that Mr.. Thomas has
no thought Of giving him that satisfaction. The
Mayor has no objection to vast and prodgously
expensive undertakings so long as Tammany
can direct and supervise them. The under
ground roads would have been In process OF con-
struction long ago If the Rapid Transit Commits
sion had been or could have been converted into
II Tammany Commission The Mayor coupled
his audacious denuncatiOn of the Hall of Rec
ords plans on Thursday with n disclosure OF his
ambition and resolve TO have the construction Of
an immense new municipal building. capable Of
housing all the departments. begun before the
| expiration of his term. That was the dream Of
! the last Tammany administration. and the City
Hall Park WAS the site on which the dream was
meant to be realized. An act of the Legisla ture
became necessary 10 preserve the City Hall from
destruction at the hands Of Mayor Gilroy and
| we have little doubt that Mayor Van Wyck Is