The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-29

toriously corrupt and inefficient IN the matter
| OF detecting and preventing crime That Of the
metropolis IL undergoing an investigation under
| the searchlight Of public sentiment, aroused by
the insulting OF clergyman Of the Episcopal
| church by several officers. The revelations al.
| ready made, In many instances, which show
| the completely Of the force with the criminal
and vicious element, are almost beyond belief.
| Chicago Is not much better, and Of late the
| criminal members Of the force have taken an
active hand In public robbery, two OF them
having received their discharge for that offense.
That the force Is eHcminatey weak is evidenced
by the nightly hold.ups Of citizens by the crimi-
nal classes The high handed rule OF the police
force OF Philadelphia was forcihly demonstrated
few months ago by an effort on the part of
the director of public safety who is the virtual
mead OF the department, to backmail one OF the
first citizens of the town. The fact that the Off.
oial was not Immediately removed by the chief
executive is positive evidence Of the completely
OF the administration.
The New York force numbers 1887 men A
total OF 13S.sT5 arrests were made In 1900. over
4i.OoO being for drunkenness. This record is not
| 80 astonishing when the fact that there more
than 600 licensed retail liquor saloons in opera
tion In taken into consideration. Chicago has 30s5
policemen, who made 71.0ii arrests in 1899. II
| has the evil influence Of over 5000 saloons to
combat. Philadclphia's 1872 policemen made
o-'i'o aI'estS tne SanC year. t mas l,iUU sA-
| looms. The comparatively small number Of
looms in this city due to the working of the
high license law Of PENNSYLVANIA.
The fire departments of these cities rebound
to their glory. for there is less corruption and
less opportunity for IL than in the police de-
parthcnt. These three cities have 2,i0i 1,100
and 76i men in their respective departments.
The departments Of Chicago and Philadelphia are
'nanifestly less adequately equipped, with both
linn Nnty Nprk nj rit,yh
the rate per capita loss would not to ndi-
cate that. The fact that the loss is less is
more to the credit OF the chiefs OF the respective
departments than to the city administration, and
does not alter the fact that here should be
largely increased force Of men employed and
greater supply DIN modern apparatus. The New
York department has been undergoing changes
during the last three years which have worked
to its harm because they have been OF politi-
cal character. Immediately upon the resignation
OF Chief Bonner. three years ago. the force began
to detcriorate. owing to the corrupt influences OF
Tammany Hall.
The parks Of New York. in area. nearly equal
those OF Chicago and Philadelphia. although
those cities have large park systems: but the
valuation OF the New York parks exceeds the
combined value Of the others by more than
three times.
As a municipality, Now York has very little
money invested in public libraries its property
in this field being valued at only s3oo000, as
contrasted with s2, ,208 in Chicago. But
when hospitals are compared, the balances swing
In favor Of New York again. its hospital prop
critics being valued at more tlan SIC, 500, 900
while Chicago's does not reach $15OcO0 ard
Philadelphia's amounts to only $i65,0O0 New
York runs bath houses valued at $2S0,0O0, while
those Of Chicago and Philadelphia are worth but
$3s,Ooo and SsE,OO0 respectively.
All three cities own water works systems, that
OF New York being valued at Sis, 5,j26,74s Chi
cago, $32,46762l, and Philadelphia, s2,37O,O00,
which is to be increased by $4,000. 900 soon to
be expended for complete filtration plant and
the three which owns an electric lighting plant.
and 1t was forced by a chain of circumstances
over which it had control to construct that.
1t is valued at nearly 50, ,OOC,OOO.
Luckily for these great cities there are potent
influences for good besides those Of the churcnes
not the least Of which ia that excrted by the pub
lie school system. Here is where New York leads
again, as the total valuation Of its land, build
ings apparatus, etc, devoted to the of the
public school amounts to $47,OOOOOO. Chicago
has 500, 900, and Philadelphia, $S,OOO,OOO III
vested in public school property. This includes
q high schools and 462 other schools in New
York. in which nearly II, 900 teachers are en-
ployed; 90 high schools and 355 other schools,
employing about 6O0O teachers, in Chicago;
high schools and 517 other schools. with over
1000 teachers, in Philadelphia. These schools
maintained in New York at an expense of
about $+0OO,0OO annually; in Chicago, nearly
S1.0O0,OOo, and in Philadelphia, close to
S7O0,OO0.