New-York tribune., 1901-03-30
ORANGES IN THE CHARTER
REVISION BILL ADVANCED TO THIRD
READING

MOST OF COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS
ADOPTED BY SENATE COMMITTEE
NEW PROVISIONS,
Albany. March % CspeciaD.-Senator strana-
han as chairman of the Committee Cities in
the Senate, submitted TO that body to-day the
charter revision bill OF the New-York Charter
Revision Commission, which at once or
dered TO a third reading and may be passed
the coming week.
In the main, the recommendations made by
the Charter Revision Commission have been
adopted. The chief feature OF the work done
by the revision commission large addi-
sion 10 the authority of the boroughs OF New
York 10 make needed local improvements. 1t
had been the experience Of the smaller boroughs
since greater New-York was created to have
desired local improvements refused TO them by
the Tammany Hall officials in charge OF the city
government. This is TO be changed by the char
ter amendments.
II is said that Governor Odell has been con-
suited about most of the changes made in the
Charter Revision bill and fully approves Of
them. It is not probable. therefore. that the
hill will meet with many obstacles from Repub-
licans in its passage through the legislature.
Democratic members of the legislature from
Neyv-York however expressed considerable hos
.nitv 10 the BILL and were predicting that Mayor
Van Wyck would veto the measure. One feat
ure OF the bill which meets with the disfavor Of
Tan1raany Hall and Kings County Democrats Is
she following amendment to the sections OF the
revision IN relation to the Police Department:
II shall be the duty Of each patrolman and
roundsman Of police 10 perform not to exceed
eigbt hours Of continuous reserve duty or special
duty in each calendar day in which he is on
dutv and 10 perform not to exceed eight hours
Of continuous reserve duty every third day eE-
cept in time Of strikes. riots or other energen-
nav hold or detail any member of the police
force as he may deem necessary.
MAY CHANGE POLICE SYSTEM.
That amendment to the charter Il is suspected,
nav REQUIRE the heads of the Police Department
10 create a three platoon system; a system, IL
was stated here to-day. which would render
necessary the addition Of three thousand men
70 the present police force, and would increase
the expenses Of the Police Department by
100000 Whether the three platoon system
IS concea1ea in this eight hour amendment is not
positive nown. however, and it may not pos
sibly lead 10 such a large increase of the police
force At least, such a provision was not in
sarfad in the bin by the Charter Revision Com
mission. II is the work Of the Senate Commit
tee on cities.
The charter revision makes the term Of the
Nsvor and Of the Controller 10 be elected in
November next two years. The Mayor is au-
thorized through his term 10 remove the head OF
any department, except a member OF the De
partment of Education Aqueduct Com
missioner. Thus vast amount Of additional
power is granted TO the Mayor of the city.
Plainly under such provision he will be directly
responsible for the good or bad administration
of every one Of the city departments.
The act passed by the legislature abolishing
the four-headed Police Department and pro-
viding in its place single-headed department
was incorporated in the charter revision. The
Mayor Is 10 appoint the head OF the Police De-
partment and this head is 10 be removable
either by the Governor or the Mayor. The act
says
The Police Commissioner may be removed
from Office by the Governor of the State when
ever in his judgment the public interest shall
so require.
The charter as revised says that a deputy
police commissioner shall not make any ap-
pointments transfers when acting as Chief
Commissioner. Neither the Police Commission
er nor his deputies are 10 share in the pension
fund.
RULES FOR PAY OF EMPLOYEES.
One highly important provision of the char
ter says that 'the salaries of all officers whose
Offices may be created by the Board Of Alder
men shall be prescribed by resolution" There
are expressly exempted from this authority of
the Board OF Aldermen day laborers and
teachers, examiners and members of the super
vising staff OF the Department OF Education"
The charter abolishes the present obstructive
Municipal Council. and substitutes Board OF
Aldermen of seventy-three members. To each
Assembly district in the boroughs OF the city IS
granted an alderman except that each ward Of
the borough OF Queens is made an aldermanic
district. The Eighth Thirtieth and Thirty-firsi
wards OF the borough OF Brooklyn are also made
aldermanic districts. and also that portion OF
the XXXIVth Assembly District in the borough
Of Manhattan, Castleton. Staten Island is
made separate aldermanic district. The towns
OF Middletown and Southfeld are made one al
dermanic district, and Northfeld and westfield
are made another. Staten Island has three al.
dermanic districts in all. Four districts which
viii elect aldermen are provided in Morrisania
First, that portion OF the XXXIVth Assembly
District in the borough Of The Bronx; second
that portion OF the city lying between Tho
XXXIVth Assembly District and the boundary
lire between the Twenty-third and Twenty
fourth wards. extending from the Harlem Rivel
20 the Bronx; third, that portion Of the terri
tory OF the city lying between the same ward
boundary line and Fordham Road Jerome-ave.
hundred and-eighty-second-st., kingsbridg'
Road and Pelham-aVe.. and that portion lyint
between Fordham Road, Jerome-ave, One-hun
dred-and nd-eighty-second-st, Kingsbr1dge RoaS
and Pelham, and the northerly line OF the city