New-York tribune., 1901-01-04
THE COST OF TAMMANY.
INCREASE OF AT LEAST so PER CENT
SINCE WIGWAM RETURNED
TO POWER
A STARTLING ARRAY OF FIGURES COM
PILED BY THE EVENING POST
BASED ON REPORTS OF
EXPERTS.

A long compilation Of figures, designed 10
show the increases in the cost OF the municipal
government in recent years, was published yes
terday in THE Evening POST with the state
ment that it was based upon a full investiga-
ticn of departmental expenditures both before
and after consolidation 1t is declared that "in
the three years since Tammany returned 10
power the cost of municipal government has in
creased at least so per cent and that this
enormous increase is due chiefly to extravaganza
of Tammany officials. but partly to expenditures
forced upon the city by Republican machine
legislation at Albany.
1t is stated that the estimates given are based
upon reports of experts employed by Controller
Coler to examine the books of the corporations
forming the present city and upon appropria-
tions named In the budgets as affected in nu-
merous items by transfers between departments.
These estimates show increases amounting 70
.524 S3 in five of the departments of the
municipal government since consolidation, as
follows: In the schools. S12. .629 81: in the
Police Department. s6.742 ,3e9 is: in the Fire
Department, 50, ,39S 051 26; in the Health De-
partment S796.972 %; in the Building Depart
nient, S515.60 6f.
The disclosures, it is said. point to three gen.
eral conclusions:
First-That the actual cost of government has
increased at least 30 per since consolidation
This estimate Is based on actual outlay Oy uee
per cent of budget allowances for 1888. 1888 ana
19oN excluding disbursements for the city Gept,
bond redemptions and county expenditures ttlesc
departments show nearly IS per cent increase over
the Strong administration, the old city in both
instances furnishing the basis for comparison
of suspected corruption is believed that
80 per cent net increase for all departments is an
has yet another twelve months to serve, with
budget appropriations S4,5sO,3a in excess OF any
SecoHd-That considerable part of the increase
in departments showing the most striking gains
has resulted from mandatory legislation. and Is
therefore not directly attributable 10 the van
Wyck administration But the disclosures Indicate
plainly that most of the departments have been
run for revenue only with little regard tor tAe
public good.
Tn:rd-The investigation confirms all that the
Controller has said respecting unbuSinesslike meth
DDS of reporting expenditures and shows the neces-
sity tor tie immediate adoption OF some coulpre-
hensive system for classifying departmental ac-
the Board OF Estimate and ApportiCnment has no
way OF judging the real needs OF a department
and votes away millions Of the city's money with
less scrutiny than most business men would give
to Sl,Ot0 expenditure.
EXPENSES OF THE FIVE DEPARTMENTS,
The total expenses of the five departments in
which estimates of the increases since consoiida-
years. 20 permit comparisons between the Strong
administration and the administrations which
preceded and followed it. The Gilroy admins
tratOn the period 1S92-9i. inclusive.
Mayor Strong's administration lasted from the
beginning of 1898 to the end of 1897. The period
1S9S-l90O. inclusive, embraces the greater part
OF the present Van Wyck administration. The
total expenses Of the five departments In each
period. both in the former city of New-YorlS and
in the greater city. are the following: