New-York tribune., 1901-01-16
MAYOR VAN WYCKS MESSAGE
HIS LAST ANNUAL. RECONrAIENDATI
TO THE MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY.

The fourth and last annual message of Robert
A Van Wyck as Mayor of New-York. to the Mu-
nicipal Assembly, delivered yesterday in the
customary pamphlet form. The politicians about
the City Hall who scanned its pages said ii was
fairly good Tammany campaign document con-
sidertng the dryness of its details. The message
deals chiefly with the city's financial condition
1t begins with detailed statement of the bonded
Indebtedness of the city January I, 1901. which
is taken from the books of the Finance Depart
ment This shows that the net funded debt out
standing January 19O0 s252 2676, OBS Al. and
the debt outstanding January l, 1901, was s27s-
725,570 IS. showing increase of 4os34 81 during
the last The Mayor says that in spite Of the
increased debt the amount of the bonds which ap-
peared on January l. 1900 to be outstanding. but
not recorded not approved as to legality, has
been reduced in the of 81 440s17 SO. that the
actual increase has been So COS. AT S. Then fol-
lows long statement of the amount of and neces-
sty for bonds issued during the last year.
Revenue bends to the amount Of s39 1884 p for i'm
provements have been issued. The Mayor says sS2,-
100000 of the revenue bonds consisted of corporate
stock of the city. and s20CGoOO0 issued for
the purpose of quidating liabilities incurred by the
city of New-York prior to consolidation. He says
later:
1t will thus be that about two-thirds of the
been for the purpose of iiquidating old indebted
ness. The remainder has been applied to public
The policy Of economy in the use Of the city's
credit outlined in my to your
served. 1t is not a snowy policy nor grateful one
for any administration, but the necessity for 1t
has been imperative during the last three years,
owing to the orgy of financial extravaganza which
INDUCED in prior to consolidation. This process
of liquidation, though still incomplete. has so far
progressed that ii is certain that at the end Of
this year If the exceptional liability the rapid
transit contract be excluded it should be, from
consideration, the Indebtedness of this city out
side of its funded debt will be reduced to a mini
mum, and a most satisfactory comparison can be
made with the staggering burden of debt of this
character assumed on the date of consolidation.
The Mayor goes on to show the increases in the
various city departments and he explains why such
increases We're necessary, and in few ases why
decreases were allowed
In speaking of the work the rapid transit tun-
mel the Mayor says that it is steadily progress
ing, and started in various parts of the city
at He adds. by way of finale to that
part of his message. the inferred hope that some
plans will be decided on whereby rapid
transit be extended to Brooklyn from Man
haitian and The Bronx
Referring to the Board of Aldermen, Mayor Van
Wyck casually mentions the fact that last year in
his message he urged that body to hasten action
approving bond issues. He then adds long list
of bond issues which have remained unacted upon.
and also appends list Of various bond issues for
improvements that held up in committees. The
remaining paragraphs of the message confined
to the Municipal Assembly. and take these bodies
10 task for being so diatory in their work The
last paragraph speaks of the charter allow
ing three-fourths vote for authorizing public
works and says
This means twenty-five affirmative votes in the
Council and forty-fve I'm the Board OF Aldermen.
This provision permits obstructive minority Of
small size to hold up ordinances for bridges, public
buildings and public improvements generally.