New-York tribune., 1901-12-15
COMING OPINION WILL LEAVE LITTLE
TO BOROUGH PRESIDENTS.
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF ABOLISHED DE-
PARTMENTS. Mr.. CONNOLLY WILL
HOLD MUST BE RETAINED
UNDER NEW SYSTEM
TAMMANY EMPLOYEES WHO EXPECT TO BE
RETAINED.
Total In round numbers

Assistant Corporation Counsel Theodore Con-
molly. who. it is assumed. will be retained by
George L. Rfves, who succeeds John Whaien as
the head Of the Law Department. WILL about
the middle of this week give an opinion the
status of about thirty-five hundred city
ployes. If reports circulating in the Law De-
partment true, it will practically retain in
the employ of the city thirty-ive hundred en-
ployes in the departments of Highways
Sewers, Public Buildings. Lighting ard Supplies
and Buildings and Board of Public Improve
ments. These departments under the new
! charter abolished the work which they have
performed being turned over to the jurisdiction
of the borough presidents. There is nothing
specific in the charter providing for the re-
tenton by the city of the employees of the abol-
ished departments.
Borough Presidents Cantor Swanstrom and
Cromwell have been counting dispensing a
large amount of patronage in organizing their
new borough boards to take the place of the old
departments President Cromwell day before
yesterday, with the knowledge, it is understood
of Mr.. Rives. sent Mr.. Connolly note asking if
he (CromwelD was at liberty to go ahead and
make appointments under the charter. 1t
seems that MIR. Connoly had anticipated this
action by Mr.. Cromwell to extent, and
had pretty thoroughly investigated the State
constitution, city charter and Civil Service
Negotiations which bear the case.
1t learned yesterday by a Tribune re-
porter that Mr.. Connolys "unofficial' opinion
based on his examination as far as ne has
ried 1t. is that all the I'D employees where pro-
tected by Civil Service regulations, most of
them are. must perforce be continued in the
employ of the city under the new borough
/ boards
II Mr.. ConnoIy's opinion is shared by Mr..
Rives after he assumes office, it will mean that
the borough presidents virtually shorn of
patronage. and that instead of organizing their
building, highway, sewer and other boards with
blood, they will be compelled TO take over
about all the Tammany men now in oTflce.
Under a general provision of the revised charter
the Board of Estimate is called upon to trans
fer the employees of the departments which are
to be oboliSiled to corresponding positions IN
the consolidated offices which are controlled by
the borough presidents. But TINS IS only gen
eral, and in the shifting ii was expected that
the borough presidents would have fairly fTee
rein in making appointments in the new de-
partments 1t was expected that this would
be the case because the charter speeiTlcahy
s.{ys tor instance. that the superintend<nts OF
buildings within the limits of his appropria-
ton, shall have power to appoint. and at pleas
tira remove subordinate officers follows:
Such chief inspectors of buildings and such in
speCtors of buildings, engineers. clerks. mes
sengers. assistants and other suborainates as as
! in his judgment may be necessary and proper 10
| carry out and enforce such rules and resula-
| tions and ordinances and the provisions OF said
| laws and of this chapter within the borough
under his jurisdiction
n is said that Mr. ConnoIy's opinion will hold
| that an inspector on certain riece of work
| under construction must. under the intent or
| the law. De retained As with inspectors, so
| with engineers and other subordinates all the
way down the line. tn,
| Mr. (,onnoy's opinion is being awaited with
| interest by the borough presidents-eiect ana ny
| hundreds Of Tammany men now on the city
N