New-York tribune., 1902-05-25
GOSSIP OF THE BOROUGH.

George A Logan. secretary to Park Commits
sioner Young speaking the other day or the ihneN-
ible system in the Finance Department, told of an
experience which he had with red tape IN the
carly mart of the present administration. 1t seems
that bout the middle of January a stray bill FOR
the use OF a temporary light came IN from the
Edison Electric Light Company. The entire bill
was for only I3 cents, covering a period OF seven
davs after January l and the last six days in De
cenber IL seemed a trivial enough affair. and was
so far as the money involved was concerned but
a few days after the bill had been certified ana
forwarded 10 the Controllers office Mr. Logan dis
covered that the Finance Department considered 1t
IN a far different light. There six cents worth
of electricity used in the administration OF fark
Commissioner Brewer which had been included IN
the bill with the seven cents worth used by COM
missioner Young To the ordinary mortal II would
seem an easy affair. and not altogether heinous
crime TO allow the six cents to be paid from COM
missioner Young.s appropriation But the experts
wav and promptly sent the bill back to Mr. Logan.
There were several letters sent back ana torth III
sonai vsit 10 the Controllers office Then he was
SnmmiSsoner u Brewer must be charged up against
appropriation. and could not propery De taSTd i
Mr. Logan protest that 1t would be wasting money
dmaS to maHe IT He was told that it was question Of
principle that the Finance Department. nag 70 uedl
cepton Mere made of six cents the department
might be asked to do the same IheS as Sb dH b
was sent back the Edison company and two sep
certified and after being passed by the Finance
Department. paid. So some thirty cents IN
postage and many dollars IN time We're MdSleI I
in the payment of six cent bill al 10 tne ehd h
that the system of the Controllers office might De
kept intact.
Much comment has been made in the last few
davs over three words which have been cut out in
large old English letters from the greensward in
front of the statue of Henry Ward Beecher in the
Borough Hall Park. Fidelity. Law, Liberty" are
the words which have set the thousands who pass
every day to guessing Inquiry at the Park De
partment brought the Information that the
words were used by Beecher in his address the
the turf was out, and the motto will be
outlined in green and red foliage. Last year in
the place Park Commissioner Brewer had the
floral motto Elm Draght. Mackt Maght the
motto the old seal of the city of Brooklyn. AL
though the words had been used for years and
years, majority of those who saw them were un-
able to give their meaning.
Friends of Deputy Police Commissioner Ebstein
are having considerable fun at his expense over the
following error which appears in the current num-
Der of the New-YOrk and New-Jersey Telephone
Company's directory under the heading of Depart
ment OF Police:
Prospect +4S-Res. of II. f. AbelI 4s4 Fourth
Bedford 2a6-Res of Fred'k H. Ebstein I244 Pa
cific'
Now, the question is What position does Mr.
Abel hold in the Police Department at present?
Evidently whatever II is. he takes precedence over
MI MT: EnSein; iSr ms name appears nrst In the
Henry F. Abel member of the quadruple
Pocet board supposedly a representative OF the
~ nn,o party Al that time he considerable
OF PoNer IN the department. bur he has not been
HedIu LLoui since ne legislated ont of office
more mar a year ago. His name did appear pub !
h'iS' "o~e'ef' few days ago in connection with