New-York tribune., 1902-06-23
STRIKING RECORD OF REFORM.
THE LOW ADMINISTRATION GIVES THE TAXPAYER DOL
LARS WORTH FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT


favorable terms for the cftv and for the short
est possible life of every franchise granted
The city will receive in twenty-five years 1or
the PENNSYLVANIA tunnel franchise about $500
OOO and it is understood that the New-1ork
Central for its new franchise Will have TO pay
on substantially the same basis
There has been established an open compet-
ton for asphalt paving by which the city gets
one-third more paving for the same amount OF
rnoney-equivalent saving Of nearly slow
600 on contracts for the current year. Mr.
Grout has installed the system Of purchasing
a private sale sites for schools Carnegie libra
ries. bathing houses, and so forth. thus avoiding
expensive condemnation proceedings. which be-
came scandaIous under the Van Wyck admin
istratiOn. The Controller has arranged the pay
rnent OF salaries TO school teachers, janitors.
policemen and employees Of the city departments
on a busnessIike basis. and persons doing bust
ness with the city are now saved from the
necessity of appearing personally at the Con-
trolIer's office and asking for their individual
checks In all Of the important improvements
that Mr. Grout has brought about he has had
the cordial support and cooperation Of the
Mayor who. in many instances, has furnished
vaIua BILE suggestions.
PRESIDENT CANTOR'S WORK--Borough
President Cantor had from the very outset a
Iahorfous task in organizing his departments.
and is OuIE now larry DcSliAlliS " SIC OdS
light" The charter added to and took from the
departments formerly under the borough presi-
dents jurisdiction Systematizing the work in
these departments has been enough to keep all
Of the subordinates busy without installing new
methods and standards for asphalt work, for
repairs TO public buildings and for general con-
tract letting One of the first things that Mr.
Cantor and his secretary. George W. Blake.
undertook to do, was TO equip the borough with
new street lights of artistic design These
are not in place yet. but the appropriation has
been secured and the advertising for bids will
begin this week. on account OF the hammering
administered TO the asphalt combine" by Presi-
dent Cantor and Controller Grout the price Of
citv having was reduced from anywhere around
81 So and S6 square yard to about 90 per
cent of those prices. depending on the character
of the work y fair estimate makes the saving
TO the city nearly S1O0oOrO year. The Bor-
ough President is planning to repave the upper
part Of Seventh-ave.. and is now advertising
contracts for repair work all over the city. Mr.
Cantor's appointments to the local school boards
were of a character 10 stimulate interest in the
rnanagement of the schools by the parents Of the
children
.THE CITY RECORD-"-One of the earliest
tasks TO which the Mayor. Controller and Cor
poration Counsel Riyes bent their energies was
straightening out the disgraceful condition OF
affairs prevailing in the old City Record Of
fee Week after week these officials ploughed
through the records Of this bureau, which han
dies all the printing and advertising for the
citv As a result OF plain business principles
bafne app1ied to the conduct OF this department
under Supervisor Philip COwen a saving Of
nearly S25OOOO has been effected for the cur
rent year The City Record last year ex-
pended $13S 227 22, the cost for salaries. etc.
being S1699f Is. OF this SJ33,69O. in round
figures. was for printing. blank books and sta
tionery and $1SI,6oo for The City Record
All that Supervisor Cowen asked lor this year
was $40 500. of which S4i1OOO IS for printing
etc. ard S12oO0O for The City Record" show
ing a saving Of nearly 100000. and based on
the experience OF the last five months there is
the likelihood of reaching the $4,000 mark
The cost of producing The City Record"
aggregating 4126 pages for the five months
ended May u. 5000. as against S9S'SOO