New-York tribune., 1902-12-28
THE BRONX SUMMARY.
President Hqfen Tells What Has
Reen accomplished There.

-,uel summary of the important opera
=. ss of the various departments under his 1uris-
.'-,,on for the year just drawing TO close gives
oorne data ss to the large amount of public i'm
o,,en4s which the home rule features OF the
- c,a-ter enable the Borough Presidents 10 put
- -srfical operation President Haffen's status
,,rs refer to such work Ss the regulating grazing
- -,az-ing of streets and avenues, the cohstruc-
-. - sewers the laying out OF street lines ario
49, acquisition Of land for public purposes
~ the first six months of this year there was
- ac.sou upon the public Improvements calendar
- +pe BOARD of Estimate and Apportonment In
. r,e,ce of the accumulation of other business.
1,.o S,lav reduces the amount of assessabe I'M
,er,ents authorized but that the new
.s+era is in proper working order next year
s,,,.s will surpass those of this yea
,-o.v-i;bsta tanding, however, President Hahen mas
.,rad from the Board of Estimate authorizations
coregating total CT nearly s4oo0,oo0 and resolu-
-5o1s for other important improvements recon-
n6ad by the various local boards under his con-
.oI are now PENDING which will make the total
.s,-o,ed cost Of the operations for the first year
Cor assessable work alone. in the neighborhood OF
e .Ursa II the same ratio is maintained in the
coming year il will show record of nearly double
that amount
The following summary, showing the contracts
ectualIy let the work being under way illus
+-ates the celerity with which public Improvements
ere hegun and executed under the amended char
ter:
Regulating grading. etc. fOrty-three con- .so ..
tracts estimated cost. -sl.SS-' ooS %
Regulating grading and laying macadam. ,,,.., ~
paHips n.h asphalt twenJy-six contracts. esti-
parias f1sa granite fourteen contracts estimated
consfTGtSn cost Ss sewers 25sss2 81
piL11s estliaseU basins two contracts "a total Of
tpenty-three basins in both contracts Is ,-s IN
nnated cost--- 7'<4o W
Total 81. esl. .z75 Il
Among the more important achievements Of the
first year of President Haffens present administra-
ton were .he following not included in the assessa-
bic list Of improvements:
Appropriation for the Grand Boulevard and
oneeurse; amount authorized by the bOaro 81 o5e ooo
ror % he nonstruction Of a new courthouse a
h1ndr nd-sixty-frst-s and Third oo .oo
For b,;i;5inr Tremons-nve brdee......-..... 1900
For Suiidisg hundred-and-thirty-t -thira-st.
rr T.escbesteT1are bridge: AMOUNT allowed. 10000
For -hundred-and-e eighty-ninth-st bridge; ooo,
For purchase Of site for & new public sn, bath 1900
amount allowed l<'Voo
Work on the long delayed Boulevard and Con-
course is being rapidly pushed. and this beau
tiful driveway, destined to be connecting link
between the park system of The Bronx and Man
haitian, will be entirely finished within the next
three years. A site for the public bath has been
obtained at One-hundred-a -ifty-sxth-st. and Ell
ton-ave. The construction of the courthouse
Will begin soon the plans accepted. and
the chief engineer of the borough is getting ready
10 equip the borough with modern signs.
Within the last few weeks positive assurances
have been given to President Haffen, by both
Mayor Low and the Rapid Transit Com % ssioners,
that among the first Improvements to be authorized
in the year will be the East Side route Of the
subway The Bronx, and also the Jerome ave.
extension. These will all connect with a great
union station which the New-York Central pro-
poses to build in The Bronx in the nelghborhood Of
One-hundred-and-forty-ni Efforts are also
being made by the borough authorities TO induce
the new mana cement of the elevated railroad to
its branches. and to utilize some of its old
franchises for building routes and extensions on
the eastern side of the borough When all these
rapid transit facilities given President Haffen
predicts an unprecedented of growth for the
upper section of the CITY,
The rerort OF Martin Geiszier. Superintendent
NJ T3tehTavs shows z75 oo0 square feet of re-
usviug and 81 square feet of sidewalks repaired
fne oTfler bureaus show similar gratifying results,
which are taken by the advocates of the borough
svsterl of government evidence of its su-
rsriorfty over the old charter, so far the push
ing of public improvements is concerned.