The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-17
Geo. B. Mcclellan, New Works. Mayor,
Talks of That Great City in 1904
Jew Head of Americas Metropolis Makes Com
parsons With London and Chicago What 1t
Costs Run the Municipality. Salary Of the
Mayor of a Christian City Infested With Bood-
lers...A Word About the Presidency...C Chances
for Young Men

sylvania Company is TO dig under the North
and East rivers VIII furnish rapid transit
10 SUBURBS whose capacity is enormous.
Yes. We have room here for fifteen millions,
aid when they come we viii accommodate
them
but MI. Mayor. 1 have recently been in
Chicago. The people there think they are
the real hub of the United States. and say
their city will eventually surpass yours.
cago yet. replied Mr.. Mcclellan. I'VE
think this is the natural gate to the United
States and that 1t will always be so. New
York is already the chief port of the world,
and il is increasing its shipping every
year
But. your Honor" said l, suppose a
ship canal should be built in connection
eIs could go right into Chicago?"
That possibly is far in the future" re-
pose to have a little canal ourselves from
here TO Buffalo. which will largely increase
our business At any rate we are not afraid
of Chicago at this present time. New York
is Uncle Sans chief gateway
your HONOR" / sked.
For an answer to that question" re-
piled the mayor, you have only to open
your eyes. 1t is growing everywhere, both
in the city and in the suburbs. The bor-
ough OF Manhattan is fast becoming one
of steel skyscrapers. Bronx has been cut
up into building blocks and a vast number
of dwellings and flats going up there.
Brooklyn is growing faster than ever and
in short, the whole of Greater New York
has on its seven-league boots. Within the
past two years more than eighty large real
estate companies have been Incorporated.
with total capitalization of more than
SI5OOO,WD, and they are putting up buildings
of all kinds, residences, business blocks.
apartment houses and great hotels The in
crease In the apartment houses is very
great. In 1902 something like siXty-six
were erected, representing a total invest
ment, including the land. of about $780,
OcOOW. 1t is the same as to department
stores and office buildings. Indeed, it is
hard to realize how fast New York is grow
ing.
THE city is being bettered right along
replied the mayor. THE Williamsburg
bridge. which was formally opened in De-
cember is one of the wonders of Greater
New York. 1t is forty feet wider than the
Brooklyn bridge, and with it's approaches
is mile and half in length 1t has cost
about S20.0O0,0OO and ii will soon be car
rying a large part of the traffic between
New York and Brooklyn. And then there
is the new subway system which will soon
there are also the Pennsylvania improve
ments, which are to cost about $4,000. 600.
There are other things. but these are
enough to show that New York is not fall
ing behind"
NINETY-TWO MILLIONS A YEAR.
ut must cost something to run a city
| like this. Mr.. Mcclellan said L.
1T does said the mayor of New York.
1T costs just about s92,OOO,O0O a year, or
| if you take in certain county and State
| items the amount is Sos, GOO a year"
That is an enormous sum-" said |. Does
| New York get the worth of its money!"
II think So replied the mayor. There
| is vast deal of work and it takes small
army to do it,
But where does all the money go?" said
| /. THE salaries must be high. How about
| the mayor? What does he get?"
Fifteen thousand dollars" was the re-
| Does he earn it?' asked
Il think he does replied Mayor McClel-
| Ian. He gets here at o'clock in the
morning and is kept here until O'Clock at
| night, and every hour of his day is a busy
one Yes. l think the mayor earns his
! salary"
IF it wese not a personal question, your
Honor should like to know how the pres
ent mayor likes his job?"
| He likes 1t well, replied the young
mayor of New York. with a smile. "The
| position is a responsible one, and one that
| makes n man feel he is doing something
and makes him hope TO do it we'll"
| But, your Honor, can you really do
| things? Does not politics control? IT is
said that Tammany is the real head of
| New York;
THAT is mistake" replied the young
mayor with emphasis. "Tammany has
nothing to do with this Office. l am the
| mayor of New York.
lis New York Christian city," asked
| What do you mean?' replied the mayor,
| rather surprised.
| II mean that many people who live back
| in the country think this place a sink of
| iniquity-a sort OF a hades with the lid off -
Il believe the people here good as
| they are on the average anywhere in the
| United States" replied Mayor Mcclellan.
| I'VE have more than thousand churches.
| synagogues and cathedrals. Our people
| are church-goers and we observe the Sab
| both better, perhaps, than any other large
| city in the world. Yes, we are a Christian
| city in the broadest sense. We believe in
| things. We don't all believe the same way.
| but we do believe in something and on the
| whole l think we are up TO the average as
regards personal and municipal morality
Speaking of municipal morality. your
| Honor, how about the grafters and bood-