Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-26
SUGGESTS PLANS FOR
GREATER LOS ANGELES
Oscar Mueller of Chamber of Commerce Committee
Gives Personal Views of Method of Con-
soldation of County and City

criticism such as Mr.. witte made re-
garding Greater New YorlS--that IL was
"a cleaning house Of undigested ma
tlonalitiesY
What necessary legislation must we
seek?"
1T will be impossible to say what
legislation will be necessary until the
plan of consolidation is settled.
IT understand that city Attorney
Mathews and his assistant, Mr..
Goudge, believe that the borough sys-
tenn OF Greater New York could be
adapted with some notifications
AT the time of the adoption Of this
system In New York there was added
to the old city Brooklyn and numerous
towns and villages, making a city con-
tanning 326 square miles of territory.
Greater New York consists of five
municipal subdivisions This consollda-
ton was brought about by a vote of
the people taken in 1896. the consolida-
ton to go into effect January 1, 1898.
Outlines Borough System
an Greater New York there are the
following administrative departments:
Finance, law. police, water supply, gas,
electricity, street cleaning, bridges,
parks, public charities, correction, fire,
docks and ferries, taxation and assess
house.
Each borough has it's president.
There is also a board of estimate and
apportionment. The mayor, comptrol-
Ter, president OF the board of aldermen
and the presidents of the five boroughs
constitute this board. The mayor,
comptroller and president of the board
cast three votes, the presidents of the
boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan
cast two votes the presidents of the
boroughs of Bronx, Queens and Rich
mond cast one vote. They receive the
estimates Of the several boroughs, the
heads of the departments, etc. The
borough president may appoint and
remove at pleasure a commissioner of
public works for his borough"
New York Changes System
Were not changes made in this
scheme later?"
According to the author of the an
notated charter many changes were
made by the New York Legislature of
1901. Powers and duties of many of
the departments were revised and
changed. The municipal assembly al
the time of the formation of Greater
New York consisted of two houses.
This was abolished and a board of
aldermen substituted. The term of Of
flee of the mayor was shortened and
his powers and duties enlarged. The
public improvement board was abol-
ished and the duties of this board were
transacted by the borough presidents
and the commissioner of water supply,
gas and electricity. The borough pres
idents and local boards had their pow
ers greatly increased. and the local
improvements i'm each improvement
district were placed within the control
OF the local board
Majority Favors Proposition
But will not some opposition de-
velop to this enlargement? We cannot
expect it to be unanimous, can we?"
"Of course some opposition will ap-
pear i have discussed the matter with
those interested in large corporations
with merchants and citizens generally;
also with the leaders in the political
parties, and have yet to hear a dis
senting voice.
The plan will not receive any aid
from citizens who are always con-
tented with present condition of af
fairs. I refer to the class who prefer
In all matters to perish by precedent
rather than be saved by Innovation
who see nothing good in a plan unless
they will personally be benefited in
dollars and cents. Citizens may differ
regarding the amount of territory to
be taken in. the form of government
and many other questions, but the gen
eral scheme of some sort of city and
county consolidation will, in my opin-
ion, meet the hearty approval of very
large majority of citizens of Los An
geles and the immediate surrounding
towns"