The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-03
GOTHAM SMELLS At
AN AMAZING RATE
Mayor Mcclellan Summarizes
Conditions and Needs in His
Annual Message


NEW YORK, jan "A gross funded in-E
debtedness almost half as great as the to-
tai national debt and yearly average
growth and expansion so Immense that ev-
cry effort to keep abreast of it in neces-
sary improvements has failed, is shown
IN the annual message of Mayor George
B. Mcclellan, which was submitted to the
board of aldermen today In all the great
departments the necessity for immediate
extension is shown. In this connection the
mayor says:
The numerous evidences of the city's
amazing development which give so. much
satisfaction to the people at the same time
suggest important plans for the future.
Expenditures in this direction will now I
feel sure. be regarded as judicious and
economical investments when the city Of
4.000,O00 shall haye attained 10 900 in
habitants."
The present system Of water sIpply.
which has capacity of 357 000, 900 gal
Ions per day in the boroughs Of Manhattan
ana the Bronx alone, is inadequate and
plan to expend Immediately $9O,0O0.0O0 in
acquiring water sheds and building
aqueducts and mains is approved Al
tnougn twenty-five new school buildings.
among them some of the largest In the
world, We're completed and thirteen addi-
lions to existing buildings were made dur
ing the year, affording accommodations
thousand children are obliged to attend
part time classes. Contracts have been
let Tor nineteen new school buildings and
twenty-nine additions which will provide
4S'5o0 new sittings at cost OF nearly
so,ooo,ooo but in view Of the average
yearly increase part time classes viii be
In order next year.
More Police Needed
of the police force, which is now made
up OF S,29l officers and men. the mavor
says: t''' -
The police force of the city is an in
Ier1or organization only in point of nun,-
bers The force has not Increased nro-
portionateiy with the population, property
vaiue and the needs of the five boroughs.
II is almost impossible, therefore, to af-
ioru the people at all times the fullest
measure OF police protection to which the
are justly entitled. Any application. there
sole' ro Ior an increase in the city's patrol
Iofce may be regarded as timely and most
reasonable ''--1 io'
Ihefe Is an urgent need also of fhe
extension of the paid fire Departments
system IN spite of the fact that 419 fire.
men were added to the force during the
past year. The rapid transit system plan
Aeo put four years ago is already an ac-
.,on tUnapi.sned .I Iact, says the message, and
the city has been put to new projects To
keep pace with its expansion. New sub
way plans are under consideration. An
increase In the facilities for street light
ing also is imperative
In favoring municipal ownership and
operation of an electric lighting plant to-
iishl tne streets, parks and public build
angs OF New York, the message SAYS:
do not believe that government
should be engaged in any service which
can pc done better or as well by private
enterprise, or should invade the business
neid In competition with the legitimate
trade of the citizen. The prices which tha
city is compelled to pay for gas and elec-s
tricify, however, are so out of proportions
with the charges in other cities that they
must be extortionate"
Says Bipartisan Plan Falls
The message says that the attempt to
administer the business of a great city
through bipartisan board has been
proved signal failure in the city's ex--
perience with a bipartisan police board
and bipartisan aqueduct commission
In his proposal concerning the adoption
OF the plans for an increase in the water
supply, therefore, the mayor will rec
ommend an enactment by the legislature
placing the work in the hands of a COM
mission, one member to be certified by
the Chamber of Commerce, another by
the American Society of Civil Engineers
and the third to be chosen by the mayor.
A statement on the cfty's financial con-
d1tion which was included in the mes
sage shows a gross funded debt of $685.
265,517 In this there's Is sinking fund
Of S157, $3.50, 1862, leaving net funded debt
of $400, ,164. The present borrowing
capacity Of the city Is $S6, ,326,727 The
total national debt Dec. 10 last was ST.
282 5S5. .575