Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-11

service commission has submitted two big
schemes for the extension of the subway
system to the board of estimates to be
carried out by the municipality, but there
are no funds In the meantime. the pres
ent transportation facilities are insui-
fcent in every direction and the tralnc
is growing at the rate OF 10 per cent
year.
The commission will probably recon-
mend that franchises be granted to prl-
vate corporations to extend the SuoWaSs
with annual percentage CT earnings
paid to the city. and the latter to nave
the privilege of purchasing the plant
after a term of twenty-five years. Inc
| work of construction and equipment must
be done under the supervision OF oilicid,
| inspectors, and the issue of stocks anu
bonds to be limited to the actual cost or
| the road Perhaps such a proposition VIII
go through, but the people CT New YORK
are very shy about private franchises
| last year during the investigation of the
public service commission into the imam
cial history and condition of existing
roads are still too fresh in the minds OF
the public.
Will Hold Taxpayers Congress.
A new and important civic movement
has been recently inaugurated in New
York for creating taxpayers con-
gress'' to look after the interests of prop
erty owners. 1t was proposed and mas
been worked up by the Realty League, an
| organization which includes the Astor
family, the Goelets, the Rhinelanders, the
| vestry Of Trinity. Church. the trustees of
| the Dutch Reformed Church and the
| Sailors Snug Harbor, the directors of the
big insurance companies and other cor
| porations which hold valuable blocks OF
| real estate.
| The congress is to assemble next sum-
mer to consider municipal affairs, and is
| to be composed of delegates from differ
| ent sections of Greater New York appor-
toned according to real estate valuations
| for assessment The city has been divided
| into small districts. and each is to have
| it's local organization of taxpayers. in
| order to get complete, impartial repre-
| sentation of the property owners in every
| section. Each local organization Will be
| entitled to one delegate for every POO
| owners, and for every $40.GG9.0OO of as
sessed value Other influential associa-
| lions will also be represented through
delegates.
The promoters have already mapped out
| a comprehensive plan for better municipal
| improvements and economy. Chairmen of
| divisions in districts where there are no
| organizations will begin an aggressive
! campaign Immediately. and before the
| end of January it is expected there will
| be local organization in every district.
| These will be given an opportunity to
| sentiment before the election of delegates,
| in order that the various interests and
issues may be fairly represented in. the
congress at the first meeting and that the
great central body of taxpayers may be
properly represented when organized in
a permanent form. .
Mayors Break With Tammany
Final.
! There is a permanent break between
| NJ
| the latter organization has no representa-
| tive on the new election board. At the
annual meeting of the Tammany Society
| Charles F. Murphy was again chosen
leader without opposition. and the organi-
cation seems to be in a harmonious state
| of mind
The city government has no doubt been
| extravagant and it's expenditures have
| been very large but there are features
which deserve the highest commentator,
| and one of them is the manner in which
| sanitary regulations have been enforced
The results appear in the diminished
death rate. which, during the year
| 1908, was the lowest on record and is
| universally attributed to the thorough
sanitary measures that have been taken
during the last few years and the CO.
operation of various societies for the
suppression of typhoid fever and other
contagious diseases.
| Immigrants Keep Up Death Rate.
The death rate in New York is still
| greater than that of London, which was
1916 per 1000, against 16.2 in New York,
and the difference is attributed to the
large number of deaths of newly arrived
immigrants in the. tenement house dis
trict.
| Compared with the average for the
previous five years typhoid fever shows
/ a decrease of 1877 deaths; diphtheria, 311;
tuberculosis, 573; malarial fever 40:
whooping cough, 1874; influenza, II; pneu-
monia, 2,S23, and spinal meningitis, IFS.
There was an increase of $50 deaths from
scarlet fever, 80 deaths from measles
and rs deaths from cancer.
Fewer Marriages, More Births.
The health department takes special
pride in decrease of 3,O15 in the death
rate of children under five years of age,
which is attributed directly to the pre-
| other food. The total decrease of deaths
from the five-year average is 9,49.
| During the year 1908 49, Ill human
beings died in New York city and 126, S63
were born. This was not only the lowest
death rate in the history of the city. but
the highest birth rate-2S.6S per 1000.
| The birth rate has been increasing for
several years, for which there is no
rational explanation.
| There were Al, 400 marriages reported, a
decrease of 1888 as compared with 1907.
dents, a decrease from o14 in the previous
year, and 151 suicides, which is more
than the previous year.
|