Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-25
Tammany 0tficeho|ders
Spending Lavish|y'
Appropriations al Rate Of Over
100000 Per Day,
Last Election Broke Its Grip, But
Money Flows Like Water.

New York, Dec. 24.-During the past
six weeks New York has witnessed an
orgy of municipal expenditure such as
probably never has been beheld in any
city in the world before. This is not
because the city Legislators have sud
denly gone mad like some of the RO-
man emper0rS when they appear am
bilious to excel. nor is it that Father
Knckerbocker has added to his usual
eXtravagant habits so far as his eX-
pelditures are concerned. The eXpla-
nation is found in The desire of the dy-
ing Tammany Hall administration,
confronted by the prospect of four lean
years, to make as big cleanup as
| possible to award as many contracts
and authorize as many schemes for the
expenditure of city funds as possible
through it's faithful henchman. Since
Election Day the city funds appropria-
| ted for various purposes have amount
| ed to $55, 900, 900 or at the rate of nearly
! g., 900, 900 for each business day. In ad-
| dition it is reported or good authority
| $15 900, 900 more is scheduled for appro-
priation before the end of the year.
Contracts involving $40,000,O00 have
been let and this amount will be in
creased by an equal sum if the nerve
of the dispensers of city funds holds
out With the patronage of the city
departments cut off Tammany must
depend on the holders of city contracts
| to supply places for it's followers and it
evidently intends to make the oppor-
tunities in this direction as numerous
| as possible The reckless piling up of
| the city's debt has called out many pro-
| tests, including one from Mayor-elect
Gaynor although he was elected to Of
| flee on the Tammany ticket.
One might naturally suppose that
| contemplation of such topics as aerial
| navigation would cultivate a serious
mental attitude which ordinary worries
| and arnoyances could not ruffie. Ar-
parently, however, it has exactly the
! opposite effect for aeronautical endeav-
| orS have already led to more
| litigation than any other infant indus
| try has been able to equal in the same
| length of time. In addition to the con-
| troversy between the Wrights, Curtiss
and others as to the priority of their
respective inventions, the magazines
devoted to air navigation have become
| involved in a legal controversy. The
matter came to light only day or two
ago when Fly" one Of the pioneer
publications devoted to this subject.
which calls itself 1.-THE National Aero
nautic Magazine" secured an injunction
to prevent its former editor from estab-
lishing a rival magazine which he pro-
posed to call Flight, The American
Aeronautic Magazine Fly contends
that an attempt is berg made to copy
it's name and general makeup and
that its business will be Constructed
and embarrassed" if this is permitted.
The subject is OF considerable interest
to nther successful publications which
have been subjected to the annoyance
of deliberate initators. The general
public probably will regard it chiefly as
an indication that interest in af-
fairs aerorautic is looking up when
magazines find it worth while to strue-
gle over publication rights in this field.
What is said to be the highest price
ever paid for land in the history of the
world was recorded here this week
when the northwest corner of Wall and
Nassau streets was sold for 81, 100000.
This was exclusive of the skyscrarei
an additional Sl,5oo,O0O was paid. AS
the lot contains about 1925 square fee'
this price represents a rate of 1922 fol
each square foot of the land alone.
What this figure really means may be
better understood when it is computed
that if the ground area were covered
with silver dollars these would need te
| be stacked fifteen deep to equal the
purchase price or, if they were stretch
| ed out in single row they would ex-
| tend for forty miles. The corners
| formed by the junction of Broad and
Nassau streets with Wall have long
| been recognized as the most valuable
| in the city. This is' the very heart of
| the financial district. One corner is Oc-
cupied by the sub-treaSury, another by
J. p. Morgan & Company, third for
years held the record price for New
York realty after it changed hands
| about fifteen years ago for 1925 q
| square foot, and the fourth is the one
that has Just been sold The highest
| figure previously paid for New York
| realty was $50 a square foot for the
| corner of Wall street and Broadway.
| In view of the rate at which property
| in this section is advancing it seems
likely that the prediction that it will
| be necessary to pave land in New
York's financial section with twenty
dollar gold pieces in order to own it
years.
IN 10 f1o Il al