The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-06-02

'Ihe question of actual nee0 SnOuIu
continue TO he tho first test. When I
came in, found, for instance. an ap-
preparation OF s5.00O.000 that had been
made for extending Riverside Drive
from 1b5th street To Spuyten Duyvil
Believing that this amount OF money
could bc much better employed else
where at iust that time. | had this ap
preparation cancelled and employed an
Expert commission TO make a new map
for the drive on n much less expensive
scale. on tho other hand. provision for
minor OUTLAWS Of capital for the sake Of
.aving In the city's running expense will
always he In order.
saves $4,000 in Neatins.
~ found, for instance. that while the
lcat and power plant Of the Hall Of
Gccords was capable OF doing a great
deal moro work than had been laid on
II, separate plants were maintained in
the County Court House, the city Hall
and the city Court. With $4,000.
icalizcd through the sale of bonds. I
connected all Of this group Of buildings
with the Hail of Records and have been
heating and Lighting Nil OF them since
at an annual saving of $4,000.
NO one will deny that this sort OF in
Ncstmcnt pays. ! am proposing. now, II
the Board of Estimate APPROVES. to spend
$4,000 20 equip the Hall Of Records and
other power plants with rcfriEerating
plants that will make a large part OF the
ire required for the uses of the city
departments, and save $4,000 a year in
the city's ice bill. That Is another in
stance Of the same sort of thing.
The proposal to spend $4,000 600 or
more on n filtration plant, on the mere
theory that some day the Croton water
may need II. affords another illustration
of ways in which the city officials may
save money. That proposition the ma
iority in the Board Of Estimate voted
down. They voted down. too. the plan
of tho Board of Water Supply to spend
$4,000 900 on vitrlf'ed brick roads for
tho benefit OF the up State people who
live IN the neighborhood of the Ashokan
Dam; and the board now has before It
resolutions which undoubtedly II will
adopt, resembling about sS,o00,000 OF
authorizations It has itself made during
the past three years for purposes that
are no longer pressing. In other words.
when these rescindments are made. the
average Of our Spending during the
three years will be even less than the
books Of to-day would show.
Can Save millions.
"The most important thing that re-
mains 10 be done Is TO continue the de-
velopment Of efficiency and economy
in the administration OF tho CITY de-
partments. As have said. a very sub
stantial start has already been made in
the elimination Of waste IN some OF the
departments. This elimination has been
accomplished and IL a matter Of pub
lie record. Enough has been done 10
show that II the present efforts keep
up and new efforts are made. the ulti-
mate saving IN annua! expense will run
into the millions
TO give one example-the one that
happen to be most familiar with-the
department OF the President OF Man
haitian borough was run on II per
cent. lees in 1910. the first year OF this
administration. than In 1909. the last
wear of the previous administration. 7
found an Appropriation Of $4,000. 900
provided for 1910. Through the adop-
tion OF up-to-date accounting methods.
the merging Of bureaus. In which /
found administration outlays needlessly
repeated. the employment OF efficient
sistence upon the simplest kind OF
economies. the II per cent. reduction in
expense was brought about. The rec
ords OF 1911 and 1912. when the great
expansion OF work during these yea RS
Is taken into account. tell like story.
An examination Of the cost sheets
" the bureau OF highways will readily
show how much of the city's money
was wasted in former years on new
pavement and pavement repairs. and
how II was possible to save. The draw
ing or new specifications. as IA resul,
"f conferences between the consulting
engineers OF the five boroughs. has
broken tho old monopoly by enablin,
bidders who had hitherto been excluded
10 enter the field
Big Reduction In AsphaI, nils.
AS one consequence the cost OF Law
ing tho surface and binder OF shee,
asphalt Is anywhere from 20 10 40 cents
yard less than IN 1909.
IT i5 the same with the avNrsga cos.
or repairs In 1909 the labor cost FOR
stone block repair work was ahou,
s'so,ooO. In 1872 this item was so4O. 900
ana yet the area OF stone pavement re
paired Increased approximately from
2o6,0OO 10 $4,000 square yards
"A good deal OF the work on pave
ments has been IN the direction OF nut.
ting the plant IN order
In the asphalt pavrment~ have gone
In heavily for replacement Tha. Is on.
or the cases where increased capita
outlay will save tremendously IN .xces-
sive annual bills for maintenance BE.
cause OF past laXity the city's stree,
plant had been allowed to run down
shameful!y. You may recall the Grid
cism OF pavements that took place IN
1sl0-the first year OF this admin!stra
lion. The dissatisfaction with the pave
Inents was justified. but mos, OF the
critics failed TO realize that the big mis-
takes had been made years before, when
poor pavements were laid in short thai
the city in 1910 was reaping the fruit.
"f the official negligence and shor,
sightedness Of the past and that tn,
damage could not be corrected by passe.
of the hand or by anything excep,
tedious corrective work
False Economy Costly.
''The old pavements had for the mos
part been made OF inferior materials O,
hnI hna lot