The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-25
SAYS ALDERMEN GAIN
DIGNITY AND POWER
President McAneny, Reviewing
Years Record, Sees Reasons
for Satisfaction.
DETAILS ACHIEVEMENTS

Reviewing yesterday the achievements
of the Board of Aldermen during che ye,r
1914 President George McAneuy said that
the people of this city cannot fan 90 'y,
a genuine satisfaction in the record
1T is a record he said, chat De- the
more impressive when ono recalls the poo.
esteem In which the Aldermen were ...i
, only few years ago. " Is apparent t1..
the board has progressed far since, tins
! time eight years ago when the New York
| Charter Commission reported that the
! Aldermen from many districts Wrtr
| municipality paid agents of local political
| leaders 1t is work Of the Kind done last
| year that may be expected To put an end
to the demand for the abolition of the
/ board. II is not too much to say that
1.-THE present board has scored genuine
| permanent advance in New Yorks munjr-
| pal government
| Building code revision cudincatiou Of
! ordinances and the efficient discharge of
| it's financial functions stand out most
prominently among the boards achieve
| ments of the year. There are, however
! a number of other items on the credit
! side as for example, tho provision for
punishment of promoters OF fraudulent
! fire sales and removal sales the uncarth-
! ing OF frauds in the constitutional con
| vcntion election; the transfer to proper
| executive departments of the issuance Of
/
| tec,ion to the public health by the
strengthening of the sanitary code; the
! improvement OF the motion picture Law
! the abandonment Of Fulton Market and
| the provision OF places for open markets
elsewhere, and the better regulation o.
| street traffic.
"a most significant act of tho Alder
| men early last year was the surrender of
| all power with regard to the issuance
| of licenses and permits. Formerly the
| board spent good part OF its time vut
! ing sOlemny upon applications for PEI.
mits for newsstands. awnings, wooden In
dams, barber poles and 80 on through
a long list OF sidewalk concessions A
visitor in the gallery might hear any
! Tuesday the legislative body Of the So
! Ond city in the world celebrating upon
| whether or no, to allow two foot shelf
along the front Of -ome building. 1t was
not only frivolous procedure, it was OF
doubtful legality. Now this sort OF bus-
ness no longer occupies the board, but has
been turned over to the executive depart
| ments where IL belongs.
Great credit belongs to Majortr
Leader Curran and the men who have
worked with him so loyally and IN
| dustriously. ON important matters IN,
fusion forces have acted as an efficient
unit, yet without the surrender Of ind
! vdual freedom whenever any Alderman
chose to exercise II. The minorNy also,
! under the leadership of Mr. Bowling, mas
| displayed most cOmmendable spirit OF
cooperation In much of the most impor-
tant legislation undertaken by the board.
The average attendance at the meet
ings was 40 out of a total membership OF
! 10, and the attendance at the committer
meetings was in like proportion
"a year ago the building code revision
was pointed out as perhaps the most
urgent of the problems before the Alder
| M ENtrmpr
mission after commission and produced
draft after draft, but had never enacted
"A code. They had spent 100000 Of the
public funds in this futile work. The
present board detailed recognized en-
pert to work out the proper kind of build
ing regulations ana the task has been per
formed in "A systematic and orderly man
ner. The code Is taken up article by
article. and public hearings are held upon
each. Three articles have already been
enacted--on plumbing, partition fences
and fire limits. The other articles are
nearly ready and they will undoubtedly b,
pressed to passage in the coming weeks
New York city will then have what b.
should have had several years ago. an up
to date code, based upon principles that
! are technically correct and dealing fairly
with every interest at stake.
THE handling of requests for revenue
bond issues has been a striking feature
The revenue bond Is an emergency DEVICE
and its use admittedly should be guarded
with great care. The finance committee
has devoted thorough study to all applica-
tons and in its work of scrutiny has OBJ
tanned the cooperation of other city
departments, notably the Finance Depart
! ment. The result is shown by the follow
ing table OF revenue bonds issued in the
last four years:
p | lNll .,,,'.''''' sl'ssI'l
| III '..s'''.''''s ''''''''''.' l'tEt'ps'
| 1919 ''.''s's''s. l'-bi' %
| iva efO,5V1
Some of the other achievements of the
( Aldermen were thus enumerated by Pres!-
dent McAneny:
Ordinance to prevent fraudulent ad-
vertising, protection of the sick by the
prohibition of undue noises in the streets.
establishment of the municipal employ
ment bureau. strengthening the speed
ordinance by imposing a two days instead
of one day imprisonment, near side stop
for street cars, taillights on all vehicles
reasonable vacations for city employee,
and the granting of power TO the Com
missioner of Licenses TO mihlmize the
, ticket Spectator nuisance"