Year: 1869

Tho Mayors Message TO tho Common


Council.


Mayor Hall yesterday delivered the GUS
tomary annual address to the Common Council
OF this city. Although he starts off with the
| modest acknowledgment that the importance
of these communications has been almost
destroyed by the Intelligent industry of the
public press, the Mayor, in the document now
before us, has furnished a budget of fresh
our citizens, and afforded evidence that in the
person of his Honor they have a wise, prudent
and energetic Chief Magistrate.


A most important branch of the message is
| very properly devoted to the consideration of
| tax levies-a matter in which every taxpayer
| and property holder has an absorbing interest.
He takes the ground that the city government
is not at all responsible for the city and tax
| budgets of the year. The Mayor and other
city officers had prepared upon their local
responsibility and properly presented to the
Legislature tax levies they considered just;
| but they were rejected, and the task of con-
| cocting them assumed by the opponents of the





| now accept the entire responsibility of the
result. These tax levies and the reckless
partisan influences brought against the city
| authorities by ''rural legislators" suggest
themselves for discussion, but the Mayor dis
| misses them for more opportune period.
The amount of taxes to be raised for city
purposes amounts to only $4, 4,l53,OOO; for
county purposes, 81, 1902, 1893; total $5, 455 49S.
This is, of course, exclusive of the sums ex-
pended by the various State commissions
which are scattered throughout the city, and
which have all their disbursements-amount
ing to several millions-adjusted and settled
here without invoking legislative aid. His
Honor here passes a word upon the injustice of
their discrimination, which is imposed upon no
other municipality except New York, and gives
evidence that all the virtue does not rest in
these Albany commissions, by stating that
within fortnight one of these State commits
sioners has been morally convicted Of taking
bribe The sinking fund for the redemption
of the local debt is in highly satisfactory
condition, nearly five millions having been
added to it during the past two years. The
assessed valuation of the real and personal
estate in the city for the current year will be
about one thousand million dollars, an in
crease of nearly ninety millions over 1868,
which will be mostly levied upon property
situated in the upper part of the city. Last
year the percentage was 2.69; this year about
1.96-a reduction which the Citizens Associa-
ton lays claim to. The Mayor refers to the
annual report Of the Comptroller for answers
to every practical question concerning city
finances that may be put and AYERS that few
more years of such prudent administration Of
the revenues must discharge the entire out
standing Indebtedness of the city. 1t is men,
toned as satisfactory evidence of the citys
credit that recent loan was taken at two per
cent premium.


In regard to the important matter of mar
kets the Mayor recommends the sale Of the
Gouverneur and Franklin markets and the sur
rounding of Washington, Fulton and Clinton
markets with sectional iron frameworks. Our
citizens will be glad to learn that the Fish
mongers' Association are about to make some
improvements in their line Of business in the
neghborhood of Fulton Market Attention is
invited to the interesting report of General
Viele in regard to the city markets.


In relation to the wharves and piers the
Mayor thinks some of them should be rebuilt
and others extended to the prescribed limits
A proposition to increase the rates of wharf
age was defeated by conjoined lobby of
pecuniarily interested persons and political
harbor masters.


The Mayor recommends that claims against
the city should be adjusted without litigation.
A codfcation of the ordinances is being made
and the Superintendent of Police is commended
for his "tact, calmness, courtesy, prudence,
amiability." and so on.


Our citizens will no doubt learn with sur
prise that in the opinion of the Mayor, the
affairs Of the Croton Aqueduct Board have
been conducted in manner the reverse Of
Economical, efficient, scientific and service
able" He makes some observations in this
connection which will prove new and interest
ing. The Mayor takes this occasion, also, to
rap Albany Legislation and State commission
ers over the knuckles.


The subject of assessments as connected
with city improvements commands word in
favor of the recent law, which provides that
where the commissioners agree that the pro-
posed improvement benefits the city at large
half the expense shall be borne by general
taxation.


Inrelation to sewerage the Mayor thinks that
where a projected work will last fifty years
the expense should be spread over that period.
That is very just and reasonable suggestion.


The Department Of Public Charities and
Correction comes in for complimentary word
from the Mayor. AS evidence that our city
is progressing in more than one respect II is
recommended that new city prison be i'm