Year: 1866

Tho Mayor and the Croton Aaueduct Board.


The State Legislature last session inserted
clause in the New York tax levy extending
the term Of Office Of Messrs. Craven and OAR
row In the Croton Aqueduct Board for three
years from the date of the passage Of the act.
The provision met the approval of the respect
able portion Of the citizens of New York, who
have been well satisfied with the manner In
which the business Of the Croton Department
has been conducted. But it was very objec-
tionable to the ''rlng" politicians, who, finding
themselves unable to control the patronage
and expenditures Of the department, looked
anx'ously for the time when the Mayor would
have It in his power to displace the present
honest and capable board, and hand their
offices over to the jobbcrs who have given such
an unenviable reputation to the Street and
Finance Departments of the city government.
These disappointed politicians Immediately set
to work to assail the validity OF the extension
clause, on the ground that its embodiment in
THO tax levy Is in conflict with the constitn-
tionai provision that mo private or local bill
shall embrace more than one subject, and that
shall be expressed in the title" The Mayor
has chosen to follow the suggestions of tho
"ring," and, disregarding the action OF the
State Legislature, has nominated majority Of
new officers for the Croton Board in place Of
the present incumbents


1t Is immaterial to Inquire whether the
"ring" objection to the mode Of continuing the
present management Of the Croton Aqueduct
Department is valid or invalid. The fact that
the people are entirely sa ;isied with that
management, and recognize the department as
about the only one that has been honestly con-
Quoted in the midst Of the most notorious cor
ruption ever known TO exist In a city govern
ment, should have been sufficient Of itself to
deter the Mayor from seeking to disturb IT, But
in addition to this, he Is well aware that his
attempt TO seize upon the offices will entail
upon tho city heavy litigation, for the dis
placed members of the board will Of course
test the matter in the courts. If the present
officers Of the Croson Aqucduct Board had been
OF the stamp OF those who are either undergo
ing or have run away from official investiga-
tons, the Mayor might have had some excuse
for involving the taxpayers in heavy law ex-
penses in order to get rid Of them. But, on
the contrary, the citizens would seriously object
to any disturbance of the present board, even if
the Mayor had the unquesioned authority to
make the changes he oontemplates


This defiance Of the will Of the Legislature
and disregard Of the public interests by Mayor
Hoffman will convince our representatives at
Albany of the necessity of speedy legislation
for this ring" ridden city. The power of the
whole sabal, from the Mayor down, must be
swept away, or no department under their con-
troll will be free from abuse and corruption
The people demand an immediate provisional
government for the city Of New York, to stay
the hands Of these political plunderers suddenly
and at once, and to hold possession until the
Constitutional Convention shall place our mu-
nicipal affairs on such q sound and solid basis
a. will assure their honest administration In
the future