Year: 1876

THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS REFUSES TO RE-
cE1vE coMpTnoLLKR GREENS coMMuxIcA-
TIoNs-THEY ARE RETURNED UNOPENED.


Comptroller Green was very much astonisncd yes
tcrday receiving back OF his letters the Park
Department unopened They were sent by messenger
with the following very aggressive lctter:--


DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PARKS, SO UNION SouAREl


NEW YORK, July 81 1876
To TIE COMPTROLLER OF THE CITY, FINANCE DEPART.
These two communications, addressed each of them
TO Henry g. Stebbns. aud containing enclosures ad
the finance Department, pursuant to resolution
adopted by this department on the 2lst OF juno last
and heretofore Communicated to you, which the fol-
lowing Is copy


ce Of addressing communications relating business
addressing others the depart
ment and then enclosing them to an individual Conms-
aud order TO prevent uson and to the
Resolved That sach letters will not bo received
sidercd by the Board
you have any business which 1t is proper to CON-
munlcate to this department II is your Official duty
send it directly to Us such course Is dictated aso
by the coutcsies and proprctes OF official
10 which you constantly show yourself IA stranger


II may seem slight thing Tor you to write your lot
tcrs TO this department, TO enclose them In
velope directed to this department, and then cover
them with an outside envelope directed and sent tho
member Of the commission VINO is willing TO submit TO
such things from you, anu mat we might indulge you
In such petty caprces toward the gentleman whom
you hard be tore the Legislature last winter
nave made the solo head OF this department We
bound however, to interpret them by the designs
which your practices show that you have IN such ir
rcgularitcs, aud by the embarrassncnts that may
suit to the puOlic business u we tolerate you in such
loose notions OF Official duty You furnish yourself
the best evidence that You know you wrong by
addressing 10 this department such letters as you
want us to receive and sending them directly TO our
Office.


You began by trying to draw individual Commissions
INTO private correspondence with you the bust
moss OF tho department, which they very properly
resented by returning yon your letters. Your next
resort was to write letter to the department and
close II ID envelope, addressed and to the
dcncc OF individual Comm sslouer. and now, rather
attempt TO evadc resolution by enclosing let
one envelope addressed 10 the department, with
an outside envelope addressed to Mr.. Sicbbins.


1t must be clear TO you that you have carried this
thing about as far as II Is worth while Tor public of.
Ger OF your proportions and aspirations 10 co.


The practical embarrassment to US in permitting
such behavior Is that exposes the letters loss
delay; that II gives you the opportunity of sending
from your Office letter which you make sure, by
the mode In which send IT, VIII reach for
worrying to get, point against Us, by notifying oil
something winch Will come TO our knowledge when 1t is
Too late 10 be OF any service.


In no possible sense these evasions be OF any
benefit. and they may result serious cntanglcmeus
aud cmbarrassments in the public business Such o


You know very well that these pucric periormarc ccs
must stop now. IL T. my hope that when they cN
hbtcd 10 you an appeal TO your self respect Will
be suilclent, and that 1t may not be necessary To
bring TO bear on such an exhibition that public opinion
which prouounces at once on things IN such bad
without concerning Itself TO reason about them.
Respectfully, WILLIAM H. MARTIN


President Department OF Public Parks.