Year: 1872

THE PROPOSED BOULEVARDS


There are two good reasons why there should
bo at least little delay in the beginning of
work on the several Boulevards on the East
and West sides, of which we have lately given
important information TO taxpayers and others
There should be no hesitation in completing
thorOughfares like tho acknowledgement,
whose general advantage to the whole city
everybody recognizes but enterprises OF doubt
full or merely sectional advantage, as these
proposed Boulevards unquestionably are, ought
to await natural development or be completed
at the expense of the districts to be benefited
by them. Let the argument that to beautify
any part of the city aids to attract population
and wealth to all its sections have full
weight; let us acknowledge that public pride
will do much TO reconcile taxpayers to round
assessments for grand drives and magnificent
parks let us recognize the need of villa sites
and the adaptabity of the West End flights
10 that sort of semi-rural architecture and de-
yelopment, still there is no need to hasten
unless the present owners are anxious 10
realize; and if they are impatient to do that
why should they not do it at their own ex-
pense.



pointed to open these projected streets, let US
secure a return to the former method OF select
ing them. In theory the present system is
the same, but the practice has been very
much corrupted since the Ring came into
power. Formerly the Corporation Counsel
selected one Commissioner to look after the
public interest; the prOperty-holders involved
in the awards and assessments to be made
were entitled to appoint a second; and the
Supreme Court, in confirming the order for
the opening of the street, appointed third,
who virtually acted as umpire, and was sup
posed to be impartial as between the city and
the prOperty-hOlders. Each Commission
selected its clerk. Under the Ring a
few Judges had monopoly of this
business of appointing Commissioners,
and political and personal influence affected
their selection. Barnard and CardOzo and In
graham, when they formed the powerful
judiciary Ring Of this city, made all appoint
ments of such Commissioners. Honest Judges
of the Supreme Court, like John II. Brady
had no share whatever in this patronage"
The consequence was that the "Gratzes," in
whom nobody reposed the least confidence,
had a monopoly of the business of street open
ings. In this way George II. Purser came to
have decided monopoly of the clerksbips.
And in this way the public under the Ring
came to be most outrageously swindled in all
manner OF ways by these Commissioners and
clerks.


Now before we have any more expensive
street openings let us reform this practice of
appointing Commissioners. The Corporation
Counsel must be held officially responsible for
the nomination of men whom the public can
trust to look after the ax-payerS' interest and
see that too large proportion of the assess
ments in each case does not go into the gene
raj tax levy. The property y-hOlders affected by
any proposed improvement must combine and
organize to secure their representative or ex-
pect that some moro active individual among
them will put Commissioners forward in his
own interest. And then the Department
instituting the proceedings must see to
it that the order goes for confirmation
before some Judge in whom the people have
faith. Until this is done let all questionable
improvements halt. We want no more such
frauds under Reform rule as the Boulevard
opening, in which millions were made by the
friends of the Commissioners who managed 1t,
or the Eighteenth Ward Market, which ap-
pears to have been thrown by Tweed as
bone to the hungry pack of his partner III the
Broadway business, Thomas Murphy.