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Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 84, no. 2173: November 6, 1909

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November 6, 1909 RECORD AND GUIDE 805 DpfeTiIHof^EsTAjE.BuiLDii/c \R&KrrECTUfiE,KoiJSQloii)DEai(«i»C Birsit/Ess AifoThemes of GEitoAl iN^CTf M-; PRICE PER YEAR IN ADVANCE EIGHT DOLLARS Communications should be addressed to C. W. SWEET PubUshed Every Saturday By THE RECORD AND GTJIDE CO. President, CLINTON W. SWEET Treasurer, P, W. DODGE Vice-Pres. & Genl. Mgr,, H. W. DESMOND Secretary, F. T. MILLER Nob. 11 fo 15 East 24tli Street. New York City (Telephone. Madison Square. 4430 to 4433.) ••Entered at the Post Office at New Yorlc. N. Y., as scoond-class matter." Copyrighted, 1009, by Tbe Record & Guide Co, Vol. LXXXIV. NOVEMBER 6, 1909. No. 2173 THE BROOKLYN EAGLE has been quick to seize upon oue result of the election as of the greatest import¬ ance for that Borough. According to this able journal the happiest result of the polling will be the approaching control of the Board of Estimate by the inhabitants of Long Island. The new Mayor, Comptroller, and the Borough President of Brooklyn are all Brooklynites and their voting strength will be equal to the combined strength of the rest of the Board. If they can carry witb them tbe vote of the President of Queens tbey will have a clear majority, and the Eagle thinks that this is a consummation devoutly to be wished, because in its opinion tbe City bas been administered hitherto too much for the benefit of Manhattan. Statements of this Itind are surely sufficient to justify some irritation on tbe part of Manhattan tax-payers, Tbe consolidation of tbe former cities of New York and Brooklyn has been a veritable boon for the tax-payers of Brooklyn and has resulted in a considerable loss to the tax-payers of Manhattan. Brooklyn was prac¬ tically a bankrupt city at the time of consolidation. Tbe immediate fruits thereof were an increase in the salaries of Brooklyn office-holders to the Manhattan level and a shifting of a large fraction of tbe cost of the government of Brook¬ lyn on the back of the Manhattan property-owner. Brook¬ lyn now receives about twice as many millions from tbe city treasury as its tax-payers contribute thereto. Since con¬ solidation, the only money voted for transit improvements in Manhattan and the Bronx has cost the city nothing and will eventually be very profitable to tbe city. On tbe other hand, twice as much money, about $80,000,000 in all, has been spent on bridges to Long Island, wbicb return to the city substantially no income at all and which will never return a direct income anywhere near sufficient to pay the interest on their cost. Before consolidation, two-thirds of tbe expense of constructing a bridge was paid for by Brook¬ lyn. Since consolidation more than two-thirds of this ex¬ pense falls on the tax-payers of Manhattan. In addition, a subway has just been authorized running to South Brooklyn. That will constitute a burden on the city treasury instead of a source of income thereto. Similarly, undeveloped sec¬ tions in the Bronx have to be satisfied with elevated roads, but Brooklyn suburban districts must have four-track sub¬ ways. In view of this array of facts, the tax-payer of Man¬ hattan may well rub his eyes and ask bow much Brooklyn really requires in order to feel satisfied tbat it is getting a fair share of tbe benefits of consolidation. What more can tbe new Board of Estimate from Long Island do for the Inhabitants of that section than has been don& by the selfish Manhattan officials of tbe past? The only possible grievance Brooklyn can have turns upon tbe delay in the construction of tbe Fourth avenue subway, and that delay waa due chiefly to tbe opposition of a resident of Brooklyn, , Comptroller Metz, whose wholly disinterested attitude in respect to this matter really injured his personal political career. The tax-payers of Manhattan are paying the ex¬ penses of consolidation freely and uncomplainingly, and tbey should at least receive credit for their well-doing from their brethren across tbe river. ONE of the most encouraging results of tbe election has been tbe stronger tendency which has been shown in the price of the city stock, and tbe feeling of satisfaction which is indicated by this fact is in all probability well founded. The Record and Guide does not, indeed, believe that the new Mayor and Board of Estimate will be able, any more than their predecessors were able, to bring about any material reduction in tbe municipal expenses, but there can be no doubt that they will be obliged from tbe very necessity of their situation to make every effort to keep, expenses do-^<'n. During the campaign two issues predominated—the issues of new subways and of municipal economy. Ail the new officials are committed to tbe rapid extension of the subway system, and the Mayor-elect in particular to the con¬ struction of the new system with the city's credit. He may have difliculty in making good this part of bis platform, because at this writing it is doubtful whether the consti¬ tution has been amended for the purpose of permitting the city to issue as much stock as is necessary for the con¬ struction of a self-supporting transit system; but in any event it will go hard with the ne'w administration in case at tbe end of its term a good start has not been made towards additional subway construction. The pledge in respect to municipal economy will, as we have said, be still more difflcult to redeem; but even If little can be effected in the way of reducing the city's expenses a good deal can be accomplished in the interest of financial reorganization. Tbe attempt which will undoubtedly be made hy the new Comptroller and Board of Estimate to introduce more order into the city's finances, and to diminish the waste will at least serve to show how much can be accomplished -under existing laws and how much more can be accomplished with the help of some effective reorganization. The new Board of Estimate Is characterized by a high average of good inten¬ tions and ability. The very fact that the new Mayor waa elected on one ticket and the rest of the Board on another will provoke emulation on the part of the competitors for public approval: and there is a fair chance at least that this competition will not stand in the way of effective co-opera¬ tion in respect to all matters Involving some essential ques¬ tion of public welfare. That some auch Incentive of emula¬ tion nnd co-operation will characterise the work of the Board may be fairly anticipated, and the new administration should assume office encouraged by tbe confidence and good wishes of the people of New York, BOSTON bas gained something better frora the recent election than has New York. A new charter has been adopted by popular vote in that city, which is a radical improvement upon its existing charter and which is In fact the best system of municipal organization as yet adopted in any large American city. In certain respects It Is Indeed an improvement upon the charter reported to the Legisla¬ ture by tbe New York Commission, Tn their general ten¬ dencies the two charters are similar. In both cases a Finance Commission becomes substantially responsible for the good government of tbe city. Tn both cases a Mayor is made responsible for the efficient administration of the city's affairs. In both cases the Board of Aldermen is used aimply as a check upon the Finance Commission and the Mayor. But the details of the organization are superior in the Boston instrument. The Boston Board of Aldermen has become a small body of only nine members, elected on a general ticket, instead of tbe large body of district representatives, which is proposed by the Ivins charter. When elected in tbia way, there Is a much better chance tbat tbe Board will perform a useful function, and serve as a really efficient check upon the Finance Commission and the Mayor. Furthermore, the new Mayor of Boston, while he will serve for four years, will be subject to recall after two years, provided the voters of the city decide at a special election tbat he has served them 111. This provision la more doubtful: but Ita Insertion constitutes a useful experiment In the value of the recall as a political expedient. It Is natural that In case officials are elected for long terms and are supplied, with abundant pow¬ ers, some precautions should be taken against a possible betrayal of tbe public trust. But while the new Boston charter Is in these respects better than that of the New York Commission, the latter Is so much an Improvement upon the existing charter, that the sooner it is adopted the better. There is unfortunately very little chance tbat it will be adopted at tbe next session of the Legislature: hut In all probability the offlcials elected four years from now will serve under the provisions of a charter which will more closely reserabie tbe Ivins charter than does the instrument under which we are now governed. IN CASE further investigation proves tbat the Criminal Courts building in Centre street is wholly unsafe and can be made safe only by radical reconstruction, the Board of Estimate should consider carefully the best course to be