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MAYOR MITCHEL
REVIEWS ADMINISTRATION'S WORK
PLEDGES TO PEOPLE
1 KEPT, SAYS MITCHEL
' (*-tin.i?-?t from page I
that ' ' c?n be done is through
the medium of the press. I have al
wa'ys welcomed the fullest discussion
cf public business in the news]
Aid I have soujht to make it a car
^?ael principle in my programme to fa
cussion in every P05*
way.
A Publicity Policy.
In line with this policy the heads of
departments are submitting to i
views of the r s;x months'work. These
we are being given to the pre?s
id compact form f?>r publication. Herc
re, departmental repor*
erally been delayed, sometimes
rear or two. after the period to which
?hey applied closed. We ?re now seek
ing to submit the reports whil
matters to which they relate a;.
fresh and vital parts of our current
my campaign I pledged myself to
the fuliest public ncress to all city af?
fairs. I'p to date I hr.v? ?ought to live
op to this jsledge ard 1 propose to
live up to it in tbe ful
It is doubtless impossible in con- .
ducting a great enterprise such as the
S'en* York not to mak?
takes. It . ns important to i
mistake? as ' s to recognize and re?
port achievements. The business of
tbe city governntrnt is the public's
busir? innot be conducted in
the long run in the public interest
unless what it does and how it does it
is subject to public scrutiny and sug
geftion.
Civil Bodies Help.
The administration has enjoyed to a
very marked extent the helpful co-op?
eration of citizen bodies. The great
business and civic organizations and
thi? philanthropic organizations all
hat? in their respective flelda helped
ns in getting information regarding ,
queetions of importance and have co- '
operated in working cut better methods |
for carrying on the city's business.
Keeps Pledges Before Him.
I have in my desk, classified by
jects, the different .specific pledges ;
which I made during the campaign.
These pledges I regard as contracts be?
tween my-? e and the people
of New York. I propose to live up to
them. Where we find that plans must
be eh; ' actual operation from
plans outlined last fall, we shall si
It Is our ?1? ? .te discussion of
important pi '
This method was followed, for ex?
ample, in framing a working policy for
tbor handling of all-night fiquo
censes. Our first ?guide waa the law.
The method of its enforcement was de?
termined by public opini'on and ad?
ministrative judgment.
By this mi ai ? I am not seeking to
make the publie share r?
with me f.. ?n in
benefit of
ns in dealing with
questions that do not affect officials
personally, but affect the interest anil
re of the city. No .-?
enough to decide these matten without
the counsel of those who live in the I
city. I regard this policy as fund?
mental in proper American city go?
?nt.
We made many definite pledges. W
i do not expect nor was it expected c
us that we should carry them t
?'?;<?? In six months. But
? \pected of us, and we have undci
taken, to begin the work of their ful
filment with the beginning of the ad
ministration. These pledges fall 1nt
two broad groups thoite that relate t
the economy and efficiency of adminis
tration and those that relate to tii
?'^ion of public service, to improv
?e character of public service an
the provision of bitter facilities fo
public service on the part of the goc
ernment.
What Is Expected of the City Gor
ernment.
t The demand of the voters at the las
election, as I understood it, was tha
we should undertake a complete stamp
ii'g out of the kind of ?rovernment tha
permita waste and incompetence; pri
rata profit at public expense, or t'n?
ce of public interest to any pri
vate interest, individual or corporate
There wns on January 1 no great issu?
of public policy before the people
similar to the s ihwny issue, which wa:
?i ?by majority action of the Boan
of Estimate in the last administration
There were, hbwever, great problems oi
publie improvement, such as the Wesi
Side terminal improvement, the South
Brooklyn terminal improvement, av.c
the general development of port ant
terminal facilities.
The major task that confronted iif
was to organize the departments of the
? *y ?.rovernment for business; tc
cleanse them of politics, to remove
worn-out methods, to instill an esprit
de corps in the body of employes b>
fair dealing, and to get the wheels o<
the government in operation to pro?
duce better conditions throughout the
city.
Public Service Corporations Under
the City's Eye.
There are two sides to the problem
of public service. There is the pub?
lic service rendered by government
and there is the public service required
am! expected of enfranchised cor*".
pai.ies. The state has placed the con?
trol of these public service com?
panies in the hands of the Public Ser?
vice Commission, but the city has,
r.one the less, a very vital and continu?
ing interest in the efficiency and
character of their services. It is my
* i .at the city should represent the
public as complainant wherever diss.it
iafaction mises with regard to the ..er
vice ren lered by public service cor?
porations. 1 have, therefore, under?
taken the organization of a bureau in
tin? Corporation CounsePa office which
will ?leal with these matters. If there
is any ground for contesting the char?
acter Of service rendered by enfran?
chised corporations or the amount of
charges made for this nervice, the city
d not be inactive merely because
there is a public service commission
i d with power to deal with ?tboae
questions. We do not propose to be
inactive, but on the contrary to keep a
very vigilant eye on mattes of this
kind.
WANT THE CITY CONDUCTED
ON BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
The elements that combined to
the pre?? ??t adtn ii ratioi
various poi h regard to
questions of publi? policy, but they
? unit in one great demand, and
that was that the business of tho city
ntly as an ? that men
conduct anywhere, and that its obje.'t (
should not be to develop the power of
any group or faction, but to render in
luljcst measure service to the public
which have ?been ?committed to it.
I regar.l il a?, m* '?r i i..~k. there?
fore, lo piii the buaineaa of the city
on a basix of ?flirien? .
It is my good fortui ? to have h.ni
??ritact wi*h
city management, For three years, .? >
CoOunissioner of Accounts in conduct?
ing investigations of varioua depart?
?s, I came to understand the prob?
?
opportunities for bet
Board of Estimate
and as President of the Hoard of Al?
dermen I had opportunity to under?
stand the gen? ral problems of admin
of the city. So
that on the first of January I took hold
of a task not wholly unfamiliar to me
and with a fairly definite programme
in? mind.
The City Government a Vast Enter?
prise and the Minor's Part.
?c are few enterprises in the
worid whose volume of b
isacted in .
?\ budget of
$!?3.000,000
nt ?department! of ?government!
The*?' facts mt ? t the mag?
nitude and scope of the '.?oik o
City of New York. The M iyor ? I
York has broad ut he by no
means controls the 1 of th
A Letter to You,
Mr. Purchaser of
Imported
IJnderwear
American Hosiery Co.
\7 KXil GOODS
_?_?? Fourth .iic, Xcw Ytri
Peat St: ?
- Hive you made a close
comparison between Ameri?
can Hoaiery Underwear
and what you !>uy abroad?
When you do ?o, you wi'l
?readily see that our Undcr
wear is a! least equal lo the
foreign in fabric and f.niJi ?ml
is unquestionably supe: ?or
in fit ?in Jmost every instanc**.
You will find ! <> thit our
prices are consistent *with ?he
:x-rior and standard qua ity
of which nine highest awards
?re abundant proof. All retail
atores suppy ?t
Yours truly,
AMERICAN HOSIERY CO.
The Hoard of Estimate and Apporti*?
ment, when tbe Lcgialature does not ir
terfere, has the first and last word t
say regarding city expenditures. Th
Hoard of Estimate is in a very d?finit
tbe board of business director
in the city corporation. The Mayor Ma
jurisdiction over twenty-seven depart
ments. whose budgets for 1914 toll
1.1,000,000. This is .''I per cent of th
total city budgf't. The live borou:?
presidents control the five borough ?K
partmenta wholly without the juris'lic
tion of the Mayor. !:nd are respor.sib!
.ministering budgets totalling $9
212,781 17. The Hoard of Estimate an
Apportionment controls the allowance
ol funds, determines how much sha
be spent, and in a large measure ho\
it shall be spent. The Hoard of EsU
mate and the Hoard of Aldermen li
salaries, establish the payrolls of th
city, control, through regulation o
?nations, expenditures for ?up
These boards authorize pubii
improvements and control very close
ly the manner in which money may b
?led for them. The Mayor i
only one factor in the great organiza
of tbe city, and by no means doe
he have undivided authority in the m?i
nicipality,
It would be impossible, therefore, t
conduct successfully the business o
? ity of New York without intim?t
| co-operation between the Board o
Estim?te and the Hoard of Aldermei
o.i the -me hand and the Mayor an.
C " Mayor's departments on the oth"
hand. It would he Imposaible to esta')
? (??rioiny and efficiency or to ci-r;
anatruetive improvements for th?
if the Mayor and these boards
ularly tbe Hoard of Kstimate, di<
not work in close co-operation.
The Ronrd ?>f Estimate and a\ppor
tionntcnt Reorganized.
At the outset I realized, therefore
that one of my principal obligation!
?to work in close hurmony wit!
Board of Estimate and to join witl
?.her members in placing th?
l'a business on an efficient baail
? undertakings on tak
a on January 1 was the reor
Of tho board's worK. Y.'t
on December SI, aeventy?flra spe
, ommittoea compoaed of the differ
embers of the board in differenl
.nation? con.-iil-.rir.g the great
number of ?luestions with which the
v> week called upon to
deal. We found that the work of tries.?
?iai committees Ml into
\\ t, therefore, or
ga?iz? ?Handing committees to
? subject?, and an ad?
ditional committee to take up charter
on. .Among the fifteen commit
f_re eomrnittees on such impor
?attera as the following:
Port a*id terminal facilities.
Ennichises.
T ran ait.
City plan.
. 1 v elf are.
and corporate stock budgets.
\\ a n \t ?adapted do?aito rules to
?i the business of the board. This
has ne ?r been done before. Now ?11
coming before us passe 3
. ii the channels of the standing
, which carefully eon
?! are able to report intellignt
.veil-thought-out suggestions to
for its adoption or reje.
u.ty we have brought system
out of chaos and laid a permanent
'or intelligent and hfrnr
The boar?! no longer oper it? s
as a grojp ol" independent
rolling. Or working in opposition, as
M may bo, b?at as a well orgun
ody.
I matter of great satisfaction
to mc and of great help in carrying
on the woik of departments. We lose
no time in futile discussion, in squab
or in locking horns because of op
ideas. All differences are
thrashed out in comiaittees. The re
mayor JOHN PUftROY MtTCHl L
suit is that we now find it possible to
! deal more quickly and effectively with
i the business that comes beforo us. All
! this is of great advantage to the
i management of the departments of the
government and is productive of econo?
my in time and funds.
In addition to organizing standing
committees we established two new
bureaus in the board to carry on work .
begun during the last administration.
One is the bureau of standards and the
other the bureau of contract super?
vision. The bureau of standards is
continuing the work formerly con?
ducted by staffs under committee
supervision, in preparing specifications
for the purchase of supplies and in
establishing a proper basis for the
city's payrolls.
STANDARDIZATION WILL
NOT REDUCE CITY SALARIES
There has been a good deal of mi
understanding of the purpose of ?alar
standardization. Employes in the cit
have got the impression that the sol
purpose of salary .standardization ;
to reduce salaries. This is not s?
Some salarus may be reduced, but w
are more anxious t?? ai li?t employe
in preparing themselves for more sei
? viceable work, and therefore bette
compensation, than we are to rcilue
' their salaries on the basis of thei
: present worth. Salary schedules mu.?
' be based on the work that must b
done and not on the particular em
ployes who are now performing thi
work.
Combined with salary standardiza
tion there must be a complete n
of the classified civil service lists an
promotional systen?. We want to mak
promotion throughout the ranks o
city employment definite and assure?
1 for the efficient and faithful em
ploye. Salary regulation withou
; civil service regulation will get u
nowhere. I thin1; that we are clea
on this. In the long run. a scientifi
plan will mean a great deal to tax
payers and will be an advantage t?
city employes. We shall not tolerat
inefficiency, but we must organize an?
encourage good service.
Employes' Relationships Mr. Mitchel'
Personal Concern.
I propose to give a good deal o
personal attention to this question, fo
I am particularly anxious that w?
shall make the City of New* York no
merely an exacting employer, but i
model employer. To this end an
have under way definite plans for es
? tablishing better relationships betweei
the executive forces of the govern
ment and the working forces of th?
government.
A committee of department head
has been appointed to consider a plat
? proposed for establishing employes
conferences on work subjects and 01
' questions affecting the interests o
employes.
The commission on pensions ??p
pointed by Mayor Gay nor has beet
: continued under this administration t?
work out a sound, just und scientiti?
pension plan in order that faithful em
ployes who live out the terms of theii
active usefulness may retire on ar
equitable basis.
All the world over it is now rccog
, nized that no great business can b?
efficiently conducted if there is hos.
tility and conflict, between those re?
sponsible for manag?nient and thi
working forces. This is now so clearly
?roeognl-od in tbe U ?ra thai
the I'resident, with the approval of the
1 Congress, has appointed a Commission
of Industrial Relations to study the
t-uestions involved in employment
throughout the I'nited States. The
problems of fair dealing and justice
and mutual understanding that are
important in the management of a pri?
vate businer-s are as pointed and im?
portant in public business. We are
?going beyond this. Wherever the de?
partmental employes desire it, we are
! establishing the semi-monthly pay?
ment plan in order to deal effectively
with the sa'ary loan evil, which for
? many years has been the cause of very
serious hardship to city employes.
Wi have established a fair vacation
1 plan for salaried employes and by the
' action of the Dourd of Aldermen,
which, as Mayor, 1 approved, we art
granting vacations of two weeks to
? all per diem workers who are more
than six months in the service of the
city.
We do not propose to go to extremes
in these matters or go beyond the
limit of good business dealing. We
arc not forgetting our responsibility
to the taxpayers, nor do I believe we
. shall be asked to forget this respon?
sibility by the city employes.
We are insisting upon a full meas?
ure of service throughout all the de?
part ment?. We expect reciprocity
?from the employes and I am very glad
to say we are obtaining it. E
during the summer months, we have
established the 9 to 6 o'clock working
day.
The Mayor as (.enera! Manager.
Immediately in January I undertook
ifgoaiaa tbe Mayor, efllca. The
Ma\ur is the executive head of the de
1 pertinents under his control. He i.
' responsible for them and is required
' by the charter a- well as by good busi-1
ness principles to keep closely in touch
with their work. Under Mayor Mc
Clellan the office of tbe Commissioner
of Accounts was utilized to investigate
departmental matters more extensively,
peihaps, than at any lime in its his?
tory. Mayor Gaynor continued the
policy laid down by his predecessor.
During all this time the v?rk of the
Her of Accounts was largely
i o ti nd out why things had gone wronj;
and to correct mistakes after they had
1 been made.
I concluded that it would be wise to
use the Commissioner of Account.-. Utut
to heip the Mayor work with his de?
partment heads to prevent mistakes
and to improve the general efficiency
of the city government. I asked the
Legislature to giv?? us a?uhority to
convert the office of the Commissioner
of Accounts into a division of adminis?
tration in the Mayor's office. The As
? sembly approved our suggestion, but
the Senate failed to take action on it.
A great business the size of that of
; New York City needs executive leader?
ship. The Mayor to be serviceable to
the public and to help his departments
must keep currently informed of tha
business of those departments. The
charter specifically requires that "It
shall be the duty of the Mayor to keep
himself informed of the doings of the
several departments." He cannot keep
informed except by the use ?>1 a weil
trained and skilful staff. I'p to date
I have assigned to the Commissioner of
Accounts, directly or indirectly, nearly
one hundred, different bueineea prob
, lems affecting the government of the
city for it vestigation ind report.
Sooner or kter the Legislature will
give us authority to organize thi
in a way that will make it most
to the Mayor and along lines
will harmonize with a program
??instructive work. In my view
cessful and efficient Mayor mi
not merely the spokesman and !
head of the city governm"tit, In
city's general manager.
In line with thi? policy I ha'
organized the Mayor's office and
ized the office of the Charnberli
order to increase the odminlst
staff Immediately avaikbl- to it
executive control. Instead of e:
ing merely that the Chamberlain
be responsible for the aafokeepl
city funds. I am expecting that o
to assist me in tbe work of bui
reorganisation and control. I bav
pointed a special secretary to ke?
informed or all matter? comin?: h
the Board of Estimate and the I
of Aldermen.
By all this I do not mean that
should not be left to the iadividaa
partmont heads fullest discretion
?roopoaalbiUty. This is provided
bv the charter, and it is good orga
lion as well, but there are a |
i ui.ber of questions which affec
departments. We must have
means of bringing to ?he atter.tio
every department special iniprovetr
and methods worked out in an;
them. The Mayor must have a get
view of city business. He i
have means of getting infornmtior
garding questions which arc subnv
t.) him by department heads. He i
have means of assisting them in w
ing out their own problem?. In o
words, the Mayor, instead of being
moved from the city government
arms' length, must be an intimate
of it. 1 have felt this so strongly
I am making plans to 3pend part of
time in an office in the Munie
Ruilding where I can como into n
intimate contact with my d? ,?irtn
heads. As a part of this policy I h
undertaken to make personal visit?
the various departments to come
first-hand contact with their work.
The completion of the Mimic
Building has greatly facilitated !
contact between the Mayor and
heads of departments. With the
ceptlon of docks and police, end one
two small departments, the offices
administration arc now located in ?
building. This will result in v?
material economies. Mayor McC!
lan's administration deserves gr
credit for initiating the construct
of the Municipal Building.
The Mayor's Business View of I
Relation of th? Departments.
The various city department? i
not intended to be merely a collecti
of separate and isolated jurisdictio
The very word "department" indical
that they are a part of a larger who
Each, it is true, has its specific wc
j to perform, but together they perfoi
? the work of the city. Each departme
has problems in common. They :
have similar questions of policy a
I business to determine. Most' of the
have, for example, buildings to mai
tain. All of them must do their wo
through employes, and must, therefoi
have plans for organizing and supe
vising the employes to get effectr
results. All must purchase t-upplie
AH have contracts to execute. All ha?
to deal with the public in one way ?
another. Probably 50 per cent of tt
business of the departments by ur
large is of like character.
It is of very great benefit, therefor
to have close contact between th
heads of the departments to brin
them into conference. In order to e?
tablish this contact and to give eac
department the benefit of the sugge!
tions of every other department w
have established a plan of month!
conferences on business question!
' These conferences, or cabinet meet
i ings, take up specific questions for dis
? cussion. We assign to committees o
department heads matters which affec
all of them in order that plans may b
worked out for general betterment, li
1 this way we have a committee of de
partment heads on the ?[iiestion o
purchasing, another on the question o
inspections, another on repairs o'
equipment and the maintenance of re
pair shops, another on the question ol
apportioning the city by districts foi
ailministrative purposes, another or
i the question of the relation of depart?
ment heads to employes.
I find these conferences a very use?
ful means of encouraging team work
among the department heads. In a
hundred different w;*.ys one depart?
ment can help conduct the work of
another department.
We have succeeded in establishing,
I believe, not only effective co-oper
ative work in the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment, but effective team
work among the several departments
under the Mayor's control, one with
the other and all with the other great
i divisions of the government.
SELECTION OF "CABINET'
WAS NOT AN EASY TASK
Before it was possible to begin th
work of tile's? six months I had to fin
the heads of departmenta to assist m
in conducting the business of the cit;
This is not jo easy a task as it miirh
appear. It is true that there are
great many persons willing to undci
take the responsibility of running
Igraal eltj d?partaient, but it is not
I matter to Bad executives wh
1 combine administrative ability wit'
I training and the rijjit point of vie?.
regarding the opportunities and prob
lems of one of the great divisions o
, city activity.
I proceeded very cautiously and dc
liberately in selecting the heads of de
pnrtment?. I do not think it neces
sary or appropriate at this time t?
comment on the charncter of these sc
lections, but I may sr.y that in ever?
case I sought first to find a persor
with some distinct training for th?
work to be committed to him.
wanted to have department heads wit!
executive capacity and in close sympa
? thyVith the purposes of the admin
istration. And so with the appoint
ment of deputies and administrativ?
i assistants.
The Mayor and his department head?
have four hundred so-called "exempt'
positions to fill. In many instances, ot
course, appointees remain over from
term to term, but in the development
'of a new programme it i.? jaal as im
. ? to bava administr?t.'
ants ?specially equipped to t. .<? con?
trol of their particular subdivision of
a department's work as i: is t?> have a
dfpartment head especially ?quipped
for the work of his department.
In order to simplify, if possible, the
selection of subordinate's I asked ap?
plicants to submit their applications on
printed blanks, just as they are re?
quired to do in npplying for position
in any other great corporation. This
is the first time. I suppose, that this
practice wai followed in tl.
any other city. Before January 1 I re?
ceived 7,600 separate applications for
?ur hundred positions to be filled.
For ? t'ommisiionership and
the four deputyships in that depart
n.e:.' I ree.'.'.nl "T.". applications. For
the seventy-live Assistant Corporation
Counselships I received more than
eight hundred applications. Supporting
applications there were ad
? 1 it nie inward af K.000 letters
of recommendation and indorsement,
with petitions totalling more than
75,000 or 100,000 signature?.
There are two problems involved in
??electing the administrative staff of a
t ? jn I aoaap .?teat and effi?
cient employes, and the second, to have
combined with this competency and effi
ciencv contact and acquaintanceship
with 'the public with which the govern
merit must deal. I spent a great man*
?iavs atxl hours in considering applica
Practically every application I
?1 on personally, because it m mec
elear to me that the success of the gov?
ernment depended in a large degree
upon the character of the selections
1 made for the positions of leadership.
?Public service in American cities is
' still wry largely an avocation. Men
abandon their private positions or busi
bOei for a ?.?hile to take some city po?
sition. Most of us tin?! it very alluring.
Bui there is no ??p<?cial training for
it.* Some day ?ve shall have the special
trainin!", and when we do, the ta??k of
orgaaiziag tha government will be
simplified.
1 I think over the list of department
heads I find that practically in everv
instnrce the commi?sioner has had
Lome '?peeial preparation for the work
?committed t?> l-.m. in every case the
commissioner has ha?l executive train?
ing, and in no case has this executive
! trniniru*- be -n merely in the field of
politics or party leadership.
The day of transplanting district
leeders to cty commi -ionerships has
probably ?gone by. To make certain
th.it it trill be past forever we mu?t
train ?n la the United >StatM municipal
executives who combine capacity with
the h'tman quality po*.,essed by sur
? polit'ciins. It is not enough
irere'y to conduct government ell? -
eicntly. It must be c??nducted in a
that the nuhlie understands and
approve?. Tbla nub ||( understanding
and approval is based not only on re?
sults alone but on the way in which
results are obtained. Above everything
else tact and simplicity are necessary.
With this in mind, I requeste?! the
? of depar'.ments m conduct them?
selves with self-restraint and ?im?
plicit".' and devot* tha first months of
.-ion not to announc?
ing what th..y intc.ided to do, but to
g themselves prepared for the
doing.
(harter Revision Not To Be Rushed.
I have mentioned that we organized
1 a staniling committee on charter revi?
sion of the Board of ?Batiaaata ar.d Ap?
portions.? ut. The Board of Ab!
is to be represented on the coir?"
together with th?? public by the ap?
pointment of c;tizen members. We
took this rtep in preparation for char?
ter v.ork because it is generally ??
?rued that the city charter need? r^'i
I aion in a number of particulars. Soc-a
believe that the charter should be rad
icaily ehanged. But we do not pmpos
to he hasty in bringing about this rev
?-ion. 1'p to date the committee he
assumed that the best preparation fc
charter revision is to determine to wht?
extent existing charter requirement
interfere with efficient management o
the city. In oth-r words, we propos
to give the present charter a fair tria
Where we lln.i that obstructions exis
we ?hall correct them Perhaps "V
eral more months will be permitted t
pnss before the active work of charte
?on is undertaken. Then a yea
may be spent upon the study and con
?(deration of a new charter. We ?<bal
do all this work with tbe co-operatioi
of public bodies tnd afford the fulles
opportunity for public discussion o
the changes under consideration. Ml
own view is that when a charter il
finally frame?! it should be adoptee
only after submission to the approva
of the electorate.
Praises the Aldermen.
t
T have spoken of the co-operation of
the Board of Estimate and Apportion?
ment with the Mayor and the bettei
organization of its work. The snm*
co-operation has been given by th?
Board of Aldermen. The present board
is miking a record of an exception;'!!;,
line i-haraetor. Mr. McAncny, Mr. ?Jur
ran, Mr. ERtabrook and others of the
board who are the leaders of the ma?
jority, and .Mr. Dowling. the leader of
t;ie minority, are continuously helpful
itnd are in a notable way participating
ih the constructive work of the admin?
istration.
The Work of the Departments.
I cannot do justice in this review to
the special problems of the different
departments. What, these problems are
and [how they ar?a being dealt with are
now Icing fully discussed in the re?
port}, which we are currently making
public on departmental work.
I wish to say a word, however, re
gar?|ing the importance of the port and
terminal development plans which we
are-now working out.
The Development of the Port.
With the opening of the Panama
Canal and the completion of the new
Stale Barge Canal, the Port of New
York may naturally expect a largo in?
crease in the volume of business to be
bandied over its docks and through its
terminal facilities. Even now, before
the advent of this new business, we
feel the cramping of our facilities, due
to too long a reliance on the natural
ailvnntages of our waterfront.' The
city* has embarked definitely and finally
upon the policy of extensive terminal
improvement to put New York in the
forefront of the cities of the world in
poiijt of port development and port
facilities.
During the last administration the
plan for 1,000-feot docks in the 44th st.
district was laid down. This work is
being prosecuted with all dispatch by
the Dock Department, and will be
brought to completion long before the
I
A little emphatic
but not without reason
You cannot get a better location than the Equit?
able Building, you cannot get more central,
accessible, reputable lo-cation, nor one that is
better known?and you cannot get a more |
modern building nor one that will be more ef- !
ficiently conducted for its tenants, not chough you
erect and run a building of your own.
j Once again?the Equitable Building is .he logi?
cal building for you.
Lease* now being made from May /, 1915. The bnilding, how ?
ever, i* due to be completed 2 or 3 month: ahead of thai <iat?.
Equitable Building
Temporary Office, 27 Pine Street
_*_[
?:=:__==______gm
term of the ?resent adni.iiistration e?
pirei.
The plans, formulated under the lf>.1
administration, for a settlement of th
New York Central difficulty on th
West Side of Manhattan island ar
undergoing thorough scrutiny and re
vision. When finally adopted it is m
hope that they will include a plan o
! terminal facilities for all the railroad
whose rail terminals are located o:
the Jersey shore.
The plans for the South Brooklyi
Terminal Marginal Freight Railwaj
adopted under the last a<_ministratior
have just been reported to the Boar,
of Ei-timate by the terminal committee
with recommendation for radica
amendment greatly advantageous t<
the city and the locality. This rail
road, which it is now wisely propose?
to make elevated throughout the entir?
length of its main line, can be ac
quired and construction completed foi
approximately $11,000,000, and, through
an arrangement with the railroad?
which are to operate it, can be made
self-supporting practically at once.
The entire project can be completed
and placed in operation within two
years, provided the city receives from
the Legislature and the Governor the
legislation necessary to permit the
making of the proposed contract of op?
eration with the trunk line railroads.
The necessary funds are available, and
there is no reason why the project
should not go forward rapidly to com?
pletion.
While these great projects are being
pushed the Dock Department is ac?
tively engaged in building and recon?
structing piers and in readjusting
leases to meet the pressing ?iemand
i for more space for the shipping of the
port.
SATISFIED WITH POLICE
UNDER PRESENT LEADER
On the first of January no depai
ment occasioned so much public co
cern as the Police Department. It h
been generally said that "as goes tl
Police Department so goes the who
administration,/' 1 do not propose
permit the Police Uepurtment to ove
shadow the other great work of tl
city government nor to take the maj
part of the Mayor's time. I was an
ious to put at the head of the poli
force a man of proved executive capa
ity and ability in dealing with men,
I asked Colonel (loethals to take tl
Police Commissionerahip. Everybo?
Know-? what an effort was made to brit
this about.
Now that the matter is settled I a
quite satisfied to have the Police D
partment in its present hands Cor
missioner \Y004ls is in heartiest syr
pathy with the policy of the admini
tration in police matters. He knov
the Police Department, he has bee
trained in police work. It is too ear
to reach a judgment regarding his ai
ministration, for he has only been i
office a little over two months, but u
to date he has made an effective begit
ning in putting an end to the perennii
police question.
The problem there is not unlike th
problem of every other city dcpar
ment. It is one of organization, th
right spirit among the force and a
open, frank poiicy. Commission?!
Woods has a free hand in dealing wit
police matters, but I propose to stan
behind him and to work with him.
believe that he has the confidence c
the force and the confidence of the put
, lie, and he should obtain the result
that the city has a right to expect c
that great ?iepartment.
We are not hearing much talk thes
' days of the police "system." That i
? a good thing. We are giving our atter
tior. to police ?vork and to obtainin
police results. This is the best cure c
the kind of evils which sum up wha
is popularly described as the polic
I "system." The police are to get
, square deal under this administrator
and the Police Department is to giv
tl public a square deal. We al
understand this, and are working t
live up to our undertaking. I belicv
that the administration has the heart
Co-oper^ion of the police force. W
must have it to obtain good police re
suits.
Eire Prevention Foremost.
In tha Pitt Department there an
? great questions of organization, but th?
principal work that is before Commis
sioner Adamson and his associates i
; the work of tire prevention. I am con
( vinced that we ar 1 making satisfactory
'. progress in this field. The work is nev
! and there are many tangles to b<
straightened out, particularly in mat
ters of duplication of inspection.
I said during the campaign that
proposed to untangle, if I could, th?
complications of inspection work whicl
no doubt often seem unnecessarily an
noying to property owners. The UtmU
Factory Commssion, other state an
thorities and various city department,
are working together in this matter
Commissioner Adamson has alread>
simplified inspections by arranging
with the borough presidents to hav?
the Bureaus of Buildings in the sev?
eral boroughs exnmine plans ?'or Firt
Department requirement-?. Before thi
change plans were examined ?-? ??
ly by the Bureau of Buildings and by
the Fire Uepartment. This is the kind
of simplification that means economy
and gr?ater convenience to the public.
Charitiea and C rrertion.
! In charities we propose to work slow
? ?i by ?ten. in making more ade?
quate provision for the city'e dependent
poor.
To help meet the conditions of unem?
ployment, which were particularly
acute this winter, and which were re?
flected in the large lodging house cen?
sus, we have established a city em
ployment exchange. This exchange
, will supplement but in no way conflict
with the work of the new state bu?eau
established for ? similar purpose.
We are undertaking to increase th?
institutional equipment of the Chari
. ties Department, particularly for the
care and treatment of the tuberculous.
This year we are planning to add to
* Hospital a total of 1,200 bed?.
-?ber of institutions have been
. ry overcrowded. We are taking
*.o correct this and to establish
*r,per conditions in tha home for tha
aged and infirm and in the city hos?
pitals. These improvements must be
done slowly, because they involve large
expenditures and present a great many
difficult problems, but our policy is
clear with regard to them, and at the
end of this administration I am satis?
fied that we shall have very much im?
proved facilities for public charitable
service.
The Department of Correction is be?
ing revolutionized under Commissioner
Davis. The public knows of this work
and is watching it with interest.
Water and Street Cleaning.
In the Water Department Commis?
sioner Williams is dealing with a num?
ber of great questions. One of par?
ticular importance is the question of
city lighting, involving vast expendi?
ture, and another is providing a proper
water supply for the outlying bor?
oughs, particularly the Borough of
Queens. The completion of the new
water system is close at hand, and in
1915 we shall have available for dis?
tribution in the boroughs of Brooklyn
and Queens water from the Catskills.
In the Street ('leaning Department
Commissioner Fetherston is taking up
the work of modernizing our street
cleaning methods and placing them on
a level with the best practice of Euro
pean cities. We'are to begin this yea
I hope, an experiment in a typical dit
trict, substituting modern methods fc
the more or less outworn methods no?
employed.
We arc preparing to meet more sat
ivfactorily in another year the probtet
of snow removal and snow fighting. W
have found that the best way to .lea
the streets of snow is to remove ?no*.
while it is falling, and to use for tbi
purpose not merely trucks, but mechan
ica! ploughs, sweepers and the sewe
system. In the new plans we are hav?
ing the co-operation of the borougi
presidents. Commissioner Fetherstoi
is bending his energies to prepare hi
department to clear the streets of sno.
in a more satisfactory manner than w
were able to do last winter under th
provisions of a contract entered int
before this administration began. W
have at least come to this point ir
snow removal: Xo longer is it possibl?
for contractors to charge for imaginar;
work. By a careful system of checkini
and supervision it is practically im
possible now for contractors to aeel
pay except on an honest basis.
This last winter the snow problen
was exceptionally difficult. The largesi
quantity of snow was removed in th?
history of the department. But w?
were not satisfied with the results ob
tained. We mean to improve them ane
to profit by the experience we have had
I regard as the principal work befor?
the Park Department the development
of an adequate system of recreation,
This is necessary not only to give prop?
er opportunities for play to the chil?
dren of the city, bot to cut down the
appalling number of deaths that occur
, in the streets from traffic accidents.
The Public Recreation Commission has
been combined with the Social Wel?
fare Committee of the Board of Esti?
mate, and this committee is working
?.boulder to shoulder with the park
commissioners in developing a recrea?
tion plan.
Gratifying Health Work.
In the Health Department remark?
able progress is being made. A full
account of work done to date has been
given to the public in the commis?
sioner's rtport. For the summer months
we are opecially concerned with tbe
, further reduction of infant mortality.
It is a fine thing that in New York
City these last few years we have been
able to accomplish so much in this
?lirection. The number of deaths of
children under one year of age ha-i
been decreased from 16,215, in 1910, to
1.1,700, in 191.1.
This last week especial emphasis was
given to this important work by bring?
ing together all of the agencies of the
city that ave concerned in child-saving
work to participate in what has been
called "Baby Week."
Particularly gratifying is the effec?
tive public co-operation established by
?he Health Department. For practical?
ly every line of health work Commis?
sioner Goldwater has organized co-op?
erative committees of citizen bodies.
The Health Department cannot do its
! work effectively without active public
co-operation. This is the keynote of
1 modern health administration. Health
standards in New York City are as
high as in any city in the world. We
? propose to maintain them and to ad?
vance them.
BETTER BUSINESS DEALINGS
CUTS OUT CORRUPTION
The owners of real estate in New
York City have for several years been
concerned with the tax burden. A
number of suggestions have been made
for radical revision of our system of
taxation. This matter, of such funda?
mental importance to the business and
commercial welfare of the city, can?
not be dealt with offhand. In order
that we may have the best judgment
possible in reaching a conclusion as to
whether any changes should be made
in our methods of taxation, I have ap?
pointed an advisory commission of tax
experts under the leadership of Mr, Al
?'red E. Marling. This committee is
working with the Tax Department iti
making a thorough study of our taxa?
tion methods and methods employed in
other communities. The whole busi?
ness of the city is based on taxation.
It is therefore of the highest im?
portance that methods of taxation
should be thoroughly equitable and
thoroughly modern.
One important phase of the work of
city administration is to establish
proper business relationships with
< ontlnufd on page 8. column S
1. Altem $c (Eu.
V
will hold, this day (Monday),
An Extraordinary Clearance Sale
of Choice Dress Silks
consisting of over 20,000 yards of Afternoon,
Evening and Summer Silks, arranged in
Bouse and Dress Lengths and offered at
40c, 50c, 60c, 95c. & $1.35
per yard.
-PifH-i Awni-it. 34t_7 ttxib 35th %trttU, *Ztm flor*.
1o, Per MONTH UPON PLEDGE
1V& OF PERSONAL PRO 'ERTY
THE PROVIDENT LOAN S^IETY OF Nr.W YORK"
HASH ATI AN
fourth Avenue cor. 35th Street
Eldridge Street cor. Kivin?*ton Street
Seventh Ave. bet. 48th and 49th Sts.
Lexington Ave. cor. 124th Street
Grand Street cor. Clinton Street
Eist 72d St.bet.Lexington &c 3d Avj
East Houston St. cor. Essex St
_, UMOMX
Courtlandt Ave. cor. 148tk Street
:.K?.oui..x
Orihatn Avenue cor. DebevoUa St
Pltkin_Avenue cor. Rock>way Ava.
1 / PER CENT. CHARGED UPON
yi\ LOANS REPAID WITHIN
~ tut TWO WEEKS FROM DATt
