DAILY, ONE CENT.SUNDAY, THREE CENTS.
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| VOL. L. . .No. 15,881 | NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1, 1900, SATURDAY.—SIXTEEN PAGES. |
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CHARTER REVISION IS NOW COMPLETE
Vital Changes Proposed in the City Government.
THE MAYOR'S POWER CURBED
Board of Estimate Reformed—To Abolish Municipal Assembly—Single Police Head—School Amendments.
By arrangements made with Gov. Roosevelt the Charter Rivision Commission will give out to-day the report of the changes which it thinks should be made in the government of the city. It has also been decided that the public shall be informed of the recommendations of the commission on Monday morning.
The report will be signed to-day. George L. Rives, who has charge of the publication of the document, assures the public that no copy will be given out for publication before that day and if any paper purports to print the report the copy will have been obtained by surreptitious means.
It is said that the hardest work of the commission was to find some way by which the power of the Mayor as the practical head of the Board of Estimate could be curbed. Under the present charter the majority of the members of the board are controlled by the Mayor through his own election and his personal appointments to the offices of Corporation Counsel and President of the Department of Taxes and Assessments.
The charge made against the Board of Estimate has been that while it was practically in control of the City Government, as it regulated all expenses, the body was not representative of the people. Various remedies were suggested. The idea which the commission wanted embodied in the revised charter was to have a majority of the Board of Estimate elected by the people.
The proposed new law, it is said, will make the Board of Estimate include the Mayor, the Controller, the President of the Board of Aldermen, and the Presidents of the five boroughs. Whenever a question comes to a vote the Mayor shall have three votes, the Controller three votes, the President of the Board of Aldermen three votes; the Presidents of the Boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn two votes, and the Presidents of the Boroughs of Bronx, Queens, and Richmond one vote each, making in all sixteen votes. No official appointed by the Mayor will have a voice or vote in the proceedings of the board.
After a long contest it is said that the final determination of the commission is to continue the term of office for the Mayor at four years. He is to be ineligible to re-election.
The present Municipal Assembly will be abolished if the recommendations of the commission are accepted. Instead of the dual legislative body there will be a Board of Aldermen, consisting of sixty members. The members of this board will be elected at large, that is, he will be elected by a vote of all the citizens of the city, in the same manner as the Mayor. He will also be eligible to fill the office of Mayor in case of the removal by death or otherwise of the head of the city Government.
An added power will be given to the Mayor. He will have complete control of all his subordinates and may remove any of them at will during his term of office, instead of during the first six months of his term, as under the present charter.
A revolution is planned in the Police Department, if the revision suggestions are adopted. It is suggested that the police be placed under the control of a Police Commissioner whose salary shall be $10,000 a year. The increase in the salary is made, so declares one of the Commissioners, to secure a man of the highest ability for the place. The Bureau of Elections will be separated from the Police Department entirely. The Chief of the Police, according to the proposed law, can be removed by the votes of the Police Commissioner and the Mayor. The bi-partisan idea for the Bureau of Elections has been recommended.
The Department of Education has presented one of the most difficult problems for the revisionists. The final conclusion is to recommend to the Legislature the abolition of the Borough Boards of the Department of Education and the formation of a compact central board, consisting of forty-six members. Of this number Manhattan and the Bronx are to have twenty-two, Brooklyn fourteen, and Queens and Richmond five each.
According to the statements made by men who have been asked for advice, the Davis salary law will be repealed if the recommendations of the Charter Revision Commission are adopted. The provision for a tax of 4 mills on each $100 of property valuation for the salaries of school teachers will also be annulled. It is said that the provision for the regulation of school teachers' salaries provides that the Central Board of Education, with the approval of the Board of Estimate, shall, before July 1, 1901, adopt a new salary schedule, otherwise the salaries of all teachers are to be fixed at the figures which prevailed before Dec. 31, 1809, or before the Davis law took effect. The teachers would, therefore, receive the salaries fixed by the Ahearn law.
It is also proposed to divide the city into forty-six school districts on a basis of school population. The Central Board will elect the Superintendent of Schools and also fifteen District Superintendents.
One of the most radical changes in the charter which is said the revisionists will propose is to abolish several of the boards which now have charge of large departments. For instance, the Department of Charities is to be controlled by one Commissioner instead of a board of three Commissioners, as at present. There will be deputies, in each borough, under the control of the Commissioner. The Department of Parks will also be placed under the control of one Commissioner.
The Department of Corrections will be under the charge of a single Commissioner, without any deputies in the boroughs.
One of the most radical provisions in the amended charter may result in a charge in the hospital system of the city. All the emergency hospitals under the city's control will be placed in charge of a commission of seven physicians, who will serve without pay. These hospitals are all now under the control of the Department of Charities.
What will happen to the mass of suggestions made by the Charter Revision Commission when the legislature meets is problematical. Senator Thomas C. Platt has within the past few days stated that a good many of its recommendations would not be adopted by the Legislature.
TO-DAY,
SIXTEEN PAGES
WITH
REVIEW OF BOOKS AND ART.
INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS.
- Stocks irregular. Financial Affairs.—Pages 12 and 13.
- Wheat, No. 2 red, 77⅜c.; corn, No. 2 mixed, 45⅝c.; oats, No. 2 mixed, 26½c.; cotton, middling, 10¼c.; Iron, No. 1 foundry, $16; butter, Western creamery, 25c. Commercial World.—Page 11.
- Amusements.—Page 8.
- Arrivals at Hotels and Out-of-Town Buyers.—Page 5.
- Business Troubles.—Page 11.
- Court Calendars.—Page 11.
- Insurance Notes.—Page 13.
- Losses by Fire.—Page 5.
- Marine Intelligence and Foreign Malls.—Page 2.
- New Corporations—Page 13.
- Real Estate.—Page 11.
- Religious News—Page 6.
- Society.—Page 9.
- United Service.—Page 3.
- Weather Report.—Page 5.
- Yesterday's Fires—Page 5.
The Pennsylvania Railroad's Position.
Ever at the front of the railroads of the country. Its Limited leads the line.—Adv.
UNPRECEDENTED GOLD SUPPLY
Stock in the United States Treasury, $474,108,366—Probably $1,100,000,000 in the Country.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.—The largest stock of gold coin and bullion ever held in the United States is now accumulated in the Treasury and its branches. The total has been rising steadily during the whole of the present year, and is now $474,108,366, or about $76,000,000 greater than at the close of 1899.
This gold is not all the direct property of the United States, but is held against outstanding gold certificates. The amount of these less the amount in the Treasury and its branches, was $230,755,809 Wednesday. All the remaining gold, amounting to about $243,000,000, belongs to the Treasury, including the reserve fund of $150,000,000.
The influx of gold into the Treasury comes partly from the new gold from the Klondike and the other mines, but its retention is due to the pressure for currency, which leads to the acceptance of gold certificates and other paper money in preference to coin. The Treasury recently has been shipping small notes in large quantities to New Orleans and other points upon deposits of gold in the New York Sub-Treasury by the New York reserve agents of the Southern banks.
The fact that $474,108,366 is thus accumulated in a sense under a single authority enables an estimate to be made of some of the other visible gold resources of the country. The National banks reported gold holdings on Sept. 5 of about $312,000,000, of which amount $115,018,140 was in the gold certificates issued by the Treasury, makes a total in these two classes of establishments alone of about $670,000,000. This is more than the entire estimated stock of gold in the United States at the close of 1895.
The gold supply of the country on the last day of 1896 was estimated at $692,947,212. The estimated amount Nov. 1, 1900, was $1,080,027,407, and it is probable that the report for Dec. 1 will show at least $1,100,000,000. The Treasury officials are confident that the round sum of $475,000,000 in Treasury gold holdings will soon be attained, and that even $500,000,000 is not beyond reasonable expectation.
SMALLPOX IN 30TH STREET.
Two Cases Are Found Next Door to the Tenderloin Police Station.
It became known last night that two cases of smallpox had developed during the past two weeks at the New York Colored Mission House for Women, at 135 West Thirtieth Street. Both of the patients were removed to North Brothers Island for treatment. Late last night a surgeon connected with the Board of Health appeared at the West Thirtieth Street Police Station and requested Sergt. Carson to detail a policeman to accompany him to the home, next door. The cause of the late visit was to vaccinate the inmates. After much knocking the surgeon, accompanied by Policeman Ahearn, managed to awake a matron, who let them in.
All of the inmates were vaccinated, some of them submitting gracefully to the ordeal, while others were frightened and a few angry at the hour selected for the vaccination.
GIVING AWAY $100,000.
Delaware Man Keeps Thanksgiving Day Vow in Novel Fasion.
Special to The New York Times.
WILMINGTON, Del., Nov. 30.—Alexander Jackson of Camden, one of the best-known old men of Kent County, recently decided that if he lived until Thanksgiving Day he would distribute part of his fortune. He has no children and few immediate relatives. He is going to give away $100,000.
Mr. Jackson began the distribution of his wealth in a novel manner. For many years Frank Jackson has driven a hack between Wyoming Station and Camden. Frank Jackson, who is no relation to Alexander Jackson, had an antiquated cab. A few days ago Alexander Jackson appointed a committee to go to Philadelphia and spend $700 in the purchase of a fine pair of Western horses, a modern upholstered hack, nickel-plated harness, and other equipment, which were presented to Frank Jackson.
Edgar Stubbs, a clerk in the store of Jackson Stubbs, in Camden, gets $3,000 and a fine farm near Marydel. His brother, Jackson Stubbs, besides other gifts, gets $300 in cash. Mrs. Henry R. Draper, wife of the Justice of the Peace of Camden, receives $9,100 in property.
Mrs. William T. Jakes, wife of the express agent at Wyoming, gets $5,000, principally in well invested securities; Miss Mary Draper, a well-known young woman of Camden, receives $3,000.
Alexander Draper and Avery Draper, farmers, near Wyoming, each $3,000 in cash; Mrs. Annie Booker, recently married to a merchant of Hillsborough, Md., gets property valued at $3,000, and Isaac Jackson, a grocer at Wyoming, $2,500 and Miss Sallie Jackson, his daughter, $4,500.
Other gifts are to follow.
CLEARED OF $2,891,003 OF DEBT.
Arndt K. Housekeeper as Voluntary Bankrupt Discharged in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 30—Arndt K. Housekeeper of Narberth, Penn., was discharged as a voluntary bankrupt in the United States District Court to-day, with liabilities of $2,891,003,83 and assets of $25.
It was stated that thirteen years ago, when Housekeeper was twenty-two years of age, some friends induced him to go on their bond in a gigantic real estate operation. This involved the erection of 800 houses in Philadelphia and near-by cities. He signed the necessary papers without thoroughly understanding what he was doing. Later the burden of the mortgages, nearly $3,000,000, fell on his shoulders.
The holders of the mortgages began proceedings against him. The judgements against him. The judgements against him are held by trust companies and estates in various parts of the United Sates.
Reported Rich Gold Find in Arizona.
Special to The New York Times.
YUMA, Arizona, Nov. 30.—One of the richest gold ledges ever known in Arizona is reported to have been discovered in Central Yuma County, near the famous King of Arizona mines. The ore is said to be fairly speckled with free gold. The locators, six Yuma Mexicans, have bonded their main claims with absolutely no development work done for $50,000. The option has been secured by Ira P. Smith, Assistant Superintendent of the Territorial Penitentiary, who represents Frank M. Murphy of Prescott and several Los Angeles capitalists. The mine is in the most arid section of Arizona, about twenty-five miles east of the Colorado River, which is the nearest surface water.
California Excursions.
Daily excursions in Tourist Cars. Personally conducted every Thursday. Chicago, Union Pacific and Northwestern Line. Two fast trains daily from Chicago at 6:30 P. M. and 10:30 P. M. No change of cars. Tickets and information at Chicago and Northwestern Office, 461 Broadway.—Adv.
The Train for Pittsburg.
Only $9.00 first-class and $8.50 second-class. New York to Pittsburg via Baltimore and Ohio R. R. on "Pittsburg Limited." Leave New York, South Ferry, 6:55 P. M., and Liberty Street 7:00 P. M., arrive Pittsburg 8:55 A. M. Pullman Drawing-room Sleeping Cars.—Adv.
CITY EMPLOYES' DISMAY
Two Thousand Men Dismissed in the Various Departments.
Mr. Croker's War Upon Protective Associations Declared to be the Cause—Police Defied Him.
Over two thousand city employes have lost their jobs during the past week, and there has been much wailing in the Tammany camps of several politicians. All the leaders have been asking questions as to why this sudden descent should be made on office holders so soon after election, and why 2,000 of the faithful should be dismissed to spend a very cold and cheerless Winter.
There have been several answers made to these questions. The majority of the removals have been in the Department of Streets and Highways, in charge of Commissioner Keating, and in the Department of Parks and the Department of Street Cleaning.
An estimate made yesterday by one of the city officials gives the number of removed in the Department of Streets and Highways during the past week as from 800 to 1,000 men. Commissioner Nagle of the Street Cleaning Department said that he was compelled to drop temporarily 150 drivers in Manhattan because there was not enough work for them to do.
The number discharged from the Department of Parks is said to be in excess of 600 men.
The version given by many of the discharged employes is that Richard Croker and Tammany Hall are trying to break up the protective associations of the employes which have been formed in many of the city departments. The fight made against Capt. Clifford in the Fire Department and his discharge is cited to show the war which, it is said, Tammany Hall intends to make against these protective associations.
Is was also disclosed yesterday that an attempt was made before Mr. Croker sailed for Europe to break up the protective association in the Police Department. The answer of the heads of the Police Department Protective Association is said to have been a practical defiance of the power of Mr. Croker and the Tammany leaders. The effort to break up this police association was a very determined one. The fact that such a fight was carried on by Mr. Croker is shown by several interviews given out before he sailed in which he told how strong the police were when banded together, and that the department was stronger by far than Tammany Hall ever could be, through the protective associations of the men.
Street Cleaning Commissioner Nagle, when seen by a New York Times reporter, said:
