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 Avery Arc hitectural and Fine Arts Library 
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BROOKLYN CITY HALL, 189 
 
The 
 
 Last Municipal Administration 
 of Brooklyn 
 
 REVIEW OF THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED UNDER 
 
 MAYOR F. W. WURSTER 
 
 Brief Reports from the Various Departments 
 Details of Public Improvements Secured 
 IN 1896 and 1897 
 
 BROOKLYN 
 Eagle book printing Department 
 
 1897 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Chief Events of Public Importance . 5-32 
 
 Department of F inance 33~3^ 
 
 Department of Collection 37-40 
 
 Department of Arrears 4I--45 
 
 Department of Law 47-53 
 
 Department of Assessment 55-6i 
 
 Department of Police and Excise 63-72 
 
 Department of Health 73-82 
 
 Department of Fire . . S3-89 
 
 Department of Buildings 91-94 
 
 Department of City Works 95-108 
 
 Department of Parks 109-113 
 
 Civil Service Commission 11 5-120 
 
CHIEF EVENTS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 
 DURING THE ADMINISTRATION 
 OF MAYOR WURSTER. 
 
 Mayor's Office, Brooklyn, X. Y., 
 December 23, 1897. 
 
 The fact that the city of Brooklyn ends its official life as an 
 individual municipality at midnight of December 31, 1897, 
 renders of especial value a record of what has been done by the 
 last municipal administration. In this connection, I present 
 herewith a brief review of the salient features of the adminis- 
 tration of which I have had the honor to be the head. I would 
 like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to those 
 who have ably co-operated with me in the work of giving good 
 government to the people of Brooklyn. We have been embar- 
 rassed bv conditions growing out of the management of affairs 
 previous to 189-t, and especially by the lack of means to carry 
 on public works of the first magnitude. But much has been 
 accomplished for the permanent good of thecity and its people. 
 
 One of the important matters first presented for mv con- 
 sideration after taking ofhce was that of consolidation with 
 New York. The scheme had advanced beyond the tentative 
 stage in which an expression of opinion upon the subject had 
 been made by the people at the polls, and a slight majority in 
 favor secured in our city. When the bill providing for the con- 
 solidating into one community of the great stretch of territory 
 embracing not only the entire counties of New Y^ork, Kings and 
 Richmond, but also considerable portions of Queens and West- 
 chester, had been passed by the Legislature, I gave a series of 
 ])ublic hearings upon it, at which full cx])ression of o])inion for 
 and against the measure was secured. The result was that 
 after hearing all that could be said and giving careful consider- 
 ation to everv argument, I decided on behalf of the citv of 
 Brooklyn not to accept the bill. 
 
6 
 
 My conclusions arc set fortli in the lollowin^ conininnica- 
 tion to the Legislature : 
 
 Mayor's Okkice, Brooklyn, N. Y., April 9, 1S96. 
 To the Honorable, the Lei^islaticre of the State of New Yo7-k : 
 
 In behalf of the city of Brooklyn I return herewith Senate Bill No. 825, en- 
 titled, " An act consolidating the local governments of the territory within the 
 city and county of New York, the counties of Kings and Richmond and Long 
 Island City, and the towns of Newtown, Flushing and Jamaica and part of the 
 town of Hempstead in the county of Queens, and providing for the preparation 
 of bills for enactment into laws for the government thereof." 
 
 It is not essential to the well being of the city of Brooklyn that consolidation 
 should be had with the other cities and towns referred to in this bill irrespective 
 of terms or conditions. If Brooklyn is to receive any benefit from consolidation 
 it must be from a consolidation consummated and complete, that shall insure to 
 her full and equal rights, privileges and benefits with every other portion of the 
 territory affected by the bill. The only thing that the bill under consideration 
 certainly accomplishes, so far as the city of Brooklyn is concerned, is that on 
 the first day of January, 1898, it shall be united in name only with the city of 
 New York. Until further legislation is had and other acts are passed the local 
 administration and government of the territories mentioned in section one of 
 this act are to continue as at present. 
 
 It is true that the bill provides for the appointment of a commission which 
 shall, on or before February 1, 1897, prepare and submit to the Legislature bills 
 which, when enacted, shall provide a government for the enlarged municipality. 
 The fact that it is provided that this commission shall from time to time report 
 to the Legislature its recommendations and submit bills embodying such recom- 
 mendations makes it entirely possible, if not probable, that no charter ever will 
 be submitted as a complete instrument, but rather a series of separate bills, each 
 of which shall be subject to future legislative action. 
 
 Even though the act under consideration does provide that such bills shall 
 provide, among other things, for attaining an equal and uniform rate of taxa- 
 tion and of valuation for the purpose of taxation, there is no assurance that the 
 bill providing for this will not be rejected, although all the other bills submitted 
 should pass. It would certainly not be a wise and prudent business transaction 
 for the owner of a valuable piece of property to sign the contract to sell the 
 same and provide that the title should be absolutely transferred at a certain date 
 in the future, for a price and upon terms and conditions which should be fixed 
 by some third person over whose acts he had no control. I cannot reconcile it 
 with my ideas of that which should constitute a business administration of the 
 affairs of this city to consent that her rights, property and franchises shall be 
 disposed of in a similar way. 
 
 In behalf of the city of Brooklyn I cannot accept this bill, because serious 
 legal complications may arise growing out of its adoption. Lender the provi- 
 sions of the constitution (Article III., Section 26) there shall be in the several 
 counties, except in cities whose boundaries are the same as those of the county, 
 
7 
 
 a board of supervisors. If this bill should become a law, and under it consol- 
 idation should be effected, the boundaries of this enlarged city would not be the 
 same as those of any of the counties comprised within it. 
 
 After considerable effort, by an act of the Legislature, which took effect on 
 January ist of this year, under the authority conferred by the section of the con- 
 stitution above quoted, the board of supervisors in Kings County was abolished. 
 It certainly would be most disastrous to the interests of good and economical gov- 
 ernment to have that board and the old forms of county government restored to 
 life. This objection cannot be dismissed with the suggestion that laws can be 
 passed to obviate this difficulty. It is at least doubtful whether anything short 
 of a constitutional amendment will avert this danger. If this is necessary, un- 
 der the most favorable circumstances, this constitutional amendment could not 
 become operative until the isi of January, 1900, just two years after it is con- 
 templated that under the first section of the bill under consideration consolida- 
 tion shall take place. 
 
 In behalf of the city of Brooklyn, I cannot accept this bill, because it con- 
 tains not provisions requiring the terms and conditions of consolidation to be 
 submitted to the people. If it be true American doctrine that governments 
 derive their just powers from the consent of the government, then, unless the 
 consent has already been given, it would be unjust to deprive a municipality of 
 her independent and separate existence until such consent shall be obtained. 
 
 In 1S94 an act was passed to submit to a vote of the duly qualified electors of 
 the territory described in it the question of its consolidation under one munici- 
 pal government. By the provisions of this act it was declared that the ballots 
 cast, except in the city of New York, should be deemed and taken as an expres- 
 sion of the voter, as the case might be, in favor of or against consolidation with 
 that city. Prior to that election a commission appointed under an act passed in 
 iSgo to consider the expediency of consolidation published a circular, which was 
 distributed among the voters of this city, which contained the following state- 
 ment : " Electors will please observe that this vote amounts to nothing more 
 than a simple expression of opinion oh the general subject of consolidation. It 
 is merely the gathering of the sentiments of the electors of each municipality 
 advisory as to future proceedings, and if every ballot in the city or town were 
 cast in favor of consolidation there would be no finality about it." 
 
 I do not think it would be just or fair to consider the vote obtained under 
 such circumstances as a final and irrevocable determination on the part of the 
 people of this city in favor of consolidation on any terms or under conditions 
 that might be offered. The Legislature which passed the bill now under consid- 
 eration manifestly did not so construe it, for they appointed a committee at the 
 beginning of the session to sit in this city and endeavor to ascertain the wishes 
 of the people on this subject. If it had been supposed that these wishes had 
 already been referred to, further inquiry on the subject would not only have 
 been unnecessary, but of doubtful propriety. Through such hearings as were 
 held by the legislative committee, and as have been held before me, pursuant to 
 the provisions of the constitution, I do not believe that it is possible, fairly 
 and accurately, to determine the wishes of one million, one hundred thousand 
 people residing in this city, nor do I think that they could be determined in 
 
8 
 
 any other way than by a vote whieli shall he understood by all parlies to be final 
 and conclusive. 
 
 Under favorable conditions and on fair terms consolidation of the munici- 
 palities referred to in this bill may be of decided benefit; but until a bill shall 
 be prepared defining the terms and conditions of consolidation, which shall be 
 submitted to the peo])le for their approval or rejection, I cannot feel that justice 
 will be done to this city. 
 
 I beg leave to return herewith the bill above referred to, and to respectfully 
 advise you, in behalf of the city of Brooklyn, that the city has not accepted the 
 same. Respectfully, 
 
 F. W. WURSTER, 
 
 Mayo?' of the City of B? ooklyn. 
 
 But the Legislature passed the bill again and Governor 
 Morton gave it his approval, it the Commission to draft 
 the Charter for the new city was constituted, and bv virtue 
 of my office I was made a member thereof. To the duties 
 thus imposed I gave much attention, and sought in every wa\' 
 to have the rights of the residents of what will hereafter 
 be called the Borough of Brookhm preserved. Much was 
 accomplished, but not all I designed, especially in e([ualizing 
 the salaries of employees. 
 
 When the new Charter had been passed by the Legisla- 
 ture, the cjuestion of its acceptance by the city came before 
 me. Realizing that by the Act of Consolidation we were to 
 be united with New York by January 1st, and that if a 
 charter was not secured by the action of the Legislattire there 
 would be endless confusion, I felt constrained to accept the 
 Charter despite the defects due to the limited time allotted to 
 its preparation. M}^ views upon the subject are fulK^ set forth 
 in the accompanying memorandum to the Legislature, which 
 re-passed the Charter, despite the non-acceptance of the citv 
 of New York : 
 
 Mayor's Office, Brooklyn, N. Y., April S, 1897. 
 To the Honorable, the Legislatni'e of the State of New York : 
 
 I return herewith Assembly Bill No. 1,700, entitled, "An act to unite in one 
 municipality under the corporate name of the City of New York, the various 
 communities lying in and about New York harbor, including the city and 
 county of New York, the city of Brooklyn and the county of Kings, the cotinty 
 of Richmond and part of the county of Queens, and to provide for the govern- 
 ment thereof, " with the statement that the city of Brooklyn has accepted the same. 
 
9 
 
 Whether a consohdation of all of the municipal corporations in the territory 
 above referred to (including the city of Brooklyn) with the city of New York is 
 desirable or wise, is not an open question. On the iith day of May, i8q6, the 
 people of the State of New York, acting through its Legislature with the ap- 
 proval of the Governor, determined, against the objection of the city of 
 Brooklyn, expressed as provided in the constitution, that such consolidation 
 should take place on the first day of January, 1S98. Present action should be 
 controlled by knowledge of the fact that after that date there will be a new 
 municipal corporation comprising all of the territory described. Unless a char- 
 ter for the government of this corporation is adopted by this Legislature, at the 
 date named, within tins territory at least five different systems of local admin- 
 istration and government will exist, independent and. in many respects, inhar- 
 monious. It is difficult to foretell what result would follow such a condition of 
 affairs. 
 
 Under the provisions of the constitution (Article XIL, Section 2) special city 
 laws shall not be passed except in the manner therein prescribed. After any 
 bill for a special city law has been passed by the Legislature a certified copy 
 thereof must be sent to the mayor of the city to which it relates, who shall 
 thereafter return it with his certificate, stating whether the city has accepted 
 the same or not. After January i, 1S9S, will the municipal corporation in the 
 territory named be a city or will it not? If it is a city, to whom, as the Mayor 
 of such city, shall bills relating to it be sent ? If to each person elected as the 
 chief officer in the different portions thereof, and there is a want of harmony 
 in their action, what result would follow? If this new municipal corporation is 
 not a city, because it has no charter providing for its government, then are the 
 inhabitants of this territory to be deprived of the protection of this constitu- 
 tional provision, and may a Legislature pass laws relating to its property and 
 affairs without reference to any local authority ? Instances might be multiplied, 
 but it is necessary in order to avoid chaos that the best charter obtainable 
 should be adopted before the corporate life of this municipality begins. 
 
 The bill which I return herewith may not be free from defects. I believe 
 that it ought to provide, among other things, for commissioners in the Borough 
 of Brooklyn, to succeed the present heads of departments in this city, whose 
 powers in that territory should be equal to that now exercised by such heads of 
 departments, and that all persons performing similar duties in all parts of the 
 annexed territory should receive like compensation. But in the main it is fair, 
 equitable and, I believe, practicable. The risk at this stage of the legislative 
 session of returning such a bill unaccepted because of defects minor in their 
 character, or because of a difference of opinion as to the wisdom of some of its 
 provisions, seems to me to be so great that ordinary prudence dictates its 
 acceptance. One system of government throughout the entire territory is 
 better than several systems, each affecting different portions thereof. I believe 
 that confidence may be reposed in succeeding Legislatures, to remedy defects 
 as they may be found to exist when the Charter is put into practical operation. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 F. W. WURSTER, 
 
 Mayor of the City 0/ Brooklyn. 
 
 2 
 
lO 
 
 Many other legislative matters came before me during the 
 sessions of 189G and 1897, and to all I gave the utmost 
 consideration, listening to all that was presented at the ])ublic 
 hearings upon them. There were in all 2()1 Brooklvn measures 
 passed by the Legislature in the two years ; 31 of them I dis- 
 approved, and 183 became laws, the Governor failing to sign 
 the rest. In 1896 there were 39 bills to exempt certain streets 
 for the operation of railroads which became laws. There 
 were nearly as many introduced in 1897, and I approved of all 
 of them, but Governor Black refused to sign any save one. 
 
 My general knowledge of affairs, and particularly my ex- 
 perience as Commissioner of Fire, immediately preceding my 
 entrance upon the duties of Mayor, caused me to realize the im- 
 portance of watching with care the doings of the Legislature. 
 It appeared to me that there should be a thorough and sys- 
 tematic examination of all bills introduced in order to de- 
 termine which of them affected the interests of the city; that 
 pro]ier efforts should be made to defeat or retard those 
 which were thoroughlv bad in subject matter or iri ]:)rinci])le ; 
 to amend those which were good in intent, but imperfect in 
 form, and to cause to be introduced and advanced to final 
 passage such bills as were required for the good government 
 of the city. 
 
 I accordingly directed the attention of the Corporation 
 Counsel to this subject. He immediately organized his office to 
 that end, an assistant being placed in charge of the matter, 
 who attended tlie sessions of the Legislature, appearing be- 
 fore the Committees, and presenting the views of the city 
 officers upon pending bills. While this entailed a large amount 
 of additional labor upon the Corporation Counsel and his 
 office, I feel that the results acconi])lished warranted all the 
 attention bestowed upon the matter. 
 
 Among the important bills specifically affecting the city 
 which became laws during the years 1896 and 1897 are the 
 following: 
 
 The bills providing for the Greater New York and the Greater 
 
1 1 
 
 New York Charter; amending the Charter in relation to the 
 disposition of excise money, and providing that the greater 
 part thereof should be paid into the Revenue Ftuid, by author- 
 ity of which the Revenue T^und has been largely increased bv 
 sums received under the Liquor Tax Law ; providing for the 
 abatement of nuisances m and about Newtown Creek; amend- 
 ing the Count\' Law relative to the construction and mainte- 
 nance of bridges over Newtown Creek ; relating to the improve- 
 ment of the Wallabout Market lands ; relating to a State tax 
 levy of $224,780 upon the city of Brooklyn for unpaid portion 
 of the Kings County tax of 1873, which after a vigorous contest 
 was compromised so as to settle the account against the 
 County of Kings remaining upon the books of the State 
 Comptroller for the sum of $95,937.85 to be paid in three in- 
 stallments, thus saving to the city upward of $128,000; 
 making the roadways on the New York and Brooklyn Bridge 
 free to bicycle riders ; authorizing the asphalting of Glenniore 
 avenue and the construction of a return bicycle path and side- 
 walks upon each side of the Ocean Parkway ; providing for the 
 establishment of the Boys' Disciplinary Training School; for 
 the improvement of the City Hall ; to provide a floating bath 
 for the Sixth Ward ; providing for the appointment of the 
 Atlantic Avenue Commissioners, followed by the Atlantic 
 Avenue Improvement bill, based upon the report of the Com- 
 missioners ; authorizing the annual issue of $500,000 in bonds 
 for the re-pavement of streets and highways instead of $250,- 
 000, as theretofore ; vesting the care and control of the Shore 
 Driveway in the Commission appointed, until the completion of 
 their work ; reorganizing the Inebriates' Home ; the re-paving 
 of Leonard street and Albany avenue with asphalt; widening 
 of the approach to the ferries at the foot of Grand street ; au- 
 thorizing the city to finally acquire the Brooklyn and Jamaica 
 Plank Road; authorizing the issue in 1897 of $500,000 for 
 school purposes ; authorizing the city of New York to issue 
 $2,500,000 of bonds for school ])ur])oses in the Borough of 
 Brooklyn; for the erection and equipment of two high schools; 
 
12 
 
 in rcrcrcnco to the establishment and maintenance of a piiblie 
 li])rar_v; atithorizint>- the eity to set aj^art and transfer site for 
 ])ul)lie Hbrary; to provide for the esta1)Hshment of a l)otanie 
 garden ; authorizing" the Mayor, Comptroller and Corporation 
 Counsel to eom promise aetions to whieh the city is a party 
 under authority of whieh the long standing Litchfield litiga- 
 tion was terminated by the payment to the city of $470, ()()(); 
 regulating the carriage of i)assengers across the New York and 
 Brookhm Bridge; relating to the New East River Bridge; and 
 repealing the Second avenue imi^rovement ])reviouslv author- 
 ized by the Legislature. 
 
 The removal of the tracks of the Long Lsland Railroad 
 from the surface of Atlantic avenue was early brought to my 
 attention as one of the best ])ossible things for the entire city, 
 and I promoted the project in every way. Early in the session 
 of the Legislature in LS9() a bill was j^assed authorizing me 
 to appoint a commission of five residents of the citv to ex- 
 amine and report a plan for the relief and improvement of 
 Atlantic avenue. As such Commissioners I named Eugene G. 
 Blackford, Edward IL Hobbs, Edward P. Linton, William E. 
 Phillips and Walter M. Meserole. They formulated a plan, 
 and under the provisions of the act I had a bill pre])ared for 
 the purpose of carrying out this and introduced in the Legis- 
 lature last winter. As soon as this became a law I re-ap- 
 ])ointed the same Commission, adding to them Messrs. Will- 
 iam H. Baldwin, Jr., and Charles M. Pratt, of the Long 
 Island Railroad Com])anv, to carry out its provisions. The 
 depression of the tracks now upon the surface for the greater 
 ]:>art of the length of the street, together with their elevation 
 for a short distance, is provided for by the law, and the city's 
 share in the cost of the same is not to exceed $1,250,000. 
 In connection with the removal of steam from the surface it 
 was planned by the railroad company to secure ra])id transit 
 to the heart of New York by a tunnel from the i)resent ter- 
 minus of the surface road. To carry this out, a com])any was 
 formed which sought the right to construct the tunnel from 
 
13 
 
 the Common Council. When the matter had been ])en(liniLi- for 
 some time before that body, I urged that action be taken at 
 once in the following communication : 
 
 Mayor's Offick, Brooklyn, N. Y., December (>, iSoy. 
 To the Honorable, tJie Coni/non CoiDicil : 
 
 Gentlemen. — I desire to direct your especial attention to the importance 
 of the matter pending before 3'ou, relative to the application of the Brooklyn, 
 New York and Jersey City Terminal Railway Company for permission to con- 
 struct a tunnel railroad from Flatbush and Atlantic avenues to the East 
 River. 
 
 You are famihar with the repeated efforts to relieve the surface of Atlantic 
 avenue in our city from the operation of a steam railroad. For many years 
 this has been regarded as one of the most desirable things for the benefit of 
 Brooklyn. There has been unanimous agreement that this would be the most 
 beneficial, not only to the immediate vicinity, which would experience great re- 
 lief, but also for the portions of the city divided by the operation of frequent 
 trains on the railroad and the necessity of having crossings closed by gates. 
 The entire city would be the gainer by the increased valuation of property, to 
 say nothing of the freedom from danger incident to the use of steam upon the 
 surface. The result of the continued agitation of the subject was the creation 
 of a commission by the Legislature two years ago, which devised a plan for the 
 removal of the railroad tracks from the surface, so as to give the city just 
 what it has so long wanted. 
 
 But directly connected with this plan for restoring the surface of Atlantic 
 avenue to the people of our great city is the projected tunnel from the terminus 
 of the Long Island Railroad to and beneath the East Riv^er, so that cars can be 
 run to the heart of the business center of New York at a rapid rate of speed. 
 This will afford quick transit to a large section of our city and adjacent regions 
 to be embraced in the Greater New York. The right to build this tunnel is de- 
 sired in order to carry out the proposed depression of the surface tracks in 
 Atlantic avenue. The two projects stand or fall together. 
 
 It is proposed to spend from 1:35,000,000 to .^50,000,000 in New York for an 
 underground road which will give rapid transit to the upper part of the city. 
 This money is to be expended by the city and will become a burden upon the 
 taxpayers. But this projected tunnel from downtown New York, through the 
 center of Brooklyn and on out to the suburbs, by the outlet afforded in Atlantic 
 avenue, is to be built at private cost, and will afford to our city all that the 
 enormous expenditure of public money in New York is expected to accomplish. 
 Trains are to be operated in the proposed tunnel so that it will be possible to 
 travel from the financial center of New York to this City Hall in four minutes ; 
 to Flatbush avenue in seven minutes ; to East New York in twelve minutes ; 
 and to Jamaica in twenty minutes. This rapid transit will be the most positive 
 and direct benefit to Brooklyn possible. 
 
 To secure it, however, it is necessary for your honorable body to act favor- 
 ably upon the matter laid before you at your meeting on October iSth by the 
 
14 
 
 company, and upon which your Raih-oad Committee has given a pubhc hearing, 
 at which a strong sentiment in favor of the project was manifested. This tunnel 
 railroad will occupy no portion of the public streets of our city, but will be en- 
 tirely beneath the surface, so far that it will cause no disturbance to either pub- 
 lic or private property. 
 
 Let me urge upon your honorable body the importance of immediate and 
 favorable action in a matter of such value to the entire city, of whicli you are 
 the representatives. Respectfully, 
 
 F. W. WURSTER, Mayor. 
 
 The interest of every resident on this side of the East River 
 who has occasion to cross that arm of the sea, as it really is, 
 will be served by wiping' out as far as possible all lines of 
 division between the two sides. Second only to the construc- 
 tion of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge is the plan to make 
 it only a link in the chain of railroads running from the out- 
 lying parts of Brooklyn to and through Xcw York. In mv 
 capacity as Bridge Trustee I saw the great desirability of 
 securing continuous transit over the great structure, and in 
 the near future it will be possible for a resident of the Borough 
 of Brooklyn to get on the car running nearest his home and 
 travel without change to the other end of the Bridge, and per- 
 haps farther. This will do more for the building up of our 
 outlying territory than the construction of the Bridge itself did 
 for the older part of Brooklyn. 
 
 When the matter of allowing surface railroad tracks upon 
 the plaza at the Bridge entrance was brought to my attention, 
 as it had previously been before the Bridge Trustees, I saw the 
 desirability of having cars run across the structure instead of 
 transferring people to and from the Bridge cars ever\' time 
 they crossed the river. To this end a resolution was passed 
 bv the Trustees at \\\\ instance, recommending the ap])oint- 
 mcnt of three engineers as a Bocird of Experts to report u]3on 
 the strength of the Bridge and the feasibility and practica- 
 bility of running the elevated railroad cars and the surface 
 railroad cars, or either of them, across the structure. Under 
 this, Messrs. Virgil G. Bogue, George H. Thomson and Leffert 
 L. Buck were ap])ointed. After full consideration of the 
 
15 
 
 sii1)ject, they reported in favor of allowing both elevated and 
 surface cans to cross the structure. In their report they said : 
 ''Among those l)est informed, there has never been any doubt 
 as to the ability of the Bridge to carry the surface cars with 
 absolute safety. ■"■ 
 
 "From the above, it is ])lain that from an engineering or 
 operating point of view we have discovered no adequate 
 reason why, under suitable contracts, the cars of the surface 
 railroads and the trains of the elevated railroads, or either ol" 
 them, should not be permitted to operate on the Bridge. 
 
 "If both systems of railroads are permitted to cross, the 
 people will be provided with the maximum of Bridge facilities 
 now attainable, while the Bridge will be in a position to aftbrd 
 its maximum of utility, both as a factor in furnishing the most 
 agreeable and convenient means of transit over the river and 
 as a source of income." 
 
 In connection with the arrangements of the railroad com- 
 panies under this report it w^as found possible to make the 
 Bridge free to the people of Brooklyn l)y enabling them to ride 
 from their homes to the New^ York terminus of the Bridge for 
 a single five-cent fare. To attain this it w^as necessary to 
 secure legislative authority for abolishing fares u])on the rail- 
 way of the Bridge, and the passage of a law^ w^as obtained 
 which gave the Trustees of the Bridge pow^er to abolish all 
 fares upon the raihva}'^ upon contracting wnth railroad cor- 
 porations to carry passengers over the Bridge without charg- 
 ing any fare additional to that required upon their regular 
 cars, and to make such contracts in conformity with the report 
 of the expert engineers. Under this law the contracts were 
 made w^hich will give to Brooklyn a free bridge. 
 
 The construction of the New^ East River Bridge has also been 
 pushed as rapidly as possible, and now^ that all the caissons 
 are in position, the time is not far distant when the towers 
 will be seen to rise, and then the giant structure wnll be swung 
 across the tides, and a new highway of travel will be opened, 
 doing for the northern part of the city w^hat the present Bridge 
 
6 
 
 did for the southern part of old Brooklyn, and addint^ much to 
 the facility with which residents on Lonj^ Island can reach the 
 center ol the nietro])olis. 
 
 The Hoard of Aldermen in its action comes under the direct 
 supervision of the Mayor, and there is much requirin<>- careful 
 scrutiny in their ])roceedings. The rk)ard ])asses from 50 to 
 150 resolutions every week, many of them of a ])urelv routine 
 nature. But among them are often to be found faultv and 
 illegal measures which require to be rescinded. In many in- 
 stances it was only necessar\' for me to present to the mover of 
 a resolution the reasons for recalling it to have it rescinded. But 
 in other cases it was necessar\^ to file a veto, and I have had to 
 thus formally disapprove of no less than twenty resolutions on 
 gi'ounds of public policy. None of them was re-passed. 
 
 The financial condition of the city has received much atten- 
 tion at my hands in order to secure as much as possible for the 
 ultimate good of the community. When I took office the net 
 city debt w^as $52,037,000 and the assessed ■ valuation was 
 $563,987,132. The net debt is now $59,938,422, and the as- 
 sessed valuation is $603,796,463. There have been bonds 
 issued for nianv permanent improvements, notably for increas- 
 ing the w^ater supplv, for building schoolhouses, for the East 
 River Bridge, for the Wallabout Market, for the im])rovemcnt 
 of the City Hall, for the construction of sewers, for the comple- 
 tion of the Museum of Arts and Sciences, and for street re-pav- 
 ing, including the notable improvements in Leonard street, 
 Jamaica avenue and Albany avenue. 
 
 The question of additional water supply for the city has 
 engroSvSed much attention. By adding to the driven-well sys- 
 tem, the quantity demanded for the daily necessities of the city 
 has been secured. Steps have been taken to prevent a recur- 
 rence of the trouble wdth the purity of the water which was 
 experienced in 1896. In this matter, I addressed the following 
 communication to the Board of Aldermen, which led to favoi*- 
 able action on their part : 
 
17 
 
 June 14, 1S97. 
 
 To the Honorable, the Connnon Couue/l of the City of Bi'ooklyn : 
 
 Gentlemen. — It is my duty to call your attention to the urg-ent necessity 
 for immediate action upon your part in connection with a communication ad- 
 dressed to you by the Commissioner of City Works and which appears in your 
 proceedings of April 19, 1S97, and is there designated as resolution No. 10. A 
 portion of that communication has reference to the construction of a " by-pass " 
 around the Ridgewood reservoir. It is important that this work should be 
 immediately undertaken and carried to completion as speedily as possible for 
 three reasons : 
 
 First. — In the event of a break in the reservoir itself, there is no way to 
 carry the water from the mains which empty into the reservoir to those which 
 distribute it through the city. Should such an accident happen, the city will 
 be deprived of its supply of water until the break is repaired. That this has 
 been the condition of affairs for a number of years is no excuse for its con- 
 tinuance. That no accident ever has happened is but a slender ground for the 
 argument that it is Hkely never to happen. 
 
 Second. — The construction of this "by-pass " will enable the Department of 
 City Works to properly clean and purify the reservoir, which it has been unable 
 to do for a number of years, and which it cannot now do without permitting 
 all the water now collected in the reservoir to go to waste, and for a consider- 
 able time thereafter preventing any water from passing into it or being dis- 
 charged from it through the distributing mains. Such of course would deprive 
 a large portion of the citizens of the city of the free use of water while the 
 department was engaged in the work of cleansing. This difficulty and incon- 
 venience can be entirely avoided by the construction of the proposed "by-pass." 
 
 Third. — The last and most important reason for the immediate prosecution 
 of the work arises from the condition of the water itself. During the preceding 
 summer complaints were frequently made as to the odor, color and taste of the 
 water distributed through the city. A careful examination was made both by 
 the Health Department and the Department of City Works as to the causes 
 which produced the result. To remedy the evil, the ponds were cleaned and 
 the mains flushed ; but if the theory adopted by the expert employed by the 
 Department of City Works is correct, this remedy may not be entirely effectual. 
 The condition of the water referred to, it is claimed by him, is due to the fact 
 that a considerable percentage of the water emptying into this reservoir is 
 deep well water, which, while remarkably pure and free from vegetable 
 organisms when drawn, yet,. like all water drawn from an underground supply, 
 when exposed to the light and air, as it is in the reservoir, rapidly develops a 
 species of algae known as asterionella. While these are not injurious to health, 
 they render the water offensive to the sight, to the smell and to the taste. 
 
 Experiments at Brookline, Mass., and at Newton, Mass., where similar com- 
 plaints against the water supply were made, tend to confirm the correctness of 
 this theory. Eventually it may be desirable to cover the reservoir, depriving 
 the plant life of the light necessary to its development and thus permanently 
 preventing the recurrence of the difficulty. In the meantime the same result 
 
 3 
 
8 
 
 can be obtained by the construction of this "by pass," which will take this deep 
 well water and discharge it immediately into the distributing mains instead of 
 discharging it through the reservoir. 
 
 There is nothing in connection with the administration of municipal alTairs 
 which so vitally affects the comfort of the greatest number of citizens as the 
 furnishing of a supply of water which shall be not only wholesome but 
 palatable. 
 
 The Department of City Works has prepared plans and specifications and 
 has solicited bids for the construction of this " by pass " pipe. The department 
 only awaits your action to enter upon the performance of the work. 
 
 I am sure that this statement of its importance and urgency will be sufhcient 
 to insure your prompt attention and thereby all causes of complaint during the 
 present summer season may be removed. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 F. W. WURSTER, Mayor. 
 
 The Ijiiilding of schoolhousCvS havS gone forward with great 
 rapidity, and large additions have been made to the seating 
 capacity- provided for the nniltitiide of children in otir homes. 
 Man\^ sites have been secured for fvittire use, and provision has 
 been made for the erection of a new high school in the East- 
 ern District, as well as for adding to the Erasmus Hall struct- 
 ure in Flatbush, generously given to the cit\' on the sole 
 condition that its use for educational purposes, begun more 
 than a century ago, should be maintained. 
 
 Under Act of Legislature, the Disciplinary Training School 
 for Bovs for juvenile offenders has been established and a fine 
 property in the former town of New Utrecht purchased, which 
 now has over 100 inmates who are being successfully trained. 
 The old Truants' Home has passed under control of the Board 
 of Education, and is doing good w^ork. 
 
 The extension of the system of well-paved streets has 
 been one of the most important results secured under 
 my administration. It might almost be said that we found 
 the city jiavcd with stone and we leave it paved with 
 asphalt. While much of the original cobblestone remains, yet 
 the fact is that it is possible to reach a smooth pavement from 
 any part of the city by going a short distance, and then to go 
 in all directions both within the thickly built-up portions of the 
 
T9 
 
 city and in the outlying districts over smoothly paved drives. 
 A review of the progress of street paving in the city is given 
 herewith : 
 
 The streets of the city of Brooklyn have undergone a most 
 important change in the past few years. The rough, imeven 
 surface of badly laid cobblestones has given way to the 
 smooth and noiseless asphalt for many miles. In all parts of 
 the city thoroughfares have been improved, leading to the 
 parkwa\\s, which afford facilities for riding or driving to the 
 outskirts of the city, by the sea or in the suburbs. The con- 
 venience thus afforded can only be measured by contrasting 
 the present condition with the past. A few years ago it was 
 impossible, save from a few points, to ride or drive in comfort 
 to the parks and boulevards which had been provided for the 
 more than a million people of Brooklyn. Now there are onlv 
 a few points from which it is not ])ossil)le, by going a half 
 a block or less, to reach smoothly asphalted streets leading in 
 all directions, connecting with all ])arts of the city and render- 
 ing access to the fine drives in the outlying districts easy and 
 enjoyable. 
 
 How has this change been wrought ? By the proper UvSe of 
 the means provided for improving the system of street paving, 
 and the extension of the parkway system so as to make it ade- 
 quate to the demands of the fourth city of the land. The 
 addition of many miles of the best asphalt pavement, laid upon 
 a concrete foundation, to the paved streets of the city, in most 
 instances replacing uneven, ugly and uncomfortable cobble- 
 stones, has given to all the residents of our city the means of 
 enjoying themselves, lacking before. One of the direct results 
 of this has been the vast increase in the number of riders of the 
 \vheel. 
 
 The increase in the number of isolated blocks of good pave- 
 ment is not of especial value to the entire city, but the providing 
 of through routes connecting these with the main thorough- 
 fares is appreciated by ever\^ one. The addition of such routes, 
 relieving the over-crow^ ding upon former ones, has been the 
 
20 
 
 most important work of the i:)ast year, and the eitv is now 
 aclec[uately provided for a nnndjer of years to eome. 
 
 No greater eontrast ean l3e found than is afforded l)v the 
 condition of the streets of Brooklyn to-da}^ compared with 
 what it was four years ago. The city was then in the "stone 
 age " of ])avcments and the worst form of that, namely, the 
 "cobblestone age." A score of miles of the rough and forbid- 
 ding cobblestones had been replaced by granite blocks in the 
 previous decade, but comparatively nothing had been done in 
 the matter of laying noiseless pavements of the modern im- 
 proved type. Other cities had done much in this direction and 
 Brooklyn remained inactive, and deserved the designation of 
 being the worst-paved large cit}^ in this land. 
 
 A beginning was made a quarter of a centurv or more ago, 
 hy the laying of improved pavements in the great natural 
 thoroughfares leading from both districts of the city to Pros- 
 pect Park, namely, Flatbush avenue and Bedford avenue. In 
 the former a wooden pavement was put down by the I)e]3art- 
 ment of City Works, and connected therewith were similar 
 pavements in Hanson place, Cumberland street, Schcrmerhorn 
 street, and Clinton street. But the satisfaction with which 
 this form of improved pavement was received at first soon 
 changed as it proved to be lacking in durability and became 
 badly worn and decayed in many places in a few years. At- 
 tempts were made to make good the defects, and finally the 
 wooden pavement was covered with as])halt. But still it was 
 unsatisfactory, and the result has been that most of the old 
 pavement in these streets has had to be torn up and a proper 
 foimdation provided for a new surface. But so undesirable 
 seemed the first attempts to secure asphalt pavement that on 
 several blocks granite was substituted, and it still remains in 
 parts of Flatbush avenue, although the granite has been re- 
 placed by asphalt in Schcrmerhorn street. 
 
 In Bedford avenue the work of j^aving was done when that 
 street was temporarily under the care of a sjDCcial commission. 
 After the work had been completed, the control and care of the 
 
21 
 
 street was restored to the Department of City Works. While 
 unsatisfactory in manv respects, the pavement in this street 
 has served a good purpose, and it has made the best thorough- 
 fare for riding and driving for a large part of the city to gain 
 access to the Eastern Parkway and Prospect Park. 
 
 The cost of maintaining these improved pavements and their 
 unsatisfactory condition discouraged further experiment with 
 asphalt until a dozen years ago, when improved asphalt pave- 
 ment was laid in Montague and Pierrepont streets. This 
 proved satisfactory, but the cost was great, and while other 
 cities made strides forward in laying smooth pavements Brook- 
 lyn stood still. 
 
 Efforts were made from time to time to arouse interest and 
 stop the increase of cobblestone pavements by substituting 
 something better A Belgian block era began and lasted for a 
 considerable time, w^ith the result of the laying a score or more 
 miles of pavement of this sort. But the square stone blocks 
 proved to be little better than the best cobblestone. Then came 
 the granite block period, and in 1889 no less than 21 miles of 
 granite pavement w^as laid, and in the following year 14 miles 
 more. In the same period the asphalt laid amounted to less 
 than one mile. 
 
 At the end of 1893 there were only 12 miles of asphalt in 
 the city to 31 of Belgian block ; 85 of granite block, and 265 of 
 cobblestone. The annexation of the new wards doubled the 
 number of miles of streets, but only added about 4-0 miles 
 w^hich were paved. These had been macadamized. 
 
 A new era began with the advent of the administration of 
 Alayor Schieren. One of the first diffictdties found in the way 
 of securing improved pavements existed in the Stay Law, which 
 prevented any work of re-paving being done before the assess- 
 ments had been laid and one-third of the prospective cost col- 
 lected in advance of the work. Away out of this was found by 
 the enactment of a law permitting any street which had been 
 paved at the expense of the property owners to be re-]:)aved 
 upon petition of a majority of the property owners, one-half 
 
22 
 
 of the cost to be i)aid bv the city at large, and authorizing the 
 cx])cnditnre of a quarter of a niilHon of dollars bv the citv for 
 this |)ur])ose in any one year, no assessments to be laid luitil 
 the work had been done. 
 
 Another difliculty which had been in the way w^as the ex- 
 cessive cost of laying asphalt, owing to the practical niono|)oly 
 enjoved by one company, as onK^ a single kind of asphalt 
 could be laid under the specifications prescribed b}^ the Depart- 
 ment of Cit\^ Works. All the asphalt laid in this city before 
 1894 was put dowm by a single contractor. The restdt of 
 opening competition to other firms w^as rivalrv carried to such 
 a degree that the cost of asphalt has been reduced from $2 a 
 square yard to less than $1. This also brought about a decline 
 in the cost of granite paving. For the same amount of money 
 the city has had double the work done in the laying of as])halt, 
 the benefit of w^hich has been doubly reaped b\' the property 
 owmers called upon to pay for asphalt, as they have to pay 
 twice in the direct assessment for the work in their streets and 
 in the general tax for the city's share of the same. 
 
 In 1894 much of the work done w^as the carrying out of the 
 contracts already made, and a trifle over three miles of granite 
 block and about tw^o and one-half miles of asphalt were laid. 
 But in 1895 a much better showing for the latter w^as made, 
 the total being nearK' nine miles of asphalt to ten miles of 
 granite block. 
 
 In the same year a beginning was made in the laying of 
 vitrified brick pavement, but the first experiment w^as not as 
 successful as had been expected. 
 
 The year 1896 saw a still more marked increase in the 
 proportion of asphalt to other paving. Nearly ten miles of it 
 was laid, w^hile only on about one and a half miles was granite 
 block put dow^n, while the macadamized roadw^ays, mostly in 
 the new w^ards, added to those already existing, measured 
 over six miles. 
 
 The present year shows a still greater extent of good 
 paving, done in many parts of the city. The approximate 
 
23 
 
 figures for the jKived vStrcets of the city at the end of this year 
 are as follows : 
 
 making 1 21 V2 miles of smooth roadway, to 111 miles of granite 
 block, 45 miles of Belgian block, and miles of cobblestone. 
 This shows an increase of 43 miles of asphalt in four years, an 
 increase of 26 miles in granite block, beside the addition of the 
 entire 66 miles of macadam and brick, together with a reduc- 
 tion of 21 miles in the extent of cobblestone. The total mile- 
 age of paved streets is 522 miles, out of a total extent of about 
 763 miles. The unpaved streets are chiefly in the annexed 
 district, and many of them are well covered with gravel and in 
 excellent condition. 
 
 The great gain in the thickly built-uj) part of the city has 
 been in the laying of asphalt in the best residence districts. In 
 some of the uptown wards there are many blocks of new pave- 
 ment. In the past year the extent of asphalt has been increased 
 from 36 to 55 miles, the largest gain in an^^ \^ear jQt made. 
 
 One of the features of the work of the past two years has 
 been the providing of continuous routes from one part of the 
 city to another over smooth roadways. At first, the asphalt- 
 ing of individual blocks only was done ; as these increased in 
 number there were stretches of several blocks in various parts 
 of the city. Then came the necessit}^ of uniting these so that 
 it w^ould no longer be necessary' to ride over rough cobble- 
 stones or uneven granite blocks in going from one part of the 
 city to another. Last 3^ear, several blocks of St. Alarks 
 avenue were asphalted at the expense of the city, under the 
 law^ passed in 1895, authorizing this to be done by the Com- 
 missioner of City Works, with the consent of the Mayor, for 
 the purpose of providing thoroughfares. This secured an un- 
 broken route from Bedford avenue to Flatbush avenue, con- 
 necting the uptown and downtown portions of the city without 
 
 Asphalt.... 
 Macadam 
 Brick 
 
 55 mik's ; 
 63 miles ; 
 SV2 miles ; 
 
24 
 
 resort to the Eastern Parkway. The stretch of asj^halt in 
 Hancock street gave a route eastward from Bedford avenue 
 north of k^ulton street, while south of the same thoroughfare, 
 St. Marks avenue affords the same faciHties for a consideral)le 
 distance. 
 
 But new means of intercommunication between more re- 
 mote parts of the city became imperative. The first step in this 
 direction was taken the present year by re-paving Leonard 
 street, from Broadway to Greenpoint avenue, affording a much 
 desired means of reaching the district traversed by Bedford 
 avenue from the entire section north of Broadway. The need 
 of further facihties for reaching the downtown ])art of the 
 cit}^ was met by the new pavement in Gates and Greene ave- 
 nues, and replacing the old and worn out one in Hanson 
 place, connecting directly with that in State street, laid bust 
 year. Additional facilities have been afforded in Sotith Brook- 
 lyn b}' the re-paving of Sixth and Ninth avenues, and their 
 connection by re-paving Fourteenth street, as well as several 
 other parallel streets nearer Flatbush avenue. A new route to 
 the outlying wards was provided by the laying of a brick ]iave- 
 ment in Classon and Washington avenues from the Eastern 
 Parkway to P^latbush avenue, connecting directly with the 
 asphalt in the latter, which extends through Flatbush. 
 
 The necessity for greater facilities for the uptown ])ortion of 
 the city was met by the la\ang of as])halt strips in Bush wick 
 avenue at a cost of $16,000. About the same time connection 
 was secured from the end of the asphalt ])avement in Bedford 
 avenue to the Broadwa\' ferries b\^ the laying of asphalt in 
 Division avenue and Berry street and asphalt strips in Broad- 
 way. Similar connection is to be made from Leonard street to 
 the Greenpoint iervy. 
 
 But the multiplication of all these facilities made more im- 
 perative the demand for routes to relieve Bedford avenue, which 
 has dail}' become more and more congested by the increased 
 number of riders of the wheel, in addition to the great numl)er 
 of vehicles using this thoroughfare. The result of careful con- 
 
25 
 
 sideration of the ])roblein ])rcscntcd was a decision to prox idc 
 routes to relieve it on both sides. To the eastward it was 
 found that the l)est way to form a direct connection from 
 Leonard street with the Eastern Parkway was bv wav of 
 Lewis avenue, from Broadway. To reach Lewis avenue with- 
 out going along Broadway from Leonard street it was decided 
 to asphalt ])ortions of Gerry street, Throop avenue and h'loxd 
 street for about half a mile. Then a direct route is secured in 
 Lewis avenue for a mile and a half to Decatur street (previously 
 asphalted), through which the route leads to Albany avenue, 
 where asphalt has been laid for nearly a mile. On the westerlv 
 side of Bedford avenue by continuing the smooth pavement in 
 Grand avenue south of Putnam avenue to Washington avenue, 
 and then asphalting the portion of the latter to Classon ave- 
 nue, direct connection has been made with the new brick pave- 
 ment therein. 
 
 All roads in this city lead to Prospect Park — the citv's great 
 pleasure grotmd — and beyond it to the sea at Conev Island. 
 One of the first demands made by the increasing number of 
 wheelmen in the city four years ago was for facilities to reach 
 the seaside. By their own exertions they raised the monev to 
 build the first cycle path along the Ocean I^arkway. The l)op- 
 ularity of this proved instantaneous and a demand arose for a 
 second, or a return path. The city autliorities ])romptlv met 
 this by its construction last year, and at the same time pro- 
 vided for pedestrians by laying a new^ sidewalk to take the 
 place of the one removed from the space set apart for cycling. 
 At the same time steps were taken to give the much needed con- 
 nection with the macadamized roads of Queens Comity by put- 
 ting a proi)er pavement on Glenniore avenue and Eastern Park- 
 way. 
 
 Provision had joreviously l^een made for a parkway leading 
 to Fort Hamilton and another to Bensoiihurst. These hue, 
 broad boulevards have been laid out and improved — P'ort 
 Hamilton Parkway from Pros])ect Park to Seventy-ninth 
 street — a distance of two miles and a half— where it connects 
 
 4 
 
26 
 
 with Seventh aveiine, ah-eady maeadamized, and the vSvstcm ol" 
 similar streets in that section of the city, and Bav Parkway, 
 or Twenty-second avenue, from the Ocean Parkway to Benson- 
 hnrst Beach. 
 
 The Shore Drive Parkway will soon be completed for a 
 stretch of two and a half miles along the water front of New 
 York bay, rivaling if not surpassing the famous Riverside 
 Drive in New York. It will be connected at its northerlv ex- 
 tremity by Bay Kidge Parkway, between Sixt\'-sixth and Sixtv- 
 seventh streets, with Fort Hamilton Parkway, as well as with 
 Second and Fourth avenues, which are fine boulevards with 
 smooth pavement, south of Sixtieth street. At the other end 
 the Shore Drive will meet these streets and extend around F'ort 
 Hamilton to Dyker Beach Park and Cropsey avenue. The 
 latter is directly connected with the macadamized drives in h^if- 
 teenth, Eighteenth and Tw^ent\^-second avenues, and at its 
 farther end leads into Harway avenue, from which the bridge 
 now building over Coney Island creek will afford a means of 
 reaching the westerly jDortion of Coney Island and Sea Gate. 
 The parkways in this part of the cit}^ measure fulh' fifteen miles, 
 and directly connected with them are fully as great an extent 
 of macadamized roads intervSecting the entire territory from 
 Bay Ridge to Coney Island, giving to carriage riders, wheel 
 riders and equestrians as great variety of picturesque scenery 
 from bay to ocean as can be found. 
 
 In the easterly part of the city equally as great a variet\' ot 
 a somewhat different sort is to be found. At the time Prospect 
 Park was laid out it was ]:)roposed to establish another great 
 park farther eastward. The scheme did not materialize at that 
 time, owing to the lack of means. But when the opportunity 
 was offered to utilize the credit of Kings County before it be- 
 came consolidated with Brookhm for securing additional ])ark 
 land, the original ])lan was adopted and a park larger than 
 Prospect Park secured. This is the Brooklyn Forest, lying 
 upon the Jamaica hills. The appropriate steps have been taken 
 to bring this into close communication with the city ])ro])er. 
 
27 
 
 Ridgewood Park has been laid out adjacent to the Ridgewood 
 RcvServoir and to this the extension of the Eastern Parkway 
 leads. When the original Ivastern Parkway, or Saekett street 
 boulevard, as it was then called, was planned it was to extend 
 from Prospect Park to Jamaica, and the name Jamaica Park- 
 way was applied to it. But the onlv ]:)ortion of it constructed 
 for twenty years extended to the former boundary of the town 
 of New Lots at Hunterfly road. Beyond that point it was 
 mapped out as a narrow street and no attempt to make it a 
 parkway was ever made. It has since been opened and ])aved 
 as a part of the Glenmore avenue route to Queens County, and 
 the name Pitkin avenue given to it, and the Eastern Park wax- 
 proper has ended at the former City Line. From this point it 
 now proceeds b\' the Eastern Parkway extension along the 
 brow of Ocean Hill, and a somewhat circuitous route so as to 
 avoid cutting too many blocks to Bush wick avenue, near the 
 entrance of Evergreens Cemetery. Then following the latter 
 vStreet a short distance it deflects to the left and leads up the 
 high groinid, crossing Vermont avenue by a viaduct to the 
 former Highland Boulevard, and directly to the city's distrib- 
 uting reservoirs and the adjoining Ridgewood Park. 
 
 To go farther eastward to Forest Park a winding roadway 
 has been constructed down the face of the hill, which the reser- 
 voirs surmount, to Jamaica avenue, once the Jamaica Plank 
 Road. Li connection with the recent action taken by the city 
 to secure title to this street, it has been laid with a smooth 
 pavement to the boundary of the city, and just beyond that 
 point it will connect with a drive leading up the face of the 
 hill in the new Forest Park, hi this several miles of roadway 
 are already constructed, and aftbrd a direct route to a number 
 of fine roads in Queens Count\', connecting directly with 
 Jamaica, Flushing and Newtown, all within the limits of 
 (ireater New York.. In the limits of ForCvSt Park much natural 
 beauty can be found ; the wildness of the ])rinieval forest, with 
 dells and thickets in the underbrush, and extended views on the 
 one side toward the ocean, including Jamaica Bay, Rockaway, 
 
28 
 
 Bergen Beach, Coiicv Island and Sandy Hook, while upon the 
 other side Long Island Sound and Flushing- I>av a])i)ear, with 
 the North Side and Westchester Conntv flankino- them. All 
 this new re<;ion is rendered accessible, and reallv brought in 
 close connection with Prospect Park, bv the new svsteni of 
 drives tmiting them. It is now possible to ride from Fort 
 I lamilton to Willett's Point over a system of boulevards and 
 parkways perhaps unequaled in the world. Starting on the 
 Shore Driveway from within sight of the ocean one will first 
 skirt New York Bay from the Narrows, where the commerce of 
 a continent finds entrance and exit, thence over the heights or 
 Bay Ridge to Fort Hamilton Parkway, through the beautiful 
 drives of Prospect Park, on over the Eastern Parkwax- and its 
 extension to Ridge wood Park, with the w^ide view seaward, 
 down the hill to the level of the plain below\ and then up again 
 to Forest Park w4th its manifold beauties, and after passing- 
 through this over Union Turnpike and F'lushing avenue to the 
 beautifully shaded streets of Flushing and beyond b}- ^vay of 
 Whitestone to Willett's Point on the Sound, 0])posite Fort 
 Schuyler in the Wxstchester part of the metropolis. On this 
 twentv-five mile drive or ride the entire beauties of the sx^stem 
 of parks and boulevards provided for the pleasure of the people 
 of Brooklyn mav be seen. And the wdiole of it is easy accessi- 
 ble from all parts of the citv bv the well-paved streets leading 
 from everv section. No part of the citv has been left uncon- 
 nected bv im])roved ])avement with this extended stretch of the 
 finest drives in the country. 
 
 BrookU-nites are no longer confined to going up Bedford 
 avenue and "downi the road " for pleasure riding. EciualK' 
 beautiful in all directions stretch the im])roved parkways, and 
 thev lead to scenes of the greatest natural beauty. The multi- 
 tudes thronging them in fine weather is the best proof of how 
 well this expenditure of public funds is appreciated, and how 
 great a return is scem-cd in health and happiness for the entire 
 community. 
 
 The various (piestions in relation to providing further water 
 
29 
 
 vSiipi^K' for the immediate future have been carefully studied. It 
 was found impossible to issue bonds for the amount needed for 
 the prosecution of the work owin^- to the necessitv of l)uildin^- 
 new schoolhouses, paving streets, the building of the new Ivast 
 River bridge, and other matters of importance; and the fact 
 that the city was near the constitutional limit of debt. To 
 secure what is im])eratively demanded for additional water 
 su])])ly the issue of bonds to the amount of not less than two 
 millions of dollars was recjuired. This would ])rovide the ad- 
 ditional conduit and pumping stations, together with more 
 driven wells and the rendering watertight the Milburn Reser- 
 voir, a legacy from the past which it v\'ill cost nearly half a 
 million dollars to make of any use. It did not seem wise to 
 undertake any of these things separate from the others, cand it 
 was not possible to secure the means to undertake the entire 
 work. 
 
 No more important matter in relation to Brooklyn has been 
 left to the consideration of the authorities of the new city. 
 The utilization of all sources of water supply within the terri- 
 tory now drawn upon bv the city is requisite, and in addition 
 thereto the building of the new conduit, work upon which has 
 not been done because of lack of funds to certify the contract, 
 and the providing of additional reservoir capacity within the 
 city limits. There should be no delay in securing the proper 
 authority to go forward with this work. 
 
 It is not necessary to review in detail the work done in each 
 of the departments of the citv government in the ])ast two 
 years, as full ]:>articulars will be found in the subjoined reports. 
 I woidd like to direct attention to a few matters, however. 
 
 The civil service branch of the administration was entrusted 
 to capable hands, and I followed precedent in the matter of 
 approving of changes desired in the classification of ])ositi()ns. 
 After long legal contentiori the position I took was maintained 
 by the covirts. When the new provisions of the law enacted 
 by the Legislature came in force last spring, I called a meeting 
 of the heads of the city departments and it was unanimously 
 
30 
 
 agreed to let the civil service commission conduct the examina- 
 tions for fitness as well as for merit. The result was that the 
 working of the system under the new law was imchanged 
 from what it had been before its ])assage. The letters given 
 herewith show how the chairman of the commission regarded 
 the attitude of the administration : 
 
 T02 Rkmsen Street, July i, 1S96. 
 
 My Dear Mr. Wurster — I want to thank you for the kind manner in 
 which you stood by the civil service commission at the meeting of the board 
 of apportionment. You have proved yourself a firm friend to the civil service 
 cause and it is a pleasure to act as a commissioner, having such appreciative 
 backing. With kind regards and again thanking you, I remain. 
 
 Yours sincerely, A. E. ORR. 
 
 May 24, 1897. 
 
 Hon. Frederick W. Wurster, 
 
 Mayor, etc. 
 
 Mv Dear Mr. Mayor — I have just received from Mr. Lent, our Secretary, 
 a copy of the resolution adopted by you and the commissioners of the various 
 civic departments of Brooklyn at your office this P. M., designating " the Civil 
 " Service Commission of the city of Brooklyn to conduct all examinations, to 
 " determine fitness of applicants for appointment in the several departments 
 " under our (your and their) control. 
 
 I cannot express to you too fully my sincere appreciation of this evidence of 
 confidence and favor on the part of your good self and your commissioners in 
 this commission, and the testimony it bears from your exalted standpoint to the 
 people of the whole State that civil service regulations and laws, honestly ad- 
 ministered, are a benefit to the locality where they are made operative. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 A. E. ORR, 
 
 C/i(i/)»ia)i . 
 
31 
 
 In the fire department a notable increavSe in the protection 
 afforded to ])roperty has been secured. The extension of the 
 fire system of the okler ])art of the city over the new wards 
 was accompHshed without increasing the cost of running the 
 de])artment to any great degree, owing to retrenchments in 
 other directions. A number of new engine and truck houses 
 were erected, and new com])anies formed to occu])y them. The 
 old fire engines have been overhavded and put in first-class 
 condition, and all the equi])ment of the department is now in 
 first-class condition. The fire alarm system has been extended 
 until the entire city is fully protected. A high standard has 
 been set and maintained in the department, and its elliciencv 
 has given the city an envial^le record in fire matters. 
 
 In the department of police, the force has been changed and 
 improved in man\^ ways, and the record made in the detection 
 and prevention of crime is an excellent one. The number of po- 
 licemen has been increased considerably, and all the annexed 
 territory is well taken care of. The three new i)olice stations 
 are models of their kind. A great improvement in the patrol 
 of the water front, with its immense property interests, has 
 been effected by the substitution of launches for the former 
 patrol boat. 
 
 The record of the health department shows a steady lower- 
 ing of the death rate, which is full proof of the improvement of 
 the sanitary condition of the city. The close inspection of 
 plumbing in all new structures has been a noteworthy element 
 in the matter, while a steady decrease in the nund3er of com- 
 plaints in the past two years shows the cfheiency of the depart- 
 ment in supervising all details. The facilities for properly car- 
 ing for persons suffering from contagious diseases have been 
 increased, and ])rompt work in stamping out such diseases has 
 rendered the record of the city remarkably good. The sup])ly 
 of antitoxine for diphtheria at the ])ublic expense has l)een of 
 great benefit in saving lives. 
 
 In concluding this brief review of what has been accom- 
 plished for the benefit of Brooklyn by the present city govern- 
 
ment, T desire to aoain thank those who have been assoeiated 
 with me in the eonduet of affairs, and to express the hope that 
 their disinterested serviees will be appreciated bv the ])nblie at 
 large. We have soni^ht toi>ether to further the ends of ^ood 
 government in everv ])ossible way. 
 
 The corporation known as the city of Hrooklvn was formed 
 bv act of Legislature in 1884-. The citizens of Brooklvn and 
 Williamsburgh and the town of Bushwick were consolidated 
 under the new charter in 1854. In 188G the former town oi 
 New Lots was annexed to the city, and in 1894 the three towns 
 of F'latbush, New l^trecht and Gravesend were placed under the 
 jurisdiction of the municipal authorities. On Januarv 1, 1896, 
 the former town of Flatlands became a j^artof the city, making 
 the boundaries of the munici]:)ality and the countv the same, j 
 have had the ])rivilege and pleasure of being ALiyor of this en- 
 tire territory, and now as the Mayor of the city of Brooklyn I 
 desire to express the hope that under the new^ conditions aris- 
 ing from consolidation and the Greater New York Charter that 
 the Borough of Brooklyn will surpass the city of Brooklyn, and 
 that it will become the chief division of the metropolis. Feel- 
 ing assured that the memory of the city of Brooklyn will be 
 fondly cherished by all possessing civil pride, we can go forward 
 with the confident ho])e that the name of Brooklyn will ever 
 remain bright upon the pages of history. 
 
 Mil V or. 
 
Department of Finance 
 
 What has been done by Comptroller 
 George W. Palmer 
 
 5 
 
35 
 
 Georgp: W. Palmkr, C()iii])tr()llcr. 
 Offick of tiih Com ftkoflivK, 
 p)r()oklyn, n. v. 
 
 (jFO. II. RowH, 
 
 Deputy Comptroller. 
 
 Oeeeniber 24, 181)7. 
 
 To THE Hon. Frkdfkick W. Wurstfr, 
 
 Mayor : 
 
 I herewith svil)init a brief statement of the finaneial con- 
 dition of the city during niy adminivStration of the I)e]:>artment 
 of Finance, covering a period of three years, from January 1, 
 1895, to December 31, 1897. 
 
 Upon entering my duties, I found that the bonded indebted- 
 ness of the city on December 31, 1894, inckiding $1,2()(),0()() 
 tax certificates, was $54,582,521.94, and that the sinking 
 fund invCvSted in Brooklyn's securities was $4,473,521 .94. 
 
 At the end of the first ^^ear of my administration, the debt 
 was $57,728,521.94, an increase of $3,146,000, but the vSink- 
 ing Fund had been increavSed $1,218,000, so that on Decemljer 
 31, 1895, there was only an actual net increase in the bonded 
 debt of $1,928,000. During this year the city issued 
 $5,691,000 of bonds, and reaHzed a premium of $164,786.28. 
 With a very few exceptions the bonds bore three and one-half 
 per cent, interest, and were floated without an^^ difficulty, the 
 city receiving as high a figure as 111.79 for four per cent, 
 bonds, and 105.09 for three and one-half per cent. It is in 
 order, at this time, to state that, on account of the annexation 
 of the towns, the city was compelled to issue $464,000 bonds, 
 for the sole benefit of the localities annexed. The general 
 fund receipts amounted to $25,3()7,961 .30, and the ex])endi- 
 tures to $24,921, 41 3. 44, for which there were 22,328 warrants 
 drawn. The general fund receipts for 1896 amounted to 
 $33,699,456.92, and the expenditures to $28,300,238.57 ; 
 $4,389, 629. 7v5 of the recei])ts were l)rought over or transferred 
 
36 
 
 from the county balances l)y the county treasurer, to be phiced 
 to the cre(ht of the res])ective accounts of the citv. 
 
 On December 31, 1S1)(), the l^onded deln had increased 
 (bu'ing the year $5, (ill ,097.4-1 , but your attention shouhl l)e 
 called to the fact that on December HI , 1 895, $7()0,()()() tax 
 certificates were outstanding and that on Decend)er ol, 1S<)(), 
 $2, 300, 000 were outstanding, so that a large i)ro])ortion of 
 this increase was temporarily caused by the issue of tax certifi- 
 cates in anticipation of the collection of taxes. During the 
 vear, $8,169,097.41 bonds and certificates were issued and 
 the city received in ])remiums $45,733.05. 
 
 During the year 1897, the city has issued $2,412,11 9. 7(i 
 bonds for schools, sewers and other im])rovements, and $4,000,- 
 000 tax certificates in anticipation of the collection of taxes. 
 
 The gross debt from December 31 , 1 894, to date has increased 
 from $54,582,521.94 to $06,642,378.10— $12, 059, 850. 10. 
 
 The sinking fund during this period has increased from 
 $4,473,521.94to $6, 703,955. 69$2,— 230,433.75, showinganet 
 increase of $9,829,422.41 . Included in these amounts are the 
 Tax Certificates issued in anticipation of the collection of taxes, 
 viz.: December 31, 1894, $1,200,000; December 31, 1897, 
 $4,060,000, showing an increase of $2,860,000; this amount 
 being onh' a temporary debt is properly deductable from the 
 increase of the bonded indebtedness (see Art. VIII. of the Con- 
 stitution of the State of New York ) ; so that the actual in- 
 crease in the bonded indebtedness during my administration 
 was $6,969,422.41. 
 
 The annexation of the county of Kings has necessarily in- 
 creased the volume of work in this oftice, as is clearly illustrated 
 bv the number of warrants drawn, not including salary war- 
 rants—in 1894, 12,159, and 1897, to date, 17,365. 
 
 In closing, I desire to utilize the opportunity to express my 
 thanks for the m an v courtesies received from you and the mem- 
 bers of vour cabinet during the years we have been associated 
 together otlicially. Respectfully yours. 
 
 C()iiij)troIIcr. 
 
Department of Collection 
 
 What has been done by Tax Coli,ectok 
 R. Ross Appleton 
 
39 
 
 Office of the Collector of Taxes, 
 
 Brooklyn, X. V., December 22, 1897. 
 
 Hon. Frederick \V. Wurster, 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 Sir — In re])ly to your favor rccjuesting a stt'itement of the 
 buvsiness transacted in the Department of Collection durini^ the 
 last two years, I would state that the total amount of moneys 
 collected and turned over to the City Treasurer from December 
 1, 1895, to November 30, 1897, was $28,153,154.52, of which 
 amount $26,863,473.92 was for general taxes, and $1,289,- 
 680. 60 for assessments for improvements. 
 
 The total number of assessments levied and turned over to 
 this department for collection was 408, amounting to $1,553,- 
 267.97, for w^hich over 60,000 bills were made out and delivered 
 on the premises or to the owaiers or agents of the propertv. A 
 large number of assessments w^ere revised, recpiiring new bills 
 to be made out and delivered, thereby causing dovible work. 
 
 The amount returned to the Department of Arrears w^as 
 $5,000,050.22, of w^hich $4,545,185.54 was for general tax 
 and $464,864.68 for assessments. The amount of labor in- 
 volved in making these returns of arrears is very great, as thev 
 show each piece or parcel of property separately, and an exact 
 duplicate is required to be sent to the Comptroller. 
 
 The number of books containing the general tax levy is 130, 
 and these books are balanced and recapitidated at the end of 
 each year. The cash books required for entering the money re- 
 ceived for the general tax is twenty-two and for assessments 
 fourteen, and during the first month of collecting they are all 
 in use. These books are balanced and reca]:)itulated each vear, 
 and show the amounts collected daily, monthly and for the 
 vear in total, bv wards. 
 
 The amount of rebate allow^ed upon payments made within 
 thirtv davs after warrants have been delivered to this oflicc for 
 
4° 
 
 collection, at the rate of 7 j^,, per cent, per annnni. was $101,- 
 04-4-. 7S, while the amount of default collected at the rate oi 1) 
 ])er cent, per annum, alter thirty days have ex])ired, was »$2()S,- 
 300. 2S. 
 
 The total numl)er of applications for the reftmd of monevs 
 received for over and double payments of taxes and assess- 
 ments was 2,996, amounting to $104-, 223.58, for which this 
 de])artment drew up the necessary vouchers and afiidavits, and 
 certified same to the Comptroller for payment. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that the annexation of the county 
 towms has greatly increased the work in this department, the 
 number of clerks employed has not been increased, and the 
 amount now reqtiired for the expenses of the office is less than 
 was expended ten years ago. The amount expended diu'ing 
 the two years for salaries w^as $102,225.11, and for contingent 
 expenses (books, stationery, etc.), w^as $2,547.46. 
 
 Taxpayers are appreciating the fact that b\' the use of the 
 mails they can facilitate the payment of taxes ; no less than 
 14,000 checks, representing many thousands of parcels of 
 pro])ert\% being received each year, some 12,000 being received 
 on the first day each year. 
 
 The bill passed by the Legislature, at m\' suggestion, allow^- 
 ing payment of taxes to be made up to January 13th, wnth 
 rebate, has proved of great l3enefit to tax[)ayers in the saving 
 of interest on their money in savings banks. 
 
 Very res])ectfull3% 
 
 Collector. 
 
Department of Arrears 
 
 Record of Registrar Henry A. Powell 
 
 6 
 
43 
 
 Department of ArreaRvS, 
 Municipal Building, 
 
 Brooklyn, December 24, 1897. 
 
 Hon. Frederick W. Wurster, 
 
 Mayor, etc., 
 
 Dear Sir — In comj^liance with your request, I send you the 
 following brief statement of the workings of this office, under 
 your administration. 
 
 The Department of iVrrears, as its name signifies, is that de- 
 partment of the city where the "fag" end of taxation finds its 
 place. The majority of our citizens pay their taxes promptly, 
 and in that manner aYail themselYCS of all the benefits which 
 pertain to such prompt payment. 
 
 Into this ofiice there comes the taxes of two classes. 
 
 1st. Those who by reason of misfortune and adYcrse cir- 
 cumstances are long dela\'ed in paYing their taxes. 
 
 2d. Those who, for one reason or another, object to paying 
 their taxes at all. 
 
 The former class come here in trouble, asking for forbear- 
 ance, while the latter class come as litigants who are fighting 
 for rights, either real or imaginarY, in the courts. 
 
 As is generally known, the tax laws of Brooklyn are ex- 
 ceedingh' rigid and severe. Indeed it is a question as to 
 whether any severer tax regulations can be found in an^- Eng- 
 lish-speaking community. After the taxes of the city have 
 remained in the hands of the tax collector for a year, those 
 which are still unpaid are certified to this department to be 
 dealt with as provided by law. It then becomes the duty of 
 the Registrar to make and publish lists of property which are 
 in arrears, and advertise the sale of the same in the city papers. 
 
 The penalties attached to a sale are certainly severe. The 
 purchaser at a tax sale, in addition to the amount which he 
 
44 
 
 pavs, is immediately entitled to an additional! per cent upon 
 that amount, up to but not exceeding the sum of one hundred 
 dollars. This bonus, as it is called, must of course be paid by 
 the property owner upon redemption, as well as interest at 15 
 per cent, upon the amount paid at the sale, i)lus the said 
 bonus. This interest runs from the date of the sale to the date 
 of redemption. The buyer at the sale can, ])ursuant to the 
 statute, serve notices upon all ])ersons having anv interest in 
 the property as well as mortgagees ; and if, after the lapse of 
 one vear from the time of the serving of such notices there has 
 not been a redem])tion, can apply to this department and 
 receive a deed which gives him an absolute title. 
 
 In this event the surplus which remains after the taxes due 
 and expenses of the sale have been deducted from the amount 
 paid by the buyer, goes to and can be secured by the owner of 
 the premises sold. 
 
 There is large opportunity in the department for the exer- 
 cise of tact in distinguishing between those who are unable 
 to pav their arrears, and those who, for some reason, while 
 able to pay, refuse to do so. To the former I have endeavored 
 to extend clemency, and find that it has but seldom been mis- 
 placed. With the latter the rule has been either ])ay or be 
 sold out. 
 
 Tax sales have been held nearh^ ever^^ month during the 
 past two years. They have been largely attended, and the 
 prices realized have been entirely satisfactorv. In this w^ay 
 hundreds of thousands of dollars have been collected for the 
 use of the city. 
 
 In the work of the department there have been, during my 
 occu|)ancy of the office of Registrar, but few matters that have 
 occurred outside the ordinary routine. The long continued lit- 
 igation with regard to taxes u]30n pro]3ertv belonging to the 
 Litchfield estate has been brought to a successful termination. 
 For this great credit shotdd be given to our })resent corpora- 
 tion counsel. Through this settlement the city has realized 
 the sum of $426,524.04. The long continued litigation with 
 
45 
 
 the elevated roads havS aLso been settled by a stipulation under 
 which they are rapidly paying up their arrears. From them 
 there has already been collected the sum of v$29,424.21 . 
 
 The fact that this dc]:>artment has proved efBcient during 
 your administration may be best shown by a comparison 
 with the sums collected during my term and the terms of my 
 predecessors. During the years 1892 and 189v) there were col- 
 lected in this department $2,973,646.98; during the Axars 
 1894 and 1895, $5,658,121.56, and during the years 1896 and 
 1897 $6,269,241.50. 
 
 As the official terms of this office have heretofore run 
 from February 1st to February 1st, there still remain the 
 amounts which will be collected during the remainder of 
 this month and the month of January, to complete the vears 
 1896 and 1897. The probabilities are that by that time the 
 total amount collected during my two 3^ears will amount to 
 about $6,900,000. 
 
 I have the honor to remain. 
 
 Yours most respectfullv, 
 
 Registrar. 
 
Department of Law 
 
 Work accomplished under Corporation 
 Counsel Joseph A. Burr 
 
49 
 
 Law Department, 
 Office of the Attorney and Counsel, 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., December 21, 1897. 
 
 Hon. F. W. Wurster, 
 
 Mayor, etc. 
 
 Dear Sir — I am in rccei])t of your favor of the 29th ultimo 
 requesting;- me to give you a \vritten statement of the work 
 done by this department in the past two years, setting forth 
 especiallv the conspicuous things accomplished. In reply I haA'c 
 the honor to state as follows : 
 
 Since January 1, 189(^, thirty cases in which the city of 
 Brooklyn was interested have been argued in the Court of Ap- 
 peals. In nineteen of these cases decisions have been rendered 
 in favor of the city and in ten cases against the city, one at this 
 date remaining undecided. 
 
 In the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court eighty-eight 
 appeals were argued and decided. Forty-seven of these cases 
 were decided in favor of the city and forty-one against the city. 
 
 There were three hundred and one actions and one hundred 
 and sixty -eight certiorari, mandamus and other special pro- 
 ceedings commenced against the city. 
 
 Three hundred and twenty-three actions and proceedings 
 have been finally disposed of. 
 
 Among the actions above mentioned were many to recover 
 damages for personal injuries. Thirty-four of such actions in 
 which the amount claimed was $458,500, have been tried. 
 Twenty-one of these resulted favorably to the cit}^, either bv 
 dismissal of the complaint, verdict for the defendant, or upon 
 appeal, and in one the jury disagreed. The amount recovered 
 by the plaintiff in the remaining twelve cases was $25,850, 
 being about 5.63 per cent. 
 
 Five hundred and fortv-three violations of the buildinf^ law 
 
 have been referred to this department by the Commissioner of 
 
 Buildings for prosecution. In five hundred and seven of these 
 7 
 
50 
 
 the actions and proceedings have been settled or judgment en- 
 tered, and the remaining thirt\'-six are now in course of settle- 
 ment. 
 
 Five hundred and eighty-six proceedings taken in the laying 
 of assessments, and six hundred and eight contract proceedings 
 have been examined and certified in accordance with the ])ro- 
 visions of the charter, making a total of one thousand one hun- 
 dred and ninety-four assessment and contract ]3roceedings so 
 examined and certified. 
 
 Fifty proceedings for street openings were in charge of this 
 department. Twent3^-six of these have been completed, aSvSess- 
 ments levied and warrants issued. Four only of them are now 
 in progress of hearing before the commissioners. In twelve, 
 the reports of the commissioners are complete and awaiting 
 confirmation, and eight were rescinded by resolution of the 
 common council. 
 
 The titles of the owners of the land in fifteen streets laid out 
 on the commissioners' map of the city who have made deeds of 
 cession to the city have been passed upon in accordance with 
 the provisions of the charter. 
 
 The titles to forty-eight separate parcels of land ])urchased 
 by the city were examined and passed under the supervision of 
 this department. In each case policies of title insurance were 
 obtained and delivered to the proper officers. 
 
 Eight hundred and nine bills directly or indirectly afiecting 
 the city were introduced in the Legislature. These were all ex- 
 amined and many arguments made before committees in refer- 
 ence to them. One hundred and eighty-five of such bills specifi- 
 cally affecting the city became laws. 
 
 Numerous opinions w^ere called for. In many cases oral 
 opinions w^ere sufficient for instruction, but in two hundred and 
 sixty-two instances, written opinions were delivered, very many 
 of which required careful study and preparation. 
 
 Twenty-one actions and proceedings other than those above 
 mentioned have been commenced b}^ the city, seventeen being 
 for the foreclosure of mortgages. All of the foreclosure actions 
 
51 
 
 have been finally disposed of by settlement or sale under fore- 
 closure, except one, the sale in which is about to take place. 
 
 Sixty actions were commenced by the city and tried in 
 justices' courts for j^ennlties for violations of the ordinance 
 regulating the speed of trolley cars, in all of w^hich the city was 
 successful. 
 
 Two thousand, three hundred and forty-two claims for re- 
 bates of excise license fees were filed and referred to this de- 
 partment. All but two, which are now under examination, 
 have been examined and reported for settlement. The total 
 amount paid out of the revenue fimd in settlement of these 
 claims is $179,354.40. 
 
 At the inception of your administration numerous and diffi- 
 cult questions arose regarding the construction of the law con- 
 solidating the covmty of Kings with the city of Brookhm, which 
 took efiect January 1, 1896. A number of such questions re- 
 quired judicial determination, and in many instances legislation 
 was necessary and was procured to enable the city to meet 
 the altered conditions and to properly manage the affairs of the 
 county in connection with its own. Cases growing out of the 
 consolidation, which were taken into the courts, were in the 
 nature of test cases, as, for instance, the McGinness case, w^hich 
 settled the rights of certain appointees of the old Board of 
 Supervisors. The city was successful in these matters, and thus 
 a large number of actions were avoided which would otherwise 
 have been commenced. 
 
 So far as the amount involved is concerned, the Stack case 
 is the most important case in which the city has been interested 
 for several years. An adverse decision would h^ive recpiircd the 
 payment of additional salaries to members of the ])olicc force, 
 amounting to more than $1,500,000. 
 
 Other important cases were : 
 
 The Elevated Railroad tax cases, involving the validity of 
 the taxes of 1893 and 1894 on the tracks and su])erstructure of 
 the roads. The cit\' was successful at the Appellate Division 
 and, no appeal being taken, the cases were settled, and the 
 
52 
 
 roads arc now jiayins^- the taxes in accordance with the stipu- 
 hitions entered into on settlement. 
 
 The Incbrintcs' Home cnsc involvinLj: the ri^ht of the Home 
 to a certain percentage of the excise inonevs collected for 
 1895. If the decision had been adverse to the city, $156,000 
 wonld have been paid to the Home for 1895, for its su]:)]:)ort 
 and maintenance, a sum far in excess of its needs. 
 
 The c[uestion involved in the Chnrity Cominissiouers case, 
 as to the control of the Common Council over unexpended bal- 
 ances of appropriations for purposes which were formerlv 
 county purposes, was determined by the decision of the Appel- 
 late Division in favor of the city, from which no a])peal was 
 taken. 
 
 The Chittenden cnse, popularly known as the Civil Service 
 ease, was decided adversely to the contention of this depart- 
 ment by the Special Term and the Appellate Division, but the 
 Cotu't of Appeals reversed the decisions of the courts below. 
 
 In the Hart case, the plaintiff claimed the sum ol' $102,085 
 upon foin- causes of action growing out of a contract for the 
 construction of a part of the water works system. Upon 
 three of the causes of action decision has been rendered in favor 
 of the eitv, from which the plaintiff has appealed to the Appel- 
 late Division. The fotu'th cause of action resulted in a judg- 
 ment for the plaintiff for $37,304.80, from which the city has 
 appealed. 
 
 The passing of the Liquor Tax law entitled those persons 
 who held licenses for the sale of liquor from the former excise 
 commissioners of the cit}^ of Brooklyn, which licenses had not 
 expired on the 30th day of June, 1896, to a rebate of the fees 
 previously paid by them for that portion of the term which 
 had not ex])ired. Steps were immediately taken to make such 
 refunds without awaiting legal proceedings, by which the sum 
 of over $60,000 was saved in costs. 
 
 The sum of $128,000 was saved to the city by the resist- 
 ance offered to the act of the Legislature seeking to compel a 
 levy by the common council of $224,780 in payment of the 
 
53 
 
 unpaid balance of county taxes of 1873, with interest, remain- 
 ing a charge upon the books of the State comptroller against 
 the count\^ of Kings. A compromise of the measure was 
 finally effected so that $95,937.85, the original claim, could be 
 paid bv the citv in full of all claims, in three annual instal- 
 ments. 
 
 The settlement under authority of Chapter 523 of the Laws 
 of 1897 of the long-standing questions and proceedings be- 
 tween the Litchfield estate and the city is a matter upon which 
 the city is to be congratulated. The Litchfields paid into the 
 city treasiiry the sum of $4-70, 000 in addition to the sum of 
 $250,000 previousl_v paid by them under the order of the court, 
 and gave a general release to the city in full settlement of all 
 pending matters. 
 
 The acquirement of the Brookh-n and Jamaica Plank Road 
 for the sum of $55,000 removed another matter of controversy 
 extending over a number of years, the solution of which seemed 
 almost impossible. 
 
 In April, 1895, the common council passed an ordinance 
 requiring every railroad company operating cars by electricity 
 to attach to the front platform of each car a safety fender or 
 safeguard extending to within not more than three inches from 
 the tracks. Shortly after the passage of this ordinance a suit 
 was brought against one of the companies for a violation oi 
 this ordinance which upon the trial was decided against the 
 city. During the present year eight suits were brought by the 
 city against four of the companies for violations of the ordi- 
 nance. One of the suits against the Nassau Electric Railroad 
 Compam^, which was in the nature of a test case, was tried 
 before Justice Van Wart, who rendered decision in favor of the 
 city, with costs. Appeal was taken by the railroad company 
 to the Count\' Court, which has recently afiirmed the decision 
 of Justice Van Wart upon the merits. 
 
 Yotirs respectfully, 
 
 Corporation Counsel. 
 
Department of Assessment 
 
 HAT HAS BEEiN DONE BY THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS 
 
 UNDER President B. G. Neff 
 
57 
 
 Depaktmkxt of Assessment, Municipal Department 
 
 Building. 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., December 15, 1897. 
 
 Hon. F. W. Wukstek, 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 Dear Sir. — Referring to your reqiiCvSt of the 29tli ultimo for 
 a written statement setting forth the conspicuous things ac- 
 complished by this department during the past two years, I 
 have the honor to submit as follows : 
 
 In accordance with the act, Flatlands was annexed to the 
 city on January 1, 1896; this increased the city's area by 
 5,480 acres, equal to .14 per cent, of its acreage, besides adding 
 nearly 7,()0() to the population. 
 
 The present population of the city is estimated at 1,189,- 
 000, the total area, exclusive of marsh lands and islands in 
 Jamaica Bay, amounting to 38,978 acres. Seven Assessment 
 Committees, composed of two Assessors each, are annualh' 
 appointed to assess this territory. So that each committee is 
 required to assess annually, on an average, about 5,570 acres, 
 comprising some 32,055 separate parcels of real estate in each 
 district of assessment. 
 
 There is rec[uired for the entries of the amounts of these 
 assessments, with the names of the owners of the various par- 
 cels assessed, including diagrams of the same describing the 
 boundaries thereof as expressed in the various deeds of convey- 
 ance, 120 Assessment Rolls covering between 26,000 and 
 27,000 pages of records, and 62 Ward or Field Maps. 
 
 The recent great commercial and industrial depression has 
 been so marked in its influence uj^on values — as evidenced b}' 
 the trend of such values during the past two vears — that a 
 reference to the same here seems unavoidable. 
 
 The analysis following clearly illustrates this point : 
 
 8 
 
58 
 
 The aggregate net increase during the past two 
 years in the valuations of the various descrip- 
 tions of property assessed ecpials $37, 44-9, 056 
 
 Such increase being made up from the lollow- 
 ing sources : 
 
 Assessed valuation, new buildings... $19,r)v')4',548 
 
 Personal property 10, ()()!, 275 
 
 Increase in real estate in the new 
 
 wards, including the accession of 
 
 Flatlands, less the new buildings 
 
 noted above 
 
 Net increase in mileage assessments 
 The net increase in real estate over 
 
 the old city proper for the past 
 
 two years amounts, therefore, to 
 
 but 
 
 The sum of the above items repre- 
 senting the increase in the various 
 classes of property assessed in the 
 past two years is accordingly 
 
 7,157,723 
 318,649 
 
 357,461 
 
 $37,449,656 
 
 At no period in the recent history of the city has such a 
 condition of A^alues obtained. It will be noted in the above, 
 w4th the exception of new property actually added, that the 
 assessable values have remained almost stationarv ; notwith- 
 standing the increase of the city's popvdation by nearlv 1 ()(),()00 
 persons, coupled with the magnificent transit service which 
 now covers the principal streets, bringing the dift'erent and 
 even the most remote sections into rapid and easy communica- 
 tion with each other. 
 
 It may not be out of place here to briefly refer to a per capita 
 comparison of the valuations, tax levies and tax rates during 
 your administration with the average of the administrations 
 of vour predecessors for the ten years immediatelv preceding: 
 
59 
 
 ASSESSA HLE VALUATIOWS. 
 
 The average of the assessable 
 
 valuations per capita for such 
 
 period of ten vears was $517 96 
 
 Under vour administration the 
 
 average for the two years was.. 507 35 
 
 The average decrease in assessa- 
 ble resources per capita has, 
 
 therefore, been $10 61 
 
 TAX LEVIES. 
 
 The average amount of the per 
 
 capita tax levy for the ten years 
 
 ending with 1895 was $14 17 
 
 Under your administration the 
 
 averaore for the two vears was. . . 14 15 
 
 Showing a decrease of. 02 
 
 During your administration large 
 sums were placed in the levy to 
 meet extraordinary appropria- 
 tions, and for deficiencies re- 
 quired for various purposes in 
 the newlv annexed wards, the 
 total of which aggregated $537,434 00 
 
 The increase placed in the levy 
 for State taxes alone, during 
 the past two years, as com- 
 pared with the average of the 
 ten previous years aggregates.. 727,019 00 
 
 Making a total for these two 
 items of $1,264,453 00 
 
 On the basis of the current popu- 
 lation this is equal to a per 
 
 capita charge of 106 
 
6o 
 
 To arrive at a fair basis of eoni- 
 ])arison, this sum should l^e de- 
 ducted from the average levy 
 of $14.17, noted above, which 
 would accordinoly reduce the 
 
 same to $1:M1 
 
 This is the lowest per capita tax levy for the ])ast twelve 
 years. 
 
 thp: tax rate. 
 
 The average tax rate per $1(){) of valuation in the current 
 
 year over the whole citv is v$2 8v'^ 
 
 The average rate over the old city ])roper, comprising the 
 first twenty-eight wards, for the ten years ending 
 with 1895 was 2 72 
 
 The extraordinary^ sums placed in the levy, as previously 
 noted, are equal to an addition of 11 cents in the tax rate on 
 every $100 of valuation. 
 
 Vou will, therefore, please note that with this deduction the 
 average current tax rate over the whole city, /. e., including all 
 of the newly annexed wards, is identical with the first twenty- 
 eight wards only, as shown above. 
 
 I directed special efforts this year to augment the assess- 
 ments of individuals; toward which object, a thorough and 
 careful selection of names was furnished to me by the Assess- 
 ment Committees ; between thirteen and fourteen thousand 
 notices of assessment were forwarded to such ])ersons through 
 the mails. After hearing, and, in many cases, tedious examina- 
 tions of the persons so assessed, less than 33 })er cent, of them 
 were retained on the rolls, 66 per cent, of those aSvSessed 
 "swearing off" under the provisions afforded them by the acts 
 made and provided. Notices were duh^ forwarded this year to 
 ()31 corporations. We succeeded in holding out of the total 
 number 297 companies, with an aggregate assessment of $19,- 
 520,056. The assessment of the shareholders of bank stock 
 shows quite an increase, $4,354,522 being retained on the 
 
6i 
 
 rolls, apportioned anioiii;' l,v)71 shareholders. The inerease in 
 the property exempt in the eitv is worthy of note, our reeords 
 showing a total value of sueh ])roperty aggregating $166,- 
 759,427. 
 
 The addition of the new wards to the city has greatly in- 
 creased that branch of our work requiring the division of large 
 areas of land into lots and the constant changes and correc- 
 tions on the assessment maps to correspond. During the two 
 x^ears 10,422 apportionments of property have been made, and 
 6,291 map corrections. 
 
 The Committee on Local Improvements completed during 
 the past two years a total number of 635 different assess- 
 ments, involving an amount of $4,401,474, requiring the 
 assessment of 37,373 parcels of property. This largely exceeds 
 the amount of work of this character accomplished by the 
 department in any similar period in the past. 
 
 The action of the Board in the settlement of the Litchfield 
 arrears controversy is worth^^ of mention at this place. 
 
 At its meeting on the 27th of July, 1897, this whole subject 
 was carefully reviewed by the various members ; the terms 
 and conditions of settlement, coming within our jurisdiction, 
 were fully considered and finally approved. Thus was ended a 
 long, vexatious litigation, highly advantageous to the citv, 
 with the result that there was covered into the City Treasury 
 the sum of $470,000, the discontinuance of all actions against 
 the city, in which over $500,000 was involved, besides releas- 
 ing a large amount of valuable property which became at once 
 marketable and tax-producing. 
 
 The annual report of this department for the year 1897, 
 submitted to your Honor herewith, contains much information 
 in detail descri])tive of the vast work annually performed by 
 this Board, and proof sustaining beyond question the care and 
 fidelity with which such work is performed bv its members. 
 
 Respectfidly yours. 
 
 President of Department of Assessment. 
 
Department of Police 
 AND Excise 
 
 What has been accomplished by Commissioner 
 Leonard R. Welles 
 
65 
 
 Commissioner's Op^p^ice, Department of Police and Excise, 
 Municipal Building, 
 
 Brooklvn, N.Y., December 5, 1897. 
 
 Hon. Frederick W. Wurster, 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 Dear Sir. — Agreeabl\' to your suggestion I have the honor 
 to submit herewith a history of the Police Department of the 
 city of BrookK^n during the past four years, while I have 
 been Commissioner. I can say without fear of contradiction 
 that never before in the life of the department has the force 
 reached its present condition of efhciency, and I feel justly proud 
 of the knowledge that through my efforts, and the assistance 
 rendered by the different commanding officers, the department 
 will become part of the force of Greater New York, with a 
 record inferior to none of the others and comparing favorabh- 
 with any other department in the United States. 
 
 During my administration there have been many changes in 
 the personnel of the force, and I may say with truth that I have 
 virtually reconstructed the department. When I assumed con- 
 trol on February 1, 1894, I found the force to coUvsist of 1,583 
 men. These were divided among twenty -two precincts. At 
 the present time there are thirt\' precincts and 1,829 men. In 
 that time it has become my duty to appoint two superintend- 
 ents, two deputy superintendents, five insj^ectors and fifteen 
 captains, besides many subordinate officers. The opportunity 
 afforded me has, of course, been very great, but I feel confident 
 that the promotions thus made have met with the approval of 
 the public, and were wholly in the interest of the improvement 
 of the department. 
 
 It has been one of my favorite projects to provide better 
 accommodations for the members of the force, to furnish them 
 with comfortable homes, and to that end I have used every 
 
 9 
 
66 
 
 facility at my command. Tliere have been erected during mv 
 administration three new station houses, and thev are admit- 
 tedly the most complete buildinos for police station piir])oses in 
 the country. Police officials of other cities, who have visited 
 them, are unanimous in their jjraise, and upon returnino- home 
 they have cited these station houses as ideal models for such 
 structures. There are still a number of buildings used as sta- 
 tion houses which are rented, and it is mv judgment that as 
 soon as practicable the gi'eater city should replace these build- 
 ings with new ones, owned by the city and fashioned after those 
 recently completed. I find from experience that policemen pro- 
 vided with comfortable quarters are inclined to do better work 
 and are better pleased with their situation. In advocating 
 these im])rovements, I have found your Honor and your ])rede- 
 cessor willing at all times to aid me in my eftbrts in this direc- 
 tion. 
 
 Hardlv had I become familiar with the routine of the de- 
 partment when I was confronted with a problem that has 
 proved very difficult to solve. That problem was brought 
 about by the annexation of the town of Gravesend to the city 
 of Brooklyn. By this annexation Coney Island was brought 
 within the jurisdiction of this department, and as it was in 
 a peculiarh' demoralized condition the manner of policing it 
 caused me great uneasiness. It was necessary to send patrol- 
 men from other precincts to take charge of this district, and as 
 they were all strangers to this section their work had to be 
 carefullv watched. The annexation took i)lace on May 5, 1894, 
 just at the opening of the season, and the administration of 
 affairs at this resort was undertaken without any previous 
 knowledge of its peculiarities, except as to its general bad rc])- 
 utation. This problem was met and overcome in a manner 
 that has elicited words of praise from all sources. The hun- 
 dreds of thousands of people who have visited this resort every 
 season have been cared for with great success, and the reports 
 from the precinct during four seasons show that crime was 
 kept at a minimum. 
 
67 
 
 About this time the towns of Flatbush and New Utrecht 
 were annexed to the city and the territory required to be cov- 
 ered was very much increased, without corresponding in- 
 crease in the force. The police of these towns became members 
 of this department by annexation, but they were few in number 
 and entireh^ inadequate to patrol the newK' added territor\\ 
 It was found necessary to transfer men from other precincts to 
 these towns, and as they were filled with summer resorts, it 
 necessitated the weakening of other parts of the city to supply 
 the requisite protection to these places. Two precincts and 
 three sub-precincts were organized in the annexed towns of 
 Gravesend, Flatbush and New Utrecht, the latter subsequently 
 being made full precincts. The addition of many miles of 
 water front made the problem of policing these added districts 
 very difficult, because of the limited number of officers at my 
 disposal. I have the satisfaction, however, of knowing that 
 the necessary protection was afforded to this territory and 
 nothing but praise has been given for the work of the depart- 
 ment under such adverse circumstances. A greater portion of 
 this newly acquired district is farming land, and the idea of 
 covering it completeK^ by the ordinary- patrol service was 
 hardh^ possible. To obviate this the mounted squads were in- 
 creased, and the new men were distributed among the precincts 
 in this added territor^^ By this means the service was im- 
 proved and the residents of the outlying sections were given as 
 much protection as the rest of the city. 
 
 The addition of this new territory' necessitated the creation 
 of an additional inspection district, and on Mav 4, 1894, this 
 district was established and was made u]) of the Twelfth, Sev- 
 enteenth, Eighteenth and Twenty-second Precincts and all the 
 annexed districts. Captain William J. McKclvev was promoted 
 to the rank of Insj^ector and placed in command of the new 
 district. On October 9, 1894, the Twenty-third Precinct was 
 created, and in October, 1894, the Seventeenth Sub-Precinct 
 was organized. It consisted of that portion of the Twentv- 
 sixth Ward known as Brownsville, and was established at the 
 
68 
 
 request of the citi;cens of that section, who complained bitterh^ 
 of the depredations and lawlessness rampant there. Since the 
 new precinct has been in operation, the district has become as 
 lawabiding- as anv in the citv. 
 
 The Excise Bureau was a part of the Police Department for 
 over two years of my term, and my duties as president of the 
 Board of Excise were very onerous. Commissioners Forrester 
 and Hacker were my colleagues in that board, and I am fullv 
 able to say that the conduct of the board was of such a char- 
 acter as to satisfy generally all the interests concerned. We 
 determined to carry out the laws as we found them and it is a 
 matter of record that very little just criticism was ever made 
 against the board. 
 
 Early in the second year of my administration the ]K^lice 
 force was called upon to meet an emergency that proved too 
 much for it. On January 14, 1895, a strike was inaugurated 
 upon three of the largest systems of street railroads, and it 
 continued for over five weeks. It was unparalleled in magnitude, 
 and was the first extensive strike upon the electric roads. 
 It involved over 262 miles of track, more than forty power 
 houses, car houses and stations, and over 60,000 miles of 
 wire. The extent of territory included from Newtown Creek 
 to Coney Island and from the river to Queens Count}'. The 
 peculiar, fanlike construction of our leading avenues, and the 
 fact that while the cars and terminals had to be watched 
 through the day, and the wires at night, made it evident that 
 the police force was entirely inadequate to afibrd ]:)rotection 
 and prevent destruction of property. It was a time to in'ove 
 the men, and show what the\' were made of, and I am glad to 
 state that, with few exceptions, the members of the force 
 acquitted themselves with great credit. For ten days the 
 entire force was on duty, snatching sleep whenever pos- 
 sible, but never mtu'munng about their duty. Many acts of 
 bravery and exhibitions of cool judgment were chronicled of 
 members of the department, and it was only when the men 
 were completely worn out and unable to stand the strain an^^ 
 
69 
 
 longer that the miHtia were called in. This was done at the 
 request of Mayor Schieren, and included the military forces of 
 New York and Brooklyn. There were a number of policemen 
 tried for cowardice and indift'erence during that crucial period, 
 and thev were promptly dismissed from the force. To the 
 credit of the department their number was small, and the gen- 
 eral conduct of the men during that time merited my com- 
 mendation, which was heartily given. Military officials who 
 watched the conflict between the railroad men and the com- 
 panies from beginning to end were outspoken in their praise of 
 the work performed by the force as a whole. During the 
 trouble over 600 arrests were made. 
 
 On March 2, 1895, Superintendent Patrick Campbell retired 
 from the department and was succeeded by Inspector William J. 
 McKelvey. Captain Thomas Murphy was promoted to the 
 rank of Inspector vice AIcKelvey, and Captain John Brennan 
 made Inspector vice Edw^ard Rielly, deceased. 
 
 By an act of the Legislature five members of the Atlantic 
 Dock Squad were added to the force in March, 1895. 
 
 The opening of the new 20th Precinct station house, at the 
 corner of Hamburg and DeKalb avenues, w^as another event 
 that marked the year 1895. On September 26th, the keys were 
 formally turned over to the department in the presence of a 
 large number of city ofiicials and citizens who thoroughly in- 
 spected the house and were delighted with its completeness and 
 perfect adaptation for the purpose. 
 
 The first day of January, 1896, saw- the annexation of the 
 town of Flatlands to the city, the ofiicers of the Flatlands 
 force being sworn in as patrolmen. This added another large 
 slice of territory and man^- miles of water front to be looked 
 after by this department, and it was given the same attention 
 as the other suburban towns. More mounted men w^ere ap- 
 ])ointed and assigned to this ])recinct and thus succeeded in 
 furnishing every portion of it with police service. 
 
 Other changes in the department during the year 1896 in- 
 cluded the creation of the position of deputy superintendent 
 
70 
 
 and the appointment of Inspector John Mackellar to that 
 place; the abolishment of the central office squad ; the forma- 
 tion of the 23d sub-precinct, comi)rising the section known as 
 Parkville; and the establishment of the followini;- full precincts: 
 27th precinct, formerly the 17th sub (Brownsville); 28th pre- 
 cinct, formerly the 24th sub (Sheepshead Bay ) ; and the 21)th 
 precinct, formerly the 25th sub ( Bensonhurst ). 
 
 On the 19th of Noyember, 1896, the 9th ]M-ecinct station 
 house, located at the corner of Gates and Throop ayenues, was 
 turned oyer to the department. This house combines all the 
 improvements of ventilation, heating appliances, adaptation 
 for service, etc., that is possible to secure for the efficient work- 
 ing of the de])artment, and, without doubt represents the most 
 complete building for the purpose in the country. 
 
 During the present year a considerable number of changes 
 have taken place in the department. Bv an act of the Legis- 
 lature the ranking officers of the old Flatlands force, who were 
 originally sworn in as patrolmen, were restored to their old 
 rank. The 23d sub-precinct was made the 30th precinct, being 
 the eighth new^ precinct organized during my administration. 
 
 Another change in the office of superintendent occurred in 
 October. Superintendent W. J. McKelvev retired and Deputy 
 Superintendent John Mackellar w^as named in his place. In- 
 spector Elias P. Clayton became deputy superintendent, and 
 Ca])t. George R. Rhodes w^as appointed inspector. 
 
 In 1895 the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Infor- 
 mation was organized from the old detective bureau and ]:)laced 
 in charge of Detective Sergeant James G. Reynolds. The force 
 under him was increased by the detailing of a number of bright 
 young patrolmen, who had shown marked ability for detective 
 work, and the restdt has been very flattering. A great im- 
 provement has followed this change and the bureau has be- 
 come a useful part of the department. An act of the Legis- 
 lature in 1897 made the bureau equal to a precinct and Detec- 
 tive Sergeant Re\molds was promoted to the rank of cajHain 
 and continued in charge of it. 
 
71 
 
 After agitating the matter for .several years, 1 sueeeeded in 
 Oetoher, 1 81)7, in getting rid of the old ])atr()l boat ''Judge 
 Moore," which had always been a useless expense. The boat 
 was sold by Com])troller Palmer and two launches were then 
 placed in commission to take its ]:)lace. They are each 3(3 feet 
 in length over all ; one being ])ropelled by naphtha and the 
 other by alco-vapor power. The water front from Bay Ridge 
 to Newtown Creek is now patrolled by these launches and the 
 service is all that could be desired. They are peculiarh' fitted 
 for this purpose and will prove of inestimable benefit to the 
 service. 
 
 Shortly before the close of 1897, the new station house for 
 the 24th precinct was turned over to the department. This is 
 the third new station house o])ened since I assumed charge of 
 the department, and the three buildings will remain monu- 
 ments to the enterprise of the administration of the city 
 government during the past four years. The new building is 
 as fullv equi])ped for police work as the other two and was 
 sadly needed. 
 
 The patrol box system and the patrol wagon service have 
 been greatl\^ extended during the past four years. Five addi- 
 tional precincts have been provided with the patrol box tele- 
 phone service and six additional precincts have been supplied 
 with patrol wagons. This makes a total of nineteen precincts 
 having patrol boxes and twenty-six precincts with patrol 
 wagons. The work of the department is helped a great deal 
 by this service and it should be extended throughout the entire 
 department. 
 
 From the first of January, 1894, until December 1, 1897, 
 there have been 3,954 men arraigned before me on charges of 
 violating the rules of the department and tried. Of these 110 
 men were dismissed from the force and fines aggregating 
 $41,731.83 imposed. 
 
 The hearty co-operation of yourself, together with that of 
 3'our predecessor in office, has been of great value to me in 
 carrying out the improvements and reforms inaugurated as 
 
72 
 
 detailed in the forej^oine^ report. The only drawback to more 
 efficient service has been the necessary curtailment in regard to 
 
 o 
 
 the number of men a]3pointed on the force, especially as the 
 additional territory acquired has necessitated an increase of 
 service without the corrcs])ondin2^ increase of men. 
 
 Kes])cctfulh' submitted, 
 
 Commissioner. 
 
Department of Health 
 
 Reports of the work of the Various bureaus 
 UNDER Commissioner Z. Taylor Emery, M. D. 
 
 lO 
 
75 
 
 Department oe Health, Commissioner's Oeeice, 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., December 20, 181)7. 
 
 Hon. Frederick W. Wurster, 
 
 Mayor of the City of Brooklyn. 
 
 Dear Sir.— In response to your communication of Novem- 
 ber 29th, I beg to enclose a statement setting forth the con- 
 spicuous things accompHshed in this de])artment in the various 
 bureaus during the last two years. 
 
 Yours very respectfully, 
 
 2. 
 
 Commissioner of Health. 
 
 Bureau of Vital Statistics. 
 
 The following is a statement of the improvements made in 
 the work of the Bureau of Vital Statistics : 
 
 The introduction of a card index in place of the old box 
 index for births, marriages and deaths ; the arrangement in 
 chronological order of old certificates covering several of the 
 earlier years, which had been in a state of confusion ; the in- 
 dexing of the records of several years back, which were unin- 
 dexed at the time you assumed office ; the enlargement of the 
 vault of the department to nearly double its previous capacity; 
 and the alteration of the weekly report from a foiu--page state- 
 ment of vital vStatistics to an eight-page statement of the 
 entire work of the department. 
 
 GEORGE E. WEvST, M.D., 
 
 Register of Records. 
 
76 
 
 CoXTACIorS DlSKASH Bl'KKAU. 
 
 The follow in is a statement of the improvements made in 
 the work of the Contagious Disease Bureau : 
 
 The adoption of a card index for kee])ing records of con- 
 tagious diseases; the notification of Sunda^^-schools and danc- 
 ing-schools of the location of houses where contagious disease 
 exist ; more careful (juarantining of cases of contagious dis- 
 ease at their homes, together with a more thorough disinfec- 
 tion of such houses after the period of quarantine has expired ; 
 the adoption of bacteriological diagnosis in cases of diph- 
 theria and tuberculosis, and the use of bacteriological 
 cultures to determine when the ])eriod of quarantine in cases of 
 diphtheria shall cease ; the removal of a large ntnnber of cases 
 to the Contagious Disease Hospital, wdie re more satisfactory 
 provision has been made for their comfort; a more systematic 
 supervision over all the work of the bureau ; the appointment 
 of expert diagnosticians to diagnose cases where the attending 
 physician is in doubt. 
 
 F. A. JEWETT, M.D., 
 
 Chief of Burcci u . 
 
 Bureau of Chemistry and Food Inspection. 
 
 The Bureau of Chemistry and Food Inspection was organ- 
 ized June 1,1894. The methods of inspection adopted con- 
 form to the State and local laws governing the manufacture 
 and sale of food. The work of the bureau at present covers the 
 following lines : Inspection of milk; inspection of butcher shops 
 and abattoirs; the examination of fruit from foreign ports; 
 dail\^ inspection of food on sale in the wholesale and retail 
 markets ; fire inspection ; dairy inspection ; ins]:)ection of fish 
 markets; citizens' complaints investigated. 
 
 A chemical laboratory (being a necessary adjunct to a 
 bureau of food inspection ) was equipped to make examinations 
 of all kinds of food jM'oducts. In conjunction with the Bureau 
 
77 
 
 of Bacteriology an auxiliary laboratory was establivshed at 
 Rockville Centre for the systematic examination, both chemical 
 and biological, of sam]:)les of water from different sources of 
 the Brooklyn water su])])ly. 
 
 In order to kee]) the records, thirty forms were designed and 
 eighteen books recjuired. The census of all places selling milk, 
 groceries, meat and fish are kept by means of card catalogues. 
 A wagon to remove condemned food and a carriage for the use 
 of the inspectors in the outlying wards were added to the 
 equipment of the bureau. 
 
 G. J. VOLCKENING, 
 
 Chief Chemist. 
 
 Bureau of Pli'mbixg and Drainage. 
 
 Having already had two years in which to reorganize this 
 bureau and to get it to working along lines in harmony' with 
 the best modern ideas on sanitation, the work done during the 
 past two years has been very effective and satisfactor3^ A 
 trained sanitary engineer has been continued at the head of the 
 bureau, and the satisfactory results achieved ha ye been due 
 mainly to his steadfast devotion to the work and firm yet 
 courteous treatment of owners and complainants. 
 
 I consider the improved sanitary condition ofthe city to-day, 
 as compared with former years, to be one of the chief factors in 
 the decided reduction of the death-rate; and in this yearly sav- 
 ing of thousands of lives, as wxll as in the improved health of 
 the community, which cannot be estimated in dollars and cents, 
 the Health Department has shown a large return for every 
 dollar spent and has amply vindicated its right to continuance. 
 
 The plumbing of new buildings has been subjected to rigid 
 inspections as to material and workmanshi]), so that the sani- 
 tary condition of more than 20,000 houses built within the 
 past four years can with confidence be ]:)ronounced perfect. 
 Against old buildings more than 20,000 complaints have been 
 received during this period which have merited investigation. 
 
78 
 
 and to show how great has been the improvement in their con- 
 dition it will only be necessary to note the paucity of com- 
 plaints in 1897, as compared with 1895, the number drop])ing 
 from over 6, ()()() to 4,000. 
 
 During the past year a careful examination has been made 
 of all the ])ublic and private schools of the city, a detailed re- 
 port of which will appear in ni}' annual report. In nearly every 
 case the managers of private schools immediatelv remedied 
 any defects upon notice, so that the ]3resent sanitary condition 
 of these schools is very satisfactorv ; but as much cannot be 
 said of the public schools, some of which arc in verv poor con- 
 dition and many are badly overcrowded. The need of new 
 schools to relieve overcrowded districts and extensive rc])airs 
 and alterations in man\' of the old buildings is very ])rcssing. 
 It is indeed unfortunate that the necessary funds could not 
 have been placed in the hands of the Board of Education to give 
 our children proper educational facilities. 
 
 The large dei)artment stores have received attention, and in 
 manv cases the entire phmibing system has been overhauled, 
 thus greatly improving their sanitarj^ condition ; but the lack 
 of adequate ventilation still merits the consideration of their 
 owners. The continuous crowding of many thousands of ])eo- 
 plc into these stores presents a problem on ventilation of no 
 mean proportions. 
 
 The problem of garbage disposal has been met, and we hope 
 solved, in a satisfactory- manner. Instead of being dumped at 
 sea as formerly, it is now carried to Barren Island and reduced 
 to grease and fertilizer at less cost to the city than under the 
 old method of disposal. 
 
 W. W. LOCKE, 
 
 Sr nitary Engineer. 
 
79 
 
 Contagious Disease Hospitae. 
 
 Early in 1894 a three-story brick building 30x60 feet was 
 erected, containing a nurses' home, consisting of a dormitory 
 of twelve rooms, providing for two sets of nurses; a laundry; 
 a disinfecting plant ; bath and discharging rooms for the use 
 of patients leaving the hospital, and boiler and engine room. 
 This building was fully equipped throughout. The laundry 
 with new machinery ; the disinfecting plant with the necessary 
 apparatus, consisting of a steam disinfecting chest 12x4x5 feet, 
 and all essential equipment for tlic proper divsinfection of articles 
 by this process. A smaller disinfecting chest was put in a build- 
 ing erected for it, which contained, besides the chest, a suite of 
 discharging rooms for the use of patients discharged from the 
 small-pox ward. 
 
 A new steam boiler was added, which, with extensive 
 changes to the entire heating system of the plant, replaced the 
 old and inefficient method of heating the various buildings. 
 
 A separate hot-water boiler was put in, furnishing the dift'er- 
 ent buildings with hot water. 
 
 Five isolation cottages were built on the south side of Fen- 
 nimore street, and the same enclosed by a high board fence. 
 
 The ambulance service was greatly improved by the pur- 
 chasing of a new small-pox ambulance; and subsequentlv, 
 two more ambulances and two coupes, all of which have been 
 specially fitted for the nature of our work. 
 
 For the handling of goods brought to the plant for disinfec- 
 tion, vsix wagons were brought, and put in service. This work, 
 together with other work of the hospital, has required the 
 keeping of about ten horses. 
 
 The disinfecting ]:)lant, put in operation in 1804, has ])r()vcd 
 a most important factor in the sanitary administration of the 
 cit\^ We have disinfected by this process 90,852 articles. 
 
 The work of remodeling and repairing the old buildings has 
 been going on constantly. Old plumbing has been removed 
 and replaced by more sanitary arrangements, all the buildings 
 
So 
 
 painted, many of them re-roofed and the o^ronnds and roadways 
 in and about the premises put in shape. 
 
 One of the most important improvements made was the in- 
 auguration of a system for the dis])ositi()n of our sewage, which 
 consists of a settling tank 50x20x14 feet, built of brick, into 
 which flows through drain pipes all the sewage from the 
 twenty diflerent buildings on the grounds. Arrangements made 
 at the time of its erection enable us to disinfect and settle the 
 sew^age, and to pump off the effiuent through a force main into 
 the cit}' sew^er on Clarkson street, the remaining sludge being 
 cremated. Provision made at the time also enables us to free 
 the plant from the water that settles on the low ground of the 
 hospital nearly every s]H-ing to the depth of several feet. 
 
 A cremator sufliciently large for the burning of infected ar- 
 ticles, garbage, sewage sludge, etc., has added not a little to the 
 maintenance of proper sanitary conditions. 
 
 Among the minor changes may be mentioned the extension 
 of the heating system, the re-furnishing of the wards, the erec- 
 tion of a diet kitchen in connection with the isolation cottages, 
 the partitioning off and connecting together of many of the 
 old wards, the addition of new hospital furniture and fixtures, 
 an incubator, a microscope for bacteriological work ; the put- 
 ting in of an internal telephone system connecting the different 
 buildings with the administration building ; the establishment 
 of a local fire alarm system, fire hose and cart, several new 
 water hydrants, pump and fire extinguishers, and a fire alarm 
 telegraph station, all of which contribute to the comfort and 
 safety of the occupants of the hospital. 
 
 One thousand six hundred and ninety-three cases have been 
 received and treated at this hospital during the past four years, 
 and for a contagious disease hospital the death rate has been 
 low. We have treated 487 cases of small-pox, 730 cases of 
 diphtheria, 218 cases of scarlet fever, 150 cases of measles and 
 108 cases of other diseases, the death rate for the hospital being 
 15.23 per cent. 
 
 The use of antitoxin was begun July 26, 1894, since which 
 
8i 
 
 time 665 cases of diphtheria have received the serum treat- 
 ment, the results obtained attesting to its importance as a 
 therapeutic agent. 
 
 A. S. AMBLER, M.D., 
 
 Medical Superintendent. 
 
 Bureau of Bacteriology. 
 
 The following is a statement of the work performed by this 
 bureau since its establishment, and especially during the last 
 two vears. These are the bare figures and do not convey an 
 adequate idea of the details of the work, which has been 
 described in former communications. They demonstrate, how- 
 ever, the great importance of this line of work, and the rela- 
 tions of this bureau to other departments of the sanitary ad- 
 ministration. 
 
 The special features of the work of this bureau during the 
 last two \'ears, aside from the routine work of diagnosis, have 
 been, in the hrst place, a considerable amount of experimenta- 
 tion in disinfection, especially with formaldehyde gas. This 
 has resulted in the discovery of a method whereby it is possible 
 to secure prompt and thorough disinfection of almost any 
 article without damage In the second place, it has been pos- 
 sible to prepare an antitoxine for tetanus in addition to that 
 for diphtheria, without additional cost. This bureau was the 
 first to arrive at definite conclusions in regard to the pro})er 
 method of disinfection against the bubonic plague, and a con- 
 siderable amount of work was done with germs of this disease. 
 Much work has also been done on the bacteriology of vaccine 
 virus. The work done hy this bureau in equipping and assist- 
 ing in the operation of the water-shed laboratorv has alreadv 
 been described. 
 
 E. H. WILSON, M.D., 
 
 Chief of Bureau. 
 
 II 
 
82 
 
 RocivViLLK Centre Lahoratokv. 
 
 The Rockvillc Centre Laboratory for the sanitary super- 
 vision of the Brooklyn Water Supply was established in Oeto- 
 ber, 1896. Active work began in Deeember, 181)(), the inter- 
 vening time being oeeupied in the neeessary preparations. 
 
 The design of the laboratory was the aeeuniulation of eom- 
 plete data bearing on the sanitary condition of the water 
 supply, and the continuous supervision of the same, in order to 
 record the changes continually occurring, and to keep the 
 information obtained up to date for reference and ])racticaluse. 
 
 About two hundred examinations for sew^age bacteria, 
 thirteen hundred quantitative examinations for bacteria, one 
 thousand microscopical examinations and one thousand chem- 
 ical examinations have been made between December, 1896, 
 and October, 1897. The conditions giving rise to the odor in 
 the city w^ater were investigated and reported submitted in 
 April and May, 1897. Inspections of all the sources of supply 
 have been made and reports on tw^o of the most unsanitary 
 have been placed in \'our hands. A detailed report of the whole 
 work is now nearing completion. 
 
 In addition to tables showing the actual results and SA^nop- 
 ses of the analytical data dealing w\th each pond, a general 
 discussion of the whole w^ater-shed basis on the exhaustive 
 information accumulated, a description of the methods em- 
 ployed in making inspections, collecting samples, and carrying 
 on the analyses will be given. 
 
 The practical value of the work has been the recording of 
 the actual character of the w^ater and the condition of the 
 w^ater-shed from a sanitary standpoint, during a ])eriod of 
 nearly one year. The definite conclusions arrived at have been 
 based on this exhaustive data, and the recommendations are 
 made with the full knowlege of the sanitary measures required 
 to place the supi)ly in a safe and ])roper condition. 
 
 HIBBERT HILL, 
 
 Director. 
 
Department of Fire 
 
 A BRIEF SUMMARY OF CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS 
 
 IN THE Fire Department of the City of 
 Brooklyn during the years 1894, 
 
 189^, 1896 AND 1897 
 
85 
 
 Headquarters Department oe Fire, 
 365-367 Jay St. 
 
 Brooklyn, Dec. 22, 1897. 
 
 Hon. V. \\ . Wi'RSTER, 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 Dear Sir. — To enumerate the manv chano-es and improve- 
 ments that have been made in the Fire Department of this cit\' 
 in the past four vears wovild require a gTeater s]:)ace than is 
 at mv command, but I will endeavor to call attention to the 
 more important ones and point to the splendid record that this 
 department has made for itself during the past four years as a 
 justification for the changes and improvements. 
 
 When the Hon. Charles A. Schieren was elected Mayor of 
 the city of Brooklyn the Fire Department of the city was in a 
 discreditable state. There was a lack of proper discipline, and 
 the main body of the force felt that their chances for preferment 
 did not rest upon their merits. The appointment of the Hon. 
 F. W. Wurster as Fire Commissioner by Mavor Schieren was 
 the forerimner of many marked improvements in the depart- 
 ment in all directions. New rules were formulated and issued 
 to the department, among them that of strictly forbidding fire- 
 men in uniform to enter a liquor store, which rule has been pro- 
 ductive of most excellent results. No privileges or leaves of ab- 
 sence were granted whilst charges were pending against fire- 
 men ; more severity was exercised in infiicting punishments and 
 yet absolute justice was alwavs done. 
 
 It had been the custom prior to Commissioner Wurster's 
 administration to have gongs in liquor stores in the immediate 
 vicinity of the fire houses. All these, together with those in 
 private houses and ofiices that were not entitled to them, were 
 taken out. 
 
 Alany improvements have been made for the comfort of the 
 men, and many extra ])rivileges granted, which have tended to 
 
86 
 
 improve the morals of the foree and eaiise a much better feeHng 
 among them. The privilege to ride free on the cars whilst in 
 uniform, was secured, and an additional twelve hours' leave of 
 absence each week was granted. 
 
 At the time that this administration came into power there 
 were in the department thirt^^-five engine companies, twelve 
 truck companies and two fire boats. Beginning under Com- 
 missioner Wtn-ster, and extending up to the present time, there 
 have been nineteen new engine and truck houses constructed, 
 including engines 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 47, 48, 
 49, 51, 52, 53, 55 and truck 18, and several old houses taken 
 over from the volunteer fire departments in the county towns, 
 and also some in the city, have been rebuilt and put into thor- 
 ough order, and engine companies 45, 46, 50, 54, 57, chemical 
 engine No. 1 and the water tower now occupy these premises. 
 
 A new veterinary stable, on the lots owned by the city ad- 
 joining the repair shop in Canton street, has been erected, cov- 
 ering a space of seventy-five feet front by one hundred feet deep, 
 which is fitted up with every convenience and requisite for the 
 well being and care of sick horses or-horses that are sent there 
 to be trained prior to being put into actual service. 
 
 At the beginning of my term of ofhce I made a thorough 
 examination of every house in the department and I discovered 
 that the sanitar\^ condition in most of the houses in the old 
 part of the city was very bad. Tnsufiicient attention had been 
 paid to the comfort or welfare of the men, who are obliged to 
 spend twenty-one hours of the twenty-four in these houses 
 whilst on duty. The plumbing in every house has been over- 
 hauled ; hot water put in all bathrooms; new bathtubs, closets, 
 wash bowls, etc., have been added, until now the older houses 
 compare favorably in point of comfort to the newer ones. 
 
 I discovered, after taking charge of the department, that 
 there were a great many engines in service that had been in use 
 for a number of years and were in such a bad condition that 
 they needed a thorough overhauling. This has been done by 
 the La France Engine Company of Elmira, and there is not now 
 
87 
 
 in the whole department one engine but what is in first elass 
 eondition, with all the latest modern improvements as to 
 boilers, pumps, etc. All the aerial trucks in use in the dej^art- 
 ment have been fitted out with ball bearings on the ladder 
 hoisting apparatus, thus enabling two men to do the work 
 which it formerly required five to perform . 
 
 In addition a large sum of money has been spent upon the 
 two fire boats the ''David A. Boody" and ''Seth Low;" the 
 former under Commissioner Wurster Avas thoroughly over- 
 hauled and fitted with new boilers, and the latter also under- 
 went a most thorough ovcrliauHng during the past A^ear, and 
 the}^ stand to-dav two as good fire boats as are in use in any 
 other department in the world. 
 
 In addition to the other apparatus, twelve chemical combi- 
 nation trucks were put in service in the county towns, and 
 have proved to be verv useful, particularly in those places where 
 a lack of water might have caused a severe conflagration. 
 
 Between fort}^ and fifty thousand feet of the best quality of 
 rubber hose has been added to the equipment, and the loss at 
 fires through bursting of hose has been minimized. 
 
 Notwithstanding the great increase in the equipment and 
 apparatus of the department, no increase has been made in the 
 force at the repair shop, and its work has been well and eco- 
 nomically done. To the machinery at the repair sho]:) has been 
 added a cold tire-setting machine, which has j^roven to be a 
 source of economy to the department, owing to the saving of 
 time and material, as compared with the old method of shrink- 
 ing on the tires. 
 
 All of the old and useless houses and pro])ertv of the depart- 
 ment have been sold to good advantage to the city. The old 
 bell tower on North Second street has been discontinued, and 
 likew^ise the sub-telegraph oflPice on Driggs avenue, it having 
 been entirelv refitted and made the location for No. 1 Chemica] 
 Engine, w^hich on several occasions has demonstrated its use- 
 fulness, having been able to extinguish fires l)eiore the regular 
 steam engine companies were ready to stretch in. 
 
88 
 
 I Icadcjiiarters has 13CC11 painted and decorated ; an elevator 
 ])nt in, and, in the Telegraph Department, several useful im- 
 provements have been added, among them a new ])rotector 
 switch board for the pm-pose of cutting out heavy currents of 
 electricity, which had previously caused one or two serious 
 1)urn-()uts in the Telegraph Department. 
 
 Upwards of one hundred new lire boxes have been placed in 
 desirable locations throughout the city and several of the 
 Gordon-Burnham system of cells have been introduced with 
 great economy in the battery rooms. 
 
 A large nimiber of the fire boxes on the streets, which are 
 liable to be burnt out by high currents of electricity from trollev 
 and electric light wires, have been fitted with a patent cut out 
 to insure their better protection, resulting in several instances 
 in saving the boxes. 
 
 Economy has been practiced in the purchase of supplies, par- 
 ticularly in the matter of feed and bedding for the horses, and 
 all contractors doing business with the department have been 
 held strictly to the letter of their contract, and forced to deliver 
 both in quantity and quality the goods for which they con- 
 tracted. 
 
 The large addition to the territory covered by the depart- 
 ment together with the increase in the population, has neces- 
 sarily made an increase in the number of fires, as shown b}^ the 
 reports on file in the department, but the promptness with 
 which the department has invariabW responded has tended to 
 keep the percentage of loss dowm to a minimum. 
 
 The large increase in the department necessitated the rear- 
 ranging of the districts, and there are now three districts in 
 the department, under the charge of Assistant Chiefs Murray, 
 Perry and Van Cott. 
 
 The district engineers are now required to be located as near 
 as possible to the center of their districts, and forced to remain 
 on duty in their districts, instead of hanging around head- 
 cjuarters, as w^as formerly the case. 
 
 All ]n-omotions have been made on account of the merit and 
 
89 
 
 fitness of the men, and no discrimination has been made in this 
 department against any man. 
 
 In every way the men have been taught to feel that to the 
 extent that they took an interest in their work and were faith- 
 ful emplovees of the city, to that extent would they be recog- 
 nized for advancement. 
 
 One of the abuses that formerly existed in the de]:)artment 
 was the collection of kerosene licenses bv members of the uni- 
 formed force. Everyman in the department was bringing press- 
 ure to bear to be detailed to this department. The placing of 
 this department under the charge of a civilian, with five men 
 as collectors of licenses, the city being divided into five districts, 
 has been productiveof the very best restdts. Several thousands 
 of dollars per anntnn in excess of what had been heretofore col- 
 lected have been collected, at a saving in salaries to the city of 
 between seven and eight thousand dollars per annum. 
 
 All officers and men in the department have been held 
 strictly to account for the proper fulfillment of their duties, 
 until to-day the discipline in the force is first class, and in point 
 of efficiency, both as to men and apparatus, the department 
 stands second to none in the world, and it is my sincere wish 
 and hope that the department may maintain in the future the 
 high grade of excellence to which it has attained. 
 
 Very respectfully. 
 
 Commissioner Dcp t of Fire. 
 
 12 
 
Department of Buildings 
 
 Wqrk done by Commissioner Wesley C. Bush 
 
93 
 
 Department oe Buildings, CommiSvSioner's Oeeice, 
 
 Brooklyn, I)eccml)er 22, 1807. 
 
 Hon. F. W. WuRvSTEr, 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 In accordance with yonr request I herewith submit a brief 
 statement of the aftairs of my department for the past two 
 3'ears. 
 
 The Department of Buildings during the last twenty-three 
 months issued permits for new buildings and alterations, as 
 set forth in the following general statement: 
 
 general statement. 
 Number of buildings of all kinds for which per- 
 
 mits were issued 6,595 
 
 Estimated costs of new buildings $27,920,600 
 
 Number of buildings actually erected 5,666 
 
 Estimated cost of buildings actually erected $23,048,978 
 
 Number of alterations, extensions, etc., for which 
 
 permits were issued 4,844 
 
 Estimated cost of alterations $3,091 ,5()1 
 
 Number of buildings altered 4,861 
 
 Estimated cost of completed alterations $3,498,971 
 
 A very thorough examination has been made of asylinns, 
 hospitals, theaters and other ]:)laces of public assembly, and 
 particularly of all factory buildings, to which examinations 
 can be attributed the fact that during this period no buildings 
 whatever have fallen or collapsed throughout the city. 
 
 After the introduction of the new building law, establishing 
 safer and more modern building methods, the necessitv for 
 larger and more wisely arranged ofBces for the department 
 became very apparent. On m^^ request, the entire third-story 
 front of the City Hall was set aside by the aldermen for this 
 
94 
 
 ])iir|)()se, and in March last the clei)artineiU was moved troni 
 the crowded and nnhealthfiil quarters in the basement to 
 the new rooms, especially ])lanned and arranged for the de- 
 partment, and which has made the transaction ot business 
 both pleasant and expeditious. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 Commissioner of Buildings. 
 
Department of City Works 
 
 Record of the work done under Commissioner 
 Theodore B. Willis 
 
97 
 
 Commissioner's Office, Department of City \V(jrks, 
 MuNiciPAE Building, 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., DcccMnl)cr 11, 1S97. 
 
 Hon. Frederick W. Wvrster, 
 
 Mavor of the City of Brooklyn. 
 
 Dear Sir. — Replying to your favor of the 21)tli ultimo, I 
 herewith present a careful summary of the work accomplished 
 bv the Department of City Works since I was placed in chrirge 
 of it by you. 
 
 The paramount importance of the Avork recpiired to ])rovide 
 an adequate supply of water for our city at all times is readily 
 recognized by most of our citizens, but the magnitude of the 
 task is realized b}^ very few. The difficulties of accom])lishing 
 it, always great, have been considerably enhanced within the 
 last two years by the stringency of the financial situation. 
 Notwithstanding this and other difiiculties the shortage of 
 water always impending has been successfulK^ avoided and the 
 progress made within the last two years to provide for the 
 complete development of the watershed, so as to secure its 
 maximum yield and at the same time to protect the quality, 
 favorably compares with that of an^^ similar period. The 
 Ridgewood Pumping Station has been remodeled ; contract 
 has been awarded for a much needed steel pipe conduit and 
 steps have been taken as far as the making of a contract to 
 do away with the pollution of the water supply of Hem])stcad, 
 which has been a standing menace to the health of our citizens 
 for years. 
 
 The pumping stations at Gravesend and New Utrecht have 
 been remodeled so as to increase their efficiency and plans 
 have been prepared for making a contract for additional 
 pumping engines at Mt. Prospect for the relief of the Heights 
 section of the city. 
 
 The carrying out of the Edwards contract, made by the pre- 
 ceding Commissioner, to secure an additional daily supply of 
 
 13 
 
98 
 
 2v), ()()(), ()()() i^allons has l3een settled l)y me with a saving- to the 
 taxpayers of a ])resent outlay of hundreds of thousands of 
 dollars. 
 
 I have given mueh consideration to the cjuestion of the deep 
 underground water supply, and have had test wells and 
 deep well ])lants established, which are now in successful oper- 
 ation. 
 
 Comprehensive as is the above work relating to the cpian- 
 tity of the sup])ly, I have given the subject of maintaining the 
 quality of the water ecpial consideration. Allusion has alrcadv 
 been made to the works of Hempstead, which will free our S3\s- 
 tem from its mOvSt serious danger. At Springfield no less grave 
 perils threaten the city owing to the rapid development of the 
 section around the stream. As the cost of ptu'chasing all the 
 necessary land to protect the water from pollution was pro- 
 hibitive, plans were completed under my direction, and are 
 now being carried to execution, by which the contaminated 
 surface supply will be ultimately abandoned and replaced by 
 that to be obtained from driven wells. The work of superin- 
 tendence and cleaning of the ponds has, it may be said without 
 hesitation, been more thoroughly done than ever before, and 
 the present condition of otu' sources of supply challenges com- 
 parison with that of an}^ previous time. 
 
 I have also solved the troubles of last summer due to the 
 condition of the water. By the imceasing labors of the de- 
 partment the cause of the unsatisfactory condition of the 
 water was clearU- ascertained and a well-advised remedy pro- 
 posed and adopted. Plans and specifications were prepared for 
 the construction of a bv-passpipe around Ridgewood Reservoir 
 and the contract awarded. On the completion of this work, 
 one of the most effectual means to avoid a return to last year's 
 trouble will be available and at the same time the safety of the 
 supplv will l)e guaranteed against the contingency of accidents 
 to the reservoirs. 
 
 Furthermore, the knowledge obtained from the stud}^ of 
 last year's difficulties has enabled me during the present season 
 
99 
 
 to so manipulate the various sources of su])])ly as to avoid a 
 repetition of the difficulties then experienced. This has been 
 made possible through the work done at the laboratory which 
 I established at the Mt. PrOvSpect Reservoir in accordance with 
 the very best and most modern practice, and at least equal, 
 if not superior, to any other in the country devoted to such 
 purposes. An intelligent, minute and systematic studv of our 
 water is dailv carried on there, open to the inspection of the 
 public, which enables the Department to antici])ate and ])revent 
 as far as the means reach, any trouble with the quality of the 
 water. The Department of Water Supply of no other city of 
 the country has to-day a better equipment for this work. 
 
 During the two years of my incumbenc}' of this office, what 
 was found at the start has been carefully maintained and im- 
 proved, such additional works as were needed to provide for 
 the ever-increasing consumption and to protect the quality of 
 the supph' have been, although amidst unusual diffictdties, 
 successfully undertaken and completed ; comprehensive and ex- 
 haustive plans for the ultimate development of our watershed, 
 so as to take care of the future as far as the present resources 
 wnW allow have been presented and recommended to the Com- 
 mon Council and now await their action, and while thus treat- 
 ing this question with the breadth and foresight due to its 
 importance and the vast interests dependent on its successful 
 solution, the expenditures have been so managed as to allow 
 me to transfer last year to the Sinking Fund the unprecedented 
 sum of $440,657.01, and still leave a balance on hand to the 
 credit of Water Revenue and Water Maintenance on January 1, 
 1897, of $594,703.11. 
 
 Second only in importance to the needs of the city for a 
 pure and adequate water supply is the question of good 
 streets. An adequate idea of the extent and importance of 
 the street improvements which have been carried out bv me 
 during the last two years can best be conveyed bv a few 
 stativStics. 
 
TOO 
 
 On Janiiarv 1, 1896, there were in the city of Brooklyn the 
 following- lengths of pavements of different kinds : 
 
 Asphalt 25.3 miles. 
 
 Granite 107.1 
 
 Belgian 41.5 
 
 Cobblestone 269.7 " 
 
 At the close of the present year the lengths of different ])ave- 
 ments will be approximately as follows : 
 
 Asphalt 55.1 miles. 
 
 Granite 111.4 
 
 Belgian 45.0 
 
 Cobblestone 244.0 
 
 It will be seen that, while our asphalt mileage has increased 
 by 29.8 miles, or considerabW more than double, 25.7 miles of 
 cobblestone pavement have been stricken off the map, and for 
 the first time, in the history of the city of Brooklyn, less than 
 one-half of our paved streets are of this antiquated type. 
 
 More notable even than the increase in the extent of our 
 good pavements has been the unprecedented low^ prices at 
 w^hich this work has been done. The average cost of la^nng 
 the different kinds of pavement in Brooklyn during the past 
 three years has been as follows : 
 
 In 1895. 
 
 Asphalt $1.96 
 
 Brick 2.32 
 
 Granite 2.18 
 
 In 1896. 
 
 Asphalt $1.77 
 
 Brick 2.20 
 
 Granite 1.64 
 
 wdiile in 1897, the average ])rices have been. 
 
 Asphalt $1.63 
 
 Brick 2.16 
 
 Granite 1.55 
 
lOI 
 
 The average bids received for wearing surface for asphalt 
 pavement, excluvsive of concrete foundation since 1893, have 
 been as follows : 
 
 1893 $2.00 
 
 1894 2.11 
 
 1895 1.29 
 
 1896 1.10 
 
 1897 99 
 
 The bids for 1897 range from eighty cents, the lowest, to 
 $1.35 per square yard on a railroad street. 
 
 These prices are for asphalt or brick pavement laid on six 
 inches of concrete under a five years' guarantee and for granite 
 block laid on sand, both including the removal of the old 
 pavement and the necessar\^ re-grading and regulating of the 
 surface. 
 
 The lowCvSt prices obtained were $1.57 per square yard for 
 an asphalt pavement, and $1.45 per square 3^ard for granite. 
 
 The cause of these extremely low prices, by which our tax- 
 payers have benefited, is unquestionably my policy- in inviting 
 the freest kind of competition on the part of the different con- 
 tractors. 
 
 It is frequently stated that a cit}^ as w^ell as an individual, 
 is likely to get what it pays for. If it pays a very low^ price it 
 is apt to get an exceedingly cheap article. This has not been 
 the cavse with our Brooklyn pavements, for Avhile the prices 
 have decreavsed the standard of the work done has constantlv 
 improved, and it can be confidently stated that the paving re- 
 cently done in this city, owing to careful and competent in- 
 spection, can challenge comparison with that done in anv other 
 city. In fact, expert engineers who have examined our streets 
 have uniformly pronounced them to be as fine as anv others 
 they have ever seen. 
 
 A most conspicuous feature of the work accomplished dur- 
 ing the last two years is the fact that almost everv piece of 
 pavement laid has resulted in connecting isolated blocks, or in 
 
102 
 
 extending continuous stretches still further so as to be of far 
 greater use to the public ; while a number of extensive im- 
 provements have been finished. Conspicuous among these 
 have been the Leonard street improvement, and now a 
 continuation of this thorovighfare by way of Throop, Lewis 
 and Albany aA^enues to the Eastern Parkway, giving by 
 far the longest continuous line of smooth pavement in the 
 citv, and furnishing much needed relief to Bedford avenue. 
 This relief is being made more complete by the paving of 
 Grand and Washington avenues, connecting the Clinton 
 avenue section directly with. Prospect Park. 
 
 Bedford avenue, formerly our only north and south thor- 
 oughfare, has also been extended to penetrate the most north- 
 erly part of the city by w^ay of Division avenue and Berr}- 
 street, w^hile asphalt has also been extended to the south as 
 far as Butler vstreet. 
 
 Hanson place has been rebuilt in the most substantial man- 
 ner, so that in connection wnth the pavement laid on Greene 
 avenue and State street, w^e have a new and attractive thor- 
 oughfare from the Heights to Bedford avenue, without driving 
 over the granite pavement on Lafayette avenue. 
 
 But a summarv of the advantages given to the uses ol good 
 roads would not be complete w^ithout reference to the exten- 
 sive construction of macadamized roads in the new^ wards, so 
 that now there is scarceU^ a suburban district in Kings County 
 which cannot readily be reached with, comfort. 
 
 The dirt roads have also received more attention than ever 
 before, and a generous portion of the funds available have 
 been expended in their repair and maintenance, so that people 
 who live on unimproved streets and pay taxes have been given 
 a return for their money, which they have never had before. 
 
 The establishment and development of the wholesale mar- 
 ket at the Wallabout is one of the largest and most important 
 projects undertaken by the city. Though in its quiet and 
 steady growth it has attracted little attention and interest 
 from the people at large, a little thought on how it has 
 
I03 
 
 affected most aclvantageoUvsK- every inhabitant of the eity in 
 securing to him the things he eats at the lowest prices, and a 
 brief consideration of the magnitude of this municipal enter- 
 prise must convince one that it is indeed worthy of serious re- 
 gard. 
 
 It has brought about a vast concentration of a scattered 
 business which makes it possible for every buyer to see and 
 choose from the greatest variety, which enables every seller to 
 display his goods to all buyers ; a condition which must result 
 not onlv in benefits to the producer, the wholesaler and the 
 retailer, but ver}- largely to every consumer. While the city's 
 investment at the Wallabout is no burden on the taxpayer, 
 but on the contrary, by a prudent, careful and thorough 
 administration, has been made to pay a large revenue to the 
 city over and above its annual cost, I have been convinced 
 that every dollar spent there b^^ the city w^hich w^ould attract 
 new and diversified market business, which would facilitate the 
 methods and cheapen the cost of doing this business, will at 
 once be returned mtdtiplied many times in greater and more 
 extended benefit to the whole population of the city. 
 
 Acting on this opinion, I have given much attention and 
 study to this important bureau of the department and have 
 turned a liberal mind to the speedy development of the whole 
 market property on lines which would enhance its growth and 
 assure the people of Brooklyn of those still greater benefits 
 which must come from the market which will soon occupy a 
 ruling place among the markets of Greater New York. 
 
 While the improvement of the market land on the west side 
 of Washington avenue was begun by the preceding Commis- 
 sioner, the work there has been mainly advanced during the 
 present administration, not only in actual construction but in 
 the careful formulation of plans for the development of all 
 this ])ortion of the market. Legislation has been effected 
 through my instrumentality which enabled me to consolidate 
 all the city's lands at the Wallabout under one plan of improve- 
 ment, thus securing the most efficient disposition of the entire 
 
I04 
 
 property for water facilities, which makes it i)ossible for thecitv 
 to lease large and commodious piers to railroad companies at 
 exceedingly profitable rentals, which insures the niarkctnicn 
 the valuable advantage of a railroad delivery in the market 
 itself and the entire surrounding districts of convenient trans- 
 portation facilities. 
 
 Out of the limited bond issues which the city has been able 
 to make during m^- administration, I have secured a large por- 
 tion for the further improvement of these lands. I have thus 
 been enabled to make contracts which insure the execution of 
 this improvement and which remove an^^ doubt or fear as to 
 the future effect of Manhattan's influence in the treatment of 
 the water facilities of Brooklyn's market under the administra- 
 tion of Greater New^ York. 
 
 I have also given much attention to the w^aters adjacent to 
 the Wallabovit Basin. I prevented the serious damage threatened 
 to the city's property in the proposed construction of a solid 
 cause w a}' across the Wallabout Channel b}^ the United States 
 Government, a work w^hich, if carried out, would have stopped 
 the tidal currents flowing through the channel and stagnated 
 the waters in the city's basin. The Arm stand taken against 
 the structure originally intended led the Navy Department to 
 revise its plans and provide, at an additional cost of $30,000, 
 openings through the causeway. 
 
 I have also secured, through Congressman Howe, the favor- 
 able consideration by the United States Government of a proj- 
 ect to improve the channel leading from the East River to the 
 city's w^harves. This improvement touches the welfare of the 
 city's new water front at the Wallabout most vitally. 
 
 The construction work accomplished at the Wallabout dur- 
 ing the last two ^^ears is of large magnitude, and may be classed 
 among the most notable features of the city. About fifteen 
 acres of ground have been dredged out and converted into a 
 large shipping basin capable of floating vessels of twenty feet 
 draught. This has involved the excavation of some 650,000 
 cubic yards of earth and mud, at a cost of about $110,000. 
 
I05 
 
 Aloii": the west and south sides of this basin a handsome and 
 durable bulkhead wall has been eonstrueted. Along the west 
 side of the basin it presents an unbroken line for the wharfage 
 of general shipping 1,200 feet long, with a solid roadway be- 
 hind it 70 feet wide. It has been executed at an unusualK' low 
 price for such work, $90 ])er lineal foot. New York City is pay- 
 ing from $300 to $400 per foot for its bulkhead walls. The 
 total length of the work is about 1,680 feet, and it has cost the 
 city $151,000. 
 
 The excavation of the entire basin will be com])leted before 
 the end of the present administration, and will recpiire the re- 
 moval of about 115,000 cubic yards of material in addition to 
 the amount before stated. The contract is made on a basis of 
 151/2 cents per cubic yard, which is 50 per cent, cheaper than 
 an}' other work in the vicinity. Contracts have also been 
 made for the ])aving of the roadway behind the bulkhead and 
 a])proaches to the same. This work involves about 1 7,000 
 square yards of granite pavement, and wall cost, including 
 curbing, etc., $42,000. The prices are the lowest ever received 
 for this class of work by this department. 
 
 I have also given particular attention in regard to the devel- 
 opment of the easterly side of the Wallabout Basin. The plan 
 which has been formulated gives the maximum attainable piers 
 and bulkhead facilities. It provides for about 1,070 lineal feet 
 of bulkhead wall and six piers, which together with the other 
 bulkheads of the basin gives a total frontage of more than a 
 mile and a half. The work which has been done at the market 
 during the past two years sends it forward a long stride 
 toward its tdtimate superior place among the markets of 
 Greater New York and it may be most truthfully said that 
 everything has been done well and at an exce])tionally low cost 
 to the city and with an eve to the welfare of the citv alone. 
 
 The cost of maintaining the market during the year 1893 
 
 w^as $10,582.65. The cost of maintainingthe market during the 
 
 year 1896 w^as $10,819.65. The cost of maintenance for the 
 
 nine months ending September 30, 1897, was $6,586.79. For 
 14 
 
1 o6 
 
 the year ciuliii*^- December ol, 1S0(), with aliout doul)le the 
 s(jiiare yards of pa veinent to elean and other worlv ])ro])()rti()n- 
 ately increavSed, the eost of niainteiiaiiee exceeds that of 1 Sl)^) 
 by only $237, while the net revenue shows an increase over the 
 same year of v$2r),l(K').2r). 
 
 There is nothing- in which the |)id)lic shonhl take so deep an 
 interest as the cleaning" of the streets and the pro])er removal 
 and disposal of garbage. The health of the citizen is in a verv 
 large measnre dej^endent upon the efhciencv of this work and 
 ciny department which has control of the matter and does not 
 give it proper consideration and treatment is worthy of pub- 
 lic condemnation. Brooklyn, unfortunately, has not the vast 
 means at its disposal that has the city of New York. In New 
 York the work is done bv the citv, while in Ih'ooklvn, because 
 of the lack of sufheient funds, it is done by contract. 
 
 When I took charge of the Department of Cit\^ Works the 
 contract for cleaning the streets and removing ashes, which 
 was then in existence, called for a payment on the ])art of the 
 city of $28 ])er mile for street cleaning. A new contract was im- 
 mediateK' made at the extremelv low ])rice of $17 a mile. This 
 was brought about by open competition. The result can best 
 be seen b}^ these figures : In 1(S98 14,874 miles of streets were 
 cleaned. In 1895 this was increased to 10,295 and in 1890 to 
 2a,()()5 miles. 
 
 I also took u]) the important question of the collection and 
 disposal of garbage upon entering office. The garbage eon- 
 tract, which was made in the old days and which expired on 
 Dec. 31, 1896, cost the city $602,000 for five years. Although 
 the territory was nearly doubled by the annexation of county 
 towns, the city secured through my efforts a contract for five 
 years for a total of $605,000. Under the old contract, garbage 
 was removed only twice a week in winter and three times a 
 w^eek in stimmer, while the present contractors are re(juired to 
 take it away three times a week in winter and four times a 
 week in summer. Under the present contract, the garbage is to 
 be removed in wagons with steel or iron boxes which are to be 
 
107 
 
 water-tight. Every one is familiar with the unsightly, bad- 
 smelling drip])ing wagons used under the old eontraet, and 
 whieh, owing to the short time of the ])resent eontraet, have 
 not entirely disa])|)e^ired, but will within a short time. Under 
 the old eontraet, the garbage was dumped at sea. Now it is 
 burned under the mOvSt improved sanitary methods. It eost 
 Brooklyn for the removal of garbage for 1897 v$l 13, ()()(). The 
 eost in New York City is about v$3r)0,()()0, and in Philadelphia 
 $2r)0,()()() a year. 
 
 Beginning with the year 1890, when I took eontrol, there 
 was on hand thirteen uneompleted sewer eonstruction con- 
 traets, ineluding the important ones of sewerage ])urifieation 
 maehinery in the works of the Twenty-sixth and adjaeent 
 wards, Seetion 2 of the Main Relief Sewer Pvxtension of Greene 
 avenue and other streets, smaller relief sewers in other parts of 
 the city and several subdivisions covering portions of the 
 Twenty-sixth Ward, lateral sewers, embracing several miles of 
 sewers with their appurtenances. All of these contracts have 
 been successfully completed. The relief vsewers, built in 189() in 
 DeKalb and Ninth avenues, have ended complaints that had 
 existed for years. In the year 1896 a contract was made for 
 the pumps and boilers at the Twenty-sixth Ward Sewage 
 Works, which w^as brought to completion in the ]H'esent vear. 
 The extension of lateral sewers in East New York has main- 
 tained the development of that growing section. In other 
 parts of the city lateral sewers were built to meet demands, 
 notabh^ in the Tw^enty-ninth Ward, in the Parkville region, and 
 in the Wallabout Alarket. Altogether thirty-eight new sewer 
 contracts were made in 189(). 
 
 Among the contracts made in 1897 there are included those 
 for surface drainage in the vicinity of Caton avenue and St. 
 Pauls place ; Avenue A, Avenue B, Ocean avenue and Church 
 avenue; also, a subdivision of considerable size for lateral 
 sewers in the vicinity of Avenues B, C and D, between Conev 
 Island avenue and Ocean Parkway, and also smaller sub- 
 divisions in the Twentv-ninth W ard. 
 
io8 
 
 Contracts have been recently made for new sewers in vari- 
 ous parts of the city. Bids have been opened for new sub- 
 divisions in the Twenty-fourth and Twentv-sixth Wards and 
 for main rehef sew ers adjacent to Gowanus Canal. The work 
 has been ])ushed as rapidly as ]:)ossible, and the contract h^iiircs 
 compare very favorably with those of preceding administra- 
 tions. 
 
 In the matter of large contracts for ]niblic improvements 
 the city has been exceedingly fortunate. In the Bureau of Con- 
 struction and Repairs contracts have been let, and work car- 
 ried out during the ])ast two years amounting to slightly over 
 $750, ()()(). All of this work has been pushed with the utmost 
 diligence, and the city's interests have been well guarded. 
 
 Particularly is this true of the contract for remodeling the 
 citv hall. The work has been carried on as rapidly as it could 
 be in a building all the time occupied, and not a penny outside 
 of the original appropriation has been expended upon it. 
 
 Trusting that this will prove satisfactory, I remain, 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 Commissioner of Citv Worlds. 
 
Department of Parks 
 
 Record of the work of the past two years 
 BY Commissioner J. G. Dettmer 
 
Ill 
 
 Office of the Department of Parks, 
 Prospect Park. 
 
 P)R()OKEVX, December (>, 181)7. 
 
 Hon. r^REDERiCK W. Werster, 
 
 Mayor of the CItv of Brooklyn. 
 
 Dear Sir. — I am in recei])t of voiir communication, request- 
 ing me to make a short statement of the work performed hy 
 the Department of Parks during the two years you have pre- 
 sided over the affairs of the city of Brooklyn <'is its Chief 
 Magistrate, and in response thereto I have the honor to re- 
 port as follows : 
 
 The work of the Park Department during the past two 
 years has been largely constructive. During that time there 
 have been over thirty miles of parkways improved by the use 
 of macadam, brick or asphalt. Fifteen miles of new parkways 
 have been created by Legislative action or jnu'chase, and six 
 miles of roadway have been built exclusively for the use of 
 bicyclists. The area of new park lands improved and made 
 available for public use has been doubled, and many permanent 
 improvements made in the old parks. 
 
 To particularize : The Eastern Parkway was extended two 
 and one-half miles to Ridgewood Park, thus giving an outlet 
 to the road and terminus that provides an unsurpassed view 
 of land and sea. The extension is one hundred and ten feet 
 wide, is paved with macadam, asphalt and brick ( as the sur- 
 face made most desirable), has been lined with trees and 
 partialh^ flagged. One special feature of the extension is a 
 viaduct one hundred and eighty-four feet long, which cost 
 $46,750.00. 
 
 Bushwick avenue was paved with brick from Vanderveer 
 street to Jamaica avenue ; and Pennsvlvania avenue, from its 
 junction with Bushwick avenue and Jamaica avenue to Bay 
 avenue, was siniilarl3^ treated. 
 
I I 2 
 
 ritkiii .'ivcniR', iVoiii I^^ast New X'ork axciiiR' to Sloiic ave- 
 nue, Stone avenue, from Pitkin to (rlenniore avenue, (ilen- 
 more, from Stone to Alabama avenue, and from Ashford street 
 to Eldert lane were all maeadamized. (ilenmore avenue, from 
 Alabama avenue to Ashford street, was asphalted. This eom- 
 bination of thoroughfares, ])ut in eharge of the department by 
 Legislative action, makes up a parkway that enables people 
 from all sections of the city to easily reach the good roads of 
 Queens Coimty. 
 
 The main drive of the Ocean Parkway was reconstructed 
 to Bay Parkway (Twenty-second avenue), and provided with 
 a Kosmocrete gutter and curb. A Kosmocrete sidewalk was 
 laid on the west side of the Parkwa}', from Prospect Park to 
 Conev Psland, and on the east side a bluestone walk was put 
 down as far as Kings Highway. 
 
 The bridge over Coney Island Creek was doubled in width, 
 for the convenience of bicycle riders and pedestrians. The west 
 drive of the Ocean Parkway was macadamized its entire length 
 from Prospect Park to Coney Island, for the use of business 
 vehicles. 
 
 Fort Hamilton avenue was macadamized from Prospect 
 Park to Seventh avenue. 
 
 Bav Parkway was macadamized from Ocean Parkway to 
 Bensonhurst Beach. 
 
 Drives were built through Dyker Beach and Bensonhurst 
 Parks, to connect P^ort Hamilton avenue and Bay Parkway, 
 thus providing a beautiful circular drive which also connects 
 with the Shore Drive. 
 
 Three roads connecting Pvastern Parkway with Jamaica 
 avenue were paved. Miller avenue and the Vermont street re- 
 turn road with granite for heavy traffic, and the main drive in 
 Ridgewood Park with macadam for pleasure vehicles. 
 
 Shaw avenue was macadamized to make a connection with 
 Forest Park bv way of the Glenmore avenue route, and the 
 main drive in Forest Park was macadamized, thus providing a 
 beautiful drive connecting with the roads to Flushing, Willets 
 
113 
 
 Point and all the dcli^^^Htfnl villat^cs on the north shore of Lon<2^ 
 Island. 
 
 The road work eonstriieted by the Park Department during- 
 the past two years enai)les riders, drivers and bieyelists to 
 easily and comfortably reach all the good roads on Long 
 Island, either on the north or the south side, thereby increasing 
 the pleasure of vshort or long summer tri])s in the carriage or on 
 the wheel. The drive in Forest Park necessitated the building 
 of three steel bridges and a stone viaduct, all of which were 
 constructed for less than $20, ()()(). 
 
 All of the parks purchavSed by the county of Kings have 
 been enclosed with iron fences, excepting three, and have been 
 sufficiently developed to permit of their use by the people ; and 
 all of them, whether inland or by the sea, have given comfort 
 and pleasure to thousands of people. 
 
 In addition to the new^ w^ork above enumerated, all of the 
 older parks have been carefully looked after. The main en- 
 trance to Prospect Park has been completed ; the beautifying 
 of the Soldiers and Sailors' Memorial Arch has been looked 
 after; the Plaza has been reconstructed; the Rose Garden, with 
 its lily basins, has been finished ; bicycle shelters and park shelters 
 have been built ; more concerts have been given in the smaller 
 parks, where the working people could enjoy them ; sand boxes 
 for children have been introduced ; an open-air kindergarten was 
 conducted at City Park; the west wing of the Museum of Arts 
 and Sciences convStructed ; the statuary of the parks added to 
 through the co-operation of the German Singers and the Grand 
 Army of the Republic ; and, as one of the chief features of the 
 two years' work, an electric fountain was added to the attrac- 
 tions on the Prospect Park Plaza, and enjoyed by vast crowds 
 of people during the summer and fall. 
 
 Yours verv trulv. 
 
 Com ni is s ioncr. 
 
 15 
 
Civil Service Commission 
 
 What has been accomplished by the 
 Commissioners 
 
117 
 
 Office of the Civil Service Commission, 
 City Haee, 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., December 24, 1897. 
 
 Hon. Frederick W. Wurster, 
 
 Major of the City of Brooklyn. 
 
 Dear Sir. — The eompetitors in fifty-five examinations held 
 bv this eommission from February 1 to Decemljer If), 1897, 
 numbered 2,350. Durino- the period covered by the Thirteenth 
 Annual Report (February 1, 1896, to February 1, 1897, ) fifty- 
 one examinations were held, in which there were 5,324 eom- 
 petitors. 
 
 The falling ofi of the ntmd^er of eom])etitors during the ])ast 
 ten and a half months is due to the fact that no examinations 
 of uniformed firemen and patrolmen have been held, as there 
 are a sufficient number of names on those eligible lists. The 
 eompetitors who entered both of these examinations in 189() 
 numbered 2,871, leaving 2,453 competitors to be divided 
 among forty-nine examinations, making fiftv the average num- 
 ber in each of the smaller examinations. It will be observed 
 from the figures given above that the average number of com- 
 petitors in each of the 55 examinations held this year, includ- 
 ing the fitness examinations for uniformed firemen and patrol- 
 men, in which there were 465 competitors, is fifty-one. Then, 
 if it be considered that under the new civil service law, Chap- 
 428 of the Laws of 1897, as it applies in this citv, the commis- 
 sion has been required to hold two examinatioiLs in cases 
 where it formerly held one, it will be apparent that the com- 
 mission has really examined a larger number than that stated 
 above, or, to give the exact figures, we have examined what 
 would have been the equivalent under the old law to examin- 
 ing 3,2()() persons. 
 
 Acting under the cumbersome machiner}^ supplied by the new 
 law, the commission has been forced in every case to consume 
 
ii8 
 
 twice as mnch time as heretofore in the preparation of. a com- 
 plete elitril)le list, (icneral dissatisfaction amoni^- the c()ni])cti- 
 tors, and a large amount of additional work for the commission, 
 have been two direct results of the enactment of this law, which 
 was unanimously opposed by this commission through our 
 representative who ap])eared before the governor at the only 
 ])ublic hearing granted. 
 
 The commission desires to express to vour Honor its grate- 
 ful appreciation of the action taken bv you, the cor])oration 
 counsel and vour commissioners at the head ol the several 
 citv de])artmcnts for the ])rom])t and heartv indorsement ol 
 our work, as ex|)ressed in the following communication which 
 was received shortlv after the law^ took effect : 
 
 Ofkice of Corporation Counsel, 
 City Hai.l, 
 
 Brooklyn, May 25, 1S97, 
 
 To t/w Civil Service Coffunission : 
 
 Gentlkmkn. —At a meeting held yesterday of the Mayor and the heads of 
 the various departments in the city of Brooklyn, who were appointed by him, a 
 resolution was adopted tluit the enclosed communication be sent to your com- 
 mission. 
 
 I remain, yours respectfully, 
 
 JOS. A. BURR, 
 
 Corporation Counsel. 
 
119 
 
 The enclosure referred to in the corporation counsel's letter 
 was the following: 
 
 Brooklyn, May 24, 1897. 
 
 We, the undersigned, do hereby designate the Board known as the Civil 
 Service Commission of the City of Brooklyn to conduct all examinations to de- 
 termine the fitness of applicants for appointment or promotion in the several 
 departments of the city of Brooklyn under our control, except as hereinafter 
 stated. The Commissioner of Police of the city of Brooklyn and the Commis- 
 sioner of Fire of the city of Brooklyn, reserve the right to conduct the examina- 
 tion for fitness for promotion only, in their respective departments, instead of 
 conducting the entire examination for promotion, as has heretofore been done 
 under the present Civil Service rules and regulations. 
 
 Z. TAYLOR EMERY, M.D , Commissiojier of Health. 
 j. G. DETTMER, Co^nmissioner of Parks. 
 R. ROSS APPLETON, Collector of Taxes and Assessments. 
 HENRY A. POWELL, Registrar of Arrears. 
 WESLEY C. BL^SH, Covunissioner of Buildings. 
 THEO. B. WILLIS, Couwiissioner of City Works. 
 B. G. NEFF, President, Department of Assessment. 
 WM. C. BRYANT, Commissioner, iK fartinent of Fire. 
 LEONARD R. WELLES, Commis sioner of Police. 
 JOSEPH A. BURR. Corporation Counsel. 
 F. W. WURSTER, Mayor. 
 
 In December, 1888, the hrst civil service commission ap- 
 pointed in this city held its first meeting at the residence of 
 Mayor Seth Low, 201 Columbia Heights. The first civil serv- 
 ice examination held in Brooklyn took place at the City Hall 
 in the common council chamber on the evening of December 
 28, 1883, and lasted from 8 P.M. to 12.15 A.M. At that hour 
 the twenty-seven applicants for clerical positions were dis- 
 missed with directions to appear again at 7.30 P.M. on the 
 following evening. Since those da^'s, the merit system has had 
 a wonderful growth in this city. When it is considered that 
 onK" fourteen years ago all the clerical examinations attracted 
 but twenty-seven com]:)etitors, and that at two examinations 
 held recenth^ by this commission on the same evening, there 
 were present 425 competitors, some idea of the increased work 
 of the commission maybe gained. Much more remains to be 
 
1 20 
 
 (lone, ])nt in no other cilv in the I'niled Stales has Hrooklvn's 
 reeord in eivil serviee reiorni l)een ecjuallech 
 
 We thank vour Honor for your earnest co-o])eration, whieh 
 has been a valuable aid and encouragement to us in carrying- 
 on oin* work. The service, we are conhdent, in spite ol the 
 nianv complications arising as a result of the enactment of a 
 new law, is more efficient and has been ])lace(l on a more com- 
 plete business basis than heretofore. 
 
 Kesj)ecttullv submitted, 
 
 Coinnn'ssioncrs. 
 
I