NEW YORK. 



551 



Amending the bass law to allow fishing in Jef- 

 ferson County to begin June 9. 



Also the following local measures for New 

 York city were enacted: 



Prohibiting the police from membership in a 

 political organization. 



Amending the New York building law relative 

 to projection of buildings on the street. 



Authorizing an additional appropriation by 

 New York city of $40,000 for the American Muse- 

 um of Natural History. 



Amending the Greater New York charter in 

 relation to appropriations for charitable, elee- 

 mosynary, correction, or reformatory institutions. 



Increasing the salaries of the New York city 

 school-teachers. 



Amending the charter of Greater New York 

 relative to the consolidation of volunteer fire 

 departments, and providing that on June 1 of 

 each year in the borough of Richmond the treas- 

 urer of each engine company shall receive $1,200, 

 the treasurer of a hook-and-ladder company 

 $1,000, and the treasurer of a hose company and 

 a patrol company $1,000 each. 



Authorizing a change in the plans of the East 

 River Bridge. 



Authorizing New York city to allow the pres- 

 ent sheriff of the county such legal expenses as 

 he may be put to, not exceeding $5,000 a year, 

 for three years after the expiration of his of- 

 ficial term. 



To place police matrons in Greater New York 

 on the same plane as patrolmen as eligible for 

 pensions. 



Empowering the Municipal Assembly of New 

 York city to regulate the use of every building 

 now used, or hereafter to be used, as a hotel, in 

 so far as the use thereof may involve the safety 

 of the inmates in case of fire. 



For the office of United States Senator to suc- 

 ceed Edward Murphy, Jr., Democrat, the nominees 

 were Chauncey M. Depew by the Republicans and 

 Edward Murphy, Jr., by the Democrats. A joint 

 session was held on Jan. 18, when the vote was 

 as follows: Depew, 111; Murphy, 83. 



An extra session of the Legislature was con- 

 vened on May 22, and continued until May 27. 

 This session was called by the Governor for the 

 purpose of preparing a substitution franchise- 

 tax bill in place of the bill introduced in the Legis- 

 lature, which he found to be defective. His mes- 

 sage said : " I recommend the enactment of a 

 law which shall tax all these franchises as realty, 

 which shall provide for the assessment of the 

 tax by the Board of State Tax Commissioners, 

 and which shall further provide that from the 

 tax thus levied for the benefit of each locality 

 there shall be deducted the tax now paid by the 

 corporation in question." An amended bill was 

 duly passed, as well as one authorizing the ex- 

 penditure of $75,000 for the celebration of the 

 return of Admiral George Dewey. 



The Mazet Inquiry. In consequence of a 

 resolution introduced in the Assembly on March 

 29, declaring that it is "currently reported and 

 generally believed that in the city of New York 

 funds are being raised by levy upon the members 

 of the police force, saloon and resort keepers, and 

 by other contributions, for use in corruptly influ- 

 encing legislation; that there is a lax enforce- 

 ment of the laws in said city and in the counties 

 Included in said city; that corrupt and tyrannical 

 methods have been resorted to in the enforcement 

 of the same; and that the public funds of said 

 city are being wasted in extravagant increases of 

 official salaries and in other ways," a committee, 

 consisting of Robert Mazet, chairman, Edward 



H. Fallows, Benjamin Hoffman, Thomas M. Cos- 

 tello, Anthony J. Boland, Harris Wilson, and 

 James B. McEwan, was appointed to investigate 

 the said reports and charges, and all matters and 

 things pertaining thereto. The commission con- 

 vened in New York city on April 8, and, after 

 selecting Frank Moss, John P. Clarke, and Francis 

 E. Laimbeer as counsel, began their work by hear- 

 ing witnesses in regard to the working of the 

 Police Department. Nearly every branch of the 

 municipal government received their attention, 

 and many witnesses were heard, including Rich- 

 ard Croker. The failure of the commission to 

 call Republican leaders before them led to the 

 suggestion that the investigation was organized 

 for partisan purposes. The report of the counsel 

 was given to the public on Dec. 25, and early in 

 1900 a full report with testimony was submitted 

 to the Legislature. The recommendations of the 

 commission, as remedies for the existing abuses, 

 are embodied in the following bills, which were 

 introduced into the Legislature: 



1. " To authorize the appointment of a com- 

 mission to inquire into the local government of 

 the city of New York and the charter thereof, 

 and suggest legislation thereon." This bill pro- 

 vides that within thirty days after its passage 

 the Governor shall appoint 11 persons as a com- 

 mission to revise the charter, and said commis- 

 sion shall report to the Legislature by Jan. 15, 

 1901. The commission to have power to employ 

 assistants, subprena witnesses, books, and papers, 

 to be given the power of a legislative committee, 

 and the provisions of the code of civil procedure 

 as to contempts made to apply to it. 



2. " To amend section 410 of the Greater New 

 York charter in relation to the Board of Public 

 Improvement and the powers of borough presi- 

 dents as members thereof." This bill confers upon 

 the borough presidents power to vote on all mat- 

 ters in the Board of Public Improvements. 



3. " To amend section 47 1 of the Greater New 

 York charter in relation to the restriction on 

 the power of the Commissioner of Water Supply 

 to contract for the supplying or selling of water 

 for public or private use or consumption." The 

 bill requires the Commissioner of Water Supply 

 before making any water contract to lay the full 

 contract before and obtain the approval of the 

 Board of Public Improvements, the Board of Esti- 

 mate and Apportionment, and three fourths of all 

 the members elected to the Municipal Assembly. 



4. " To repeal chapter 942 of the laws of 1896, 

 entitled ' An Act in relation to the supply of pure 

 and wholesome water in certain counties of the 

 State.' " This bill repeals the law under which 

 the Board of Supervisors of Suffolk County can 

 prevent the city from getting water in that 

 county. 



5. " To amend section 1528 of the Greater New 

 York charter in relation to the printing of lists 

 of officials in the City Record." This bill pro- 

 vides for the printing in January and July of a 

 full list of all city employees, with their offices, 

 residences, time of service, and salaries, and in- 

 crease or decrease thereof, and provides that until 

 such information is given to the supervisor of 

 the City Record the head of the department of- 

 fending shall not be paid his salary. 



6. " To amend the Greater New York charter 

 by repealing section 1527 thereof, relating to the 

 publishing in the City Record of the registry of 

 voters." As the election law now requires the 

 Board of Police to publish in pamphlet form the 

 registry, the retention of this section in the char- 

 ter means an unnecessary duplication of work. 



7. " To amend section 821 of the Greater New 



