Work of Supervisors

New York, 1895

INCREASED SALARIES FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE AND SURROGATE

Hereafter to be Elected in this County — Report of the Superintendents of the Poor — Legislation that is Not for the Public Good.

The board of Supervisors met at the Court House in Long Island City yesterday.

At Judge Garretson's suggestion a bill has been prepared for introduction into the legislature fixing the salaries of the County Judge and Surrogate. It is not to take effect until their successors are elected. These officers have got to be paid more money, as they are forbidden by the constitution to practice law. It is proposed to make the salary of the county Judge $6,000, and the salary of the Surrogate $7,500.

The Superintendents of the Poor expended during the fiscal year 1894 the sum of $20,328.54. The whole number of days' support was 52,474. The per diem cost of each pauper was 35 5-7 cents. Medical attendance cost $734.90; temporary relief, $2,118.40; family relief, $2,620.57.

The asylum cost $8,025.17 from January until October.

Mr. Van Vechten presented a draft of a bill affecting the establishment of new cemeteries in Queens County, at the suggestion of Mr. O'Donnell of Jamaica. It provides that no cemetery shall be estabfished unless a majority of the trustees are residents of the county.

Counselor Van Vechten called the board's attention to an act now before the Legislature providing for a commission to build bridges over Newtown Creek. It provides for the appointinent of a commission by the mayors of Brooklyn and Long Island City, one from each county.

They may build bridges where they like, and spend all the money they like, and all that the board of Supervisors has to do is to issue bonds and turn the money over to the commissioners, who are not ever required to give a bond. The Cedar Grove Cemetery of Flushing, and an association of speculators in Greenpoint, are back of the bridge job. Counsel urged the board to antagonize the bill.

Mr. Van Vechten called attention to the act now in the Legislature to give Long Island City five Supervisors. Mr. Koehler said that representation should be based on taxable valuations. He thought that Long Island City should have five supervisors and the towns two or three, as the assessed value warranted.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 1, 1895, p. 1.