within your control as the representatives of its inhabitants. It is alike your province and your duty to provide every accommodation for the public, in the way of travel, which can be secured without seriously trenching on private rights; and if public opinion shall demand additional railroad conveniences, it will become your duty to supply them, keeping, however, always in view the best interests of the city, and adhering with scrupulous fidelity to the provisions of our charter. The streets then being common thoroughfares, any monopoly or exclusive privilege to use them for any purpose, by which individuals or associations would be benefited, can only be granted as the charter directs, viz: by sale at public auction, encouraging honorable competition, and this I deem to be the only correct principle, for not only will the city treasury be largely benefited, but the greatest amount of public accommodation will be provided, at the least expense to those to whom it is furnished.

The city should always retain the right to direct the laying down, the control and the management of all railroads within its precincts, and to this end I would submit the expediency of establishing a bureau composed of practical gentlemen, qualified by education and experience for the responsible duties which would necessarily devolve upon them. Let all railroads now constructed, and such as may hereafter be authorized by your Honorable Bodies, be laid down, and controlled by this bureau under such directions as the Common Council shall specify, and with proper officers authorized to adopt and enforce regulations as to their management, the public would be insured the

greatest amount of accommodation with the least possible

expense.

This subject is of vast importance, worthy of serious consideration, and I commend it to your attention for such action as you may deem expedient.

The condition of our streets, as to cleanliness, during the past year, has been the subject of general and just animadversion. While a larger sum has been expended for the avowed purpose of keeping the streets clean during the past year, than in any previous year, it is notorious that they have never been more neglected. Of the past, however, it is now unneccessary to speak, except perhaps as a warning for the future against similar extravagant expenditures, as the streets are to be cleaned henceforth by contract for a time at least, at prices which will diminish materially the expense of this department. How the system of cleaning the streets by contract will result as at present arranged, remains to be tested, and certainly ought to be fairly tried. The experiment heretofore made, of cleaning the streets by contract, did not, it was thought, produce the benefits which were anticipated; but this, it may be urged, was the consequence more of the mode in which the system was tried, than in the system itself. If the present contractors are held to a strict performance of all the stipulations in the contracts, justly construed, and the penalties for a non-fulfillment are rigidly enforced, my own impression is that the system will be found to operate economically and advantageously to the city.

The proper paving of the thoroughfares in the city, is a matter of much importance, and many experiments have heretofore been tested at great expense, but until recently, with unvarying failure as to the result. The pavement of Messrs. Russ & Reid as laid in Broadway, from the South ferry to Union square, is undeniably the best, the most durable and the most serviceable of any ever tested in our city. The original expense of laying it down is very great; but I am not prepared to say that, taking its durability into consideration, it is not, in the end, the most economical for that thoroughfare. So far as I am informed, the city has not been called on to pay any thing for repairs to this pavement, on any portion of Broadway; and the vast amount of travel over it, without the necessity of repairs for so long a time, would seem to justify the belief that it is the best which has yet been found for so great a thoroughfare, and that it sustains the reputation claimed for it by the parties under whose supervision it has been laid down.

In a portion of the Bowery, a species of pavement, claimed to be of Belgian invention, has been laid down about a year, and has proved, thus far, adequate to sustain the travel on that thoroughfare. A contract has recently. been entered into, with Messrs. Cook & Co., to pave Grand street, from Broadway to the East river, and the entire length of Fulton street, with this species of pavement, at a cost of two dollars and ninety-eight cents per square yard. If it shall stand the test of travel as well in those streets as it has done in the Bowery, there is little doubt that its adoption, in many of the minor thoroughfares, may become general and advantageous.

The encumbrances in our streets have remained throughout the past year with so little diminution, causing such serious annoyance and inconvenience, I submit to you the expediency of a prompt inquiry into the subject, with a view to such legislation as will secure a radical and permanent remedy. Without specifying particularly the character of these obstructions, it is sufficient to remark that for want of concert of action on the part of the proper departments, the laws respecting obstructions in the streets. have been constantly violated, almost with impunity. Some few prosecutions have been instituted, and penalties exacted; but in most of these cases, the characters of the obstructions complained of were far from being so annoying or productive of so much inconvenience, as in many instances which were suffered to pass unnoticed. The existing ordinances on this subject require a thorough revision, and it will be found that in many particulars they conflict with each other, as well in the character of the duties devolved upon different officers of the city government, as in the imposition of penalties for their violation.

The obstructions on the side walks and bulkheads on the North and East rivers, 'to which reference was made in my last annual message, remain unabated, and I trust may receive some attention at your hands. The public is seriously incommoded, and the city virtually defrauded out of a large amount of revenue, by the manner in which many of the wharves, piers and bulkheads are converted This subject is one of so

into places for private storage.

much importance, I trust it will receive prompt attention at your hands.

The condition and efficiency of the Police Department have materially improved since my last message. By an act of the legislature, passed at the last session, several important changes have been made in the organization of the Department and the tenure of office, which is now limited only by the good behavior of the incumbent. The power of appointment is now vested in a commission, consisting of the Recorder, City Judge, and Mayor, who have the sole power to try and punish parties violating the rules of the Department, and who, in conjunction with the Chief of Police, are authorized to prescribe rules for the government of the force. It has been the aim of the Commissoners to make this large and expensive force as serviceable as the community had a right to expect; and thus far they have reason to be satisfied with the result of their labors. They have invariably selected for appointment, only such men as in their judgment were well qualified for the duties and responsibilities of the office; and they have prescribed such rules as, in their opinion, would best insure security to the lives and property of our citizens, and a prompt, faithful, and energetic discharge of the duties imposed upon the force.

An uniform has been adopted, and is now in general use throughout the Department, which it was believed. would secure greater attention to duty and more zealous watchfulness on the part of all; and thus far the expectations of the Commissioners have, to a great degree, been realized.

A reserve corps has also been established, into which only those have been admitted who have earned the privi lege which membership in this corps confers, by strict at