The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-22
S959,626 81

The COMMUNICATIONS heretofore made by The Comotrol.
Ter The Common Council Board Of Aldermen, Doc No.
II, 1859, ami Board Of Councimen, Doc. No. 8, same
year, contain full ista Of all the "openings and Sim
provemenis embraced In the above accounts, With the
1t is known that there is an apparent deficiency,
amounting n large sum- in the accounts OF several OF
the former officers Of the Bureau OF Collection Of Assess
and the Street Department. investigation Of the books
and accounts of said bueay was undertaken las. year,
the result Of which was reibrted by him to the Mayor
Who communicated the same 70 the Common Council on
24h Of February 1852 Sss Board Of m; DOC
during which Mr. Isaac Edwards, and his deputies Samuel
Allen, Robert hcKnnn, julius johnson and Robert
kcGsry we're in ocs' say from January, 1867 70 Jsnaa
settlement has since been made by the Comptroller
with these parties upon equitable and satisfactory terms
Instead OF being deiaulters to the Corporations as had
been enormously charged was found that including
the fees to which they were entitled upon their coec
lions and returns to the Bureau OF Arrears consider
able balance actually due them, which has been
paid; they having given bonds with security 70 make
been collected by them and not duly accounted for.
Upon the retirement from Office Of Mr. Edwards and bis
deputies they were succeeded by Joseph who
was appointed collector and Ira A. LIBBY, Walter Oakley
and H0rso n Sherwood, deputies, all OF whom continued
10 Office until about May 1885, when they were severaly
removed, and their accounts remain unsettled
Under the provisions Of an act Of the Legislature,
passed April II, 1885, entitled "Act In relation to
Of New York, proceedings have been instituted for va
eating several assessments account Of alleged frauds
and Irregularities therein Said law provides that any
lands which may be discharged from assessment liens,
may be again assessed for such amount would have
been justy chaTgeAbIe fraud rregularty had not
been committed. Is therefore hoped that no serious
Losses will be sustained from this cause. Some amend
mebts Of the law 1t Is thought may be- required In order
to render the same fully effective. .
upon which pay ments have been made were upon ire
guar certificates Of the surveyors, the same covering
much greater quantity than subsequent examinations and
the final returns Of the Surveyor the work warranted
in the to be made upon the property beue
flied by the Improvement, but must ultimately be pro-
It is proposed to have sale for unpaid assessments %
soon as after sale has been held for taxes
and Croton water rents.
Reqaisssio,s of Assessments.
s found inquiry that various remssfons Of assess
mens made during the year 1858 and previously,
but no record the kept in this Depart
ment; and it would appear that the resolution OF the
Common Council Of February rs, 1855, making the Comp
roller the medium OF communicating all orders to tue
Collector Of Assessments and Clerk Of Arrears In respect
10 such remsfioDs, has been entirely overlooked The
amount. therefore, Of such remissons cannot be
stated.
Assessments being always levied for the exact amount
Of the costs OF the particular works. follows Of course
that any remesons made must cause ling de-
1ciency In the means 10 meet such cost But f0ov
sion has been made for reimbursng the trust funds
the Deficiencies thus occasi oned The exciting laws
and ordinances require that all the trugt aud special
counts sha, be kept by both the Comptroller and the
Chamberlain entirely separate and distinct from all other
accounts in their books The tax Law passed each year
contains this clause "No portion Of the said respective
Gums hereinbefore shall be expended applied 10
any purpose object other than the objects and purposes
respectively for which the Board Of Supervisors of said
city and county Of New York herenbefore empo wered
to raise the came, as aforesaid"
1t will thus that the moneys raised by tax can
not lawfully be applied used for the purpose Of making
payments the trust and special accounts; neither
the moneys received upon for works. the cost
OF which to be defay thereby properly be applied TO
any other purpose In like manner the proceeds OF the
various ssues Of stocks required by express prov
sons OF the laws and ordinances under which they
sued TO be used only for the purposes ond objects for
which they were authorized to be created.
In practice, these wholesome and wise provisions ap.
pear 70 have been entirely dsregarded and to this cause
principally is 10 be attributed the confusion and disor
der found TO exist in the financial accounts OF the Corpo
ration.
Central PdTk.
CosT OF LANps-The of the lands taken for this
park, under the provisions of the original law and
the act authorizing the purchase OF the Arsenal property
was. 80 AUG l7o 80
As follows, viz