The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-05
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1866.
The Valuation OF Property ut Landing
Avenue.


avenue, had, we are assured, no intention to
impeach the integrity nor interfere unna-
cessarily with the private interests of any of
the owners. He honestly believed that the
awGrd made by the jury appointed to assess
the damages sustained by the owners Of the
ground by reason of its being selected and
appropriated by the City Government for pub
lie use, is, in the aggregate, excessive; and
so believing, 1t was clearly his duty to take
such steps as might be required to protect
the people OF Philadelphia against paying for
the land in question more than it was really
worth. His action in the premises does not
of itselfsCt aside the award. but only subjects
it to review, of which the legitimate effect
will be to confirm the award Il right, or to
disafIirm 1t if wrong. None can possibly be
injured by this proceeding, provided it be
conducted, as we have no doubt it will be,
with no other purpose than TO ascertain the
truth and to do justice to all concerned.
The inquiry, Of course, ls whether the jury
in fixing the price to be paid for II by the
city, and for which the citizens are to be
taxed to raise the amount, did or did not
have previously remarked that the assessment
of zeal estate for taxation Is, generally speak
ing, below, and In some instances very much
below, its real value; and that accordingly, it
should not be relied upon as i criterion Of
valuation when anv particular piece Of real
estate ls taken ior public use. Nevertheless,
when, as in the present case, a small strip of
f
thousand dollars is suddeuly app ased at
four hundred and eighty-six Thousand one
hundred and n'nety-nine dollars, after the
city has sproposed to appropriate 1t tor munich
pal purposes, the discrepancy in the two
valuations is surely great enough to demand
judicial inquisitlon.
There are some facts touching this matter
that have come to our knowledge, and which
we deem it but right and proper to commIni-
cate to the public. In valuing private pro-
perty taken for public use, the jurles to assess
the damages to be paid by the city should be
selected with special care. They should con-
sist of men whose honesty is not only incor-
ruptible, but who are eminently qualified by
experience and inte ligence tc discharge the
duty for which they are chosen. Now it hap
pens that the jury appointed to value the pro-
perty at Landing avenue was composed Of
one druggist, one carpenter, three clerks, and
one gardener. 1t would seem that such per-
sons, Judging from their vocations merelY,were
certainly not the most competent judges tuat
might have been employed to appraise real
estate. 1t is true that they held ffJy-flve
meetings, attended by counsel for the owners
of the property and the city; that they visited
the ground in the presence of the owners and
their counsel; that witnesses on behalf of each
owner and the city were examined before
them; and that finally, after the case was
argued on both sides by the legal gentlemen
engaged, the award was made. Yet all this
investigation and discussion would not be
sufficient to insure an entirely just decision,
il the jury were not intelligent enough to
Judge Of the facts for themselves, indepen-
IDENTIFY Of any information or advice derived
from those interested either to overrate or
underrate the property. That the jury in
question were so qualified is more than doubt
full, and it is therefore right and important to
revise their conclusions.
Moreover, we are informed that the ground
which the city was required to take, at a cost
Of nearly hall million of dollars is not, in
fact, worth much, if any more than the sum
at which it was assessed for taxes. 1t is not
of great extent; it is not susceptible, BY rea-
son OF its peculiar position and surroundings,
of any Improvement likely to enhance its
value to its owners, now or hereafter, to any
considerable degree-a State law, indeed, re-
stricts its improvement or employment in
any manner likely to contaminate the water
supplied to the city from Fairmount; and it
has been sat tsiactorily ascertained that the
rental of the property did not very much ex-
Ceed the legal interest that would be paid on
a capital OF fifty thousand dollars, which is
the sum at which it was assessed for taxation.
1t Is also said, by those who have taken the
trouble to inform themselves upon the subject,
tSat the amount, or very little more than the
amount which the city is required
to pay for this contracted, unimproved, and
practically unimprovable strip OF river bank
lying between Paramount Park and the Fair
mount Water Works, with the Reading Rail-
road Immediately in the rear, would purchase
the ent re east sid of the .huy kill river, ex-
tending an equal or greater distance back
from the river line, from Fairmomt Park UP
to Laurel HILL If this be so, then the people
will naturally ask why they shall be taxed to
pay alf million of dollars for property
that will ha cOnn no rattuaIu voInalasa 10 H..