The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-02
STREET OPENING ABUSES.
OR OF THE HERALD

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The recent opening Of Seventy second street from
Broadway to the Hudson rivera little less than
two blecks-cost the lot owners for expenses little
over $1,000 At the same rate OF expense II would
cost to open the remaining unopened streets from
Fifty-inth street to Harlem river $1,000 900.
who sets this money! Not the lot owners-they pay
1t. Mt the cty-it gets nothing. II Is the clerks,
the Surveyors the printers, the posters the appras
ers, ne commissioner and the ring men who are
behIrd them that get the money. And then, after
the money is paid the streets really openedf Not
at a. Not sod is turned, not stone removed, not
a vBibie change effected. These enormous expenses
are incurred for what Is called the illegal opening"
OF he street.-The whole practical cost Is yet 10 be
dore, and OF that the expense Is not yet limited at
Ths illegal opening Is intended to satisfy the consti-
tuaona requirement. that private property shall not
therefor: ana the Whole proceeding OF street open.
ink is taken In order 10 ascertain and award the
"tist compensation" TO be made for the land aud
thereby to acquire the title TO the land by the CITY,
Now IL Is notorious TO every lot owner that the
compensation made for land so taken, when not lm-
p'oved by buildings or presents other special claims
IL compensation, Is merely nominal, and never ex-
cetds one dollar for the land in front or each lot 10
the middle OF the street. To get this one dollar then,
thepwner IL subject TO an expense seldom less than
nftyand often amounting 10 500 per lot. In the
Sevtnty second street opening the whole award for
Wide expense Of awarding and getting Il was over
5000. surely there must be a reform for such an
abue as this. These cumbersome proceedings can
not necessary for any purpose AFFECTING either the
interest OF the lot owners or the rights OF the CITY,
The do not locate the street. determine the width.
exRnt anything or that Sort All these are dxed
and determined by the commissioners map on hle
and the proceedings Instituted only FOR the pur-
poe OF determining what shall be the compensation
TO e made for the land and how II shall be paid; and
this we have said, involves an expenditure OF NIFTY
10 400, In expenses, for every dollar OF compensa
| tiof awarded.
The remedy, IL strikes us, is a very simple one.
Lea general award OF 500 per lot be made 70 each
owner for all the unnproved lands lying within the
boundaries OF the present unopened lateral streets
| sln,e the award must be made "by commls-
l sloi appointed by the court" az required by the
| constitution let the Park Commissioners be
appointed for that purpose, and having made the
aw.rd let them publish notice TO all lot owners OF
theaward and assessment so made. and that unless
| the same be objected 10 and special claim filed
within the time limited by the notice the owners
Will be deemed 10 have accepted the award. and
the street be declared illegally opened,n and the
wok a done. Nne-tenths OF all the unopened
streets on the west side district would be opened at
once without q dollars expense or days further
delay. The proceeding has no application to the
boulevard, Riverside avenue similar works
Special cases and claims to be adjusted In the old
way.
this subject lately introduced In the Senate, aud
cal upon the Legislature To give II quick passage,
and thus put end ut once to the needless delays
and expense In street openings and the unfathomcd
abuses and corruptons which have ever attended
thsrn