New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-09
THE TERROR or TAXPAYERS.
MEETING OF THE WEST SIDE ASsOCIATION-THE
CORRECT PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT.

| MEETING OF THE WEST SIDE AssOCIATIoN-THE
! CORRECT PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT.
| A stated meeting Of the West Side Asso-
citation was held last evening in the Howard Rooms on
slxth-ave The President. VIM Il. Martin delivered a
short address on the widening schemes, and W. c. IL
Wadde read paper on rapid transit The most inter
esng feature OF the proceedings was paper ON the
Correct Principles Of Assessment" read, substantially
as follows by another member Of the Executive Com
| mittee. John W. PirssOn
Assessments for public improvements may be divided
into two classes. FIRST Those which relate to the open
ny Of streets and avenues and widening ana straight
enng, extending the same ana thc Ia! ING ojt ana ts
tabishng Of public parks aud places. second: THOSE
relating u regulating, grading, sewerng, ana paving
them m FOR the eS not only of those owning lands front
| ing thereon, but also Of the public. . 49,,
so general throughout the city and the burdens thereby
imposed are 20 uhe4u3l{ anu uy9S! o,.IIou' ~ V ,
subject what the correct principles OF assess
go that NO Tropcrtv shall he assessed for benefit
unlesskuch benefit IS direct Immediate ana actual we
shan have reached substantial solution Of this difficult
! nrohlem To ascertain whether such benefit really at
aches or not Of these three tests should apply to
! the property proposed TO he charged;
RTs': VII bring more rentl ,u, , a., ,,,,., o.,
| Tfira: VIII connanI greater price in the rns1eiI
OF the mode in use it may be safely averrei that
in large majority Of the the alleged bcneft is
indirect uncertain, and often purely imaginary. An
slow that OF tie settled neehhorhoods covered
over, as it were wh network OF assessments while
| other like ncglhorhoOds comparatively free from
suggestive lines OF demarcaton This goes TO show
that The cost IS not properly distributed and never can
be until the city pays its due proportion for tho benefit
Tie Avs renamed substantially unchanged until 1862
when important advance made in tbc right drcC
ton by he passage of the act Of the 2Oh OF May OF that
lnesL Greg Eas gae net ~ a dow .H3 s,talsti
70 be opened &C., Commissioners to s assessed upon N:
- W. ilE IN DE- 49,, ~ 3D. S-,t,+e k uI1l. -,
Ie-s cannot De justly a1 properly inrod upon ne property mn
the payment Of this part ihe ConrcI directed o. in st' toe
SsHTs WITH interest rot eseoers per cent pc, suauH
This law then, contains the germ Of the right prncplc
ertited 10 There Is rerciful n, rovsion I'm mis- Act
which deserves especial mention, namely IN all assess
ments below FOurtcentl-st. the Commissioners may
assess upon any lands or premises benefited by i'm
,royernent suci part Of e eers. thereof rs tfcv nav
deem just and reasonable, not erecting one haJ ne
market raite Of such t1nds and premises 80 that hco
such beneficial visitatioDs the Commissioners would
not only relieve the beneficiary OF all his land 50 benefited,
but would not leave one cent in his pocket in the place
Of it, a reminder had lie lad ever been 80
fortunate as to own IT. or OF the benefit he
acts the Commissioners are directed u assess the
property deemed TO ne benefited or supposed 70 he
benefited or intended 10 y, behelteI. IAtre - hot
word directing them to charge only for actual and
direct benefit and for the very good reason a not QUO
assessment III dozen couId nave been carried INTO enec1
without charging the city with part OF the expense,
which they had no power 10 DO. IftIe laying out OF
FOR use, exclusively beneficial q those only who
limits as to render them properly chdrFeabe WIN me
whole expense Why IN the name Of reason should they
and levy tolls upon those outsider, who have paid no
part OF The cost, as IA the case Of turnpike roads
in truth an rhese laws founded upon uDsound
theory, which might DO very well for the LAYING out Of
ncous wants OF great city, fla which an the people par
tcpate, IN greater or less degree, ia whatever i'm
manner whatever there is neglect, Inconvenience, or
msmauagemtht in the body corporate
An examination OF two assessment proceedings OF
real are the benefits IN most cases when are assumed 10
Iha 4 NF Ia
Madison-ave@ from Forty-econd TO Eishtysixth-st
Now MadisOnaye. shared with the Fiftl-avc the pre-
cminenCe OF being one Of the two hrstcafs avenues
Tor private residences. IL built upon in
certain extent, the rival Of the Fifth,ayG. But
few vacant lots remained s character fully estab
ished and itneeded no help Of this kind As to The Fifth
ave. was about 10 enjoy the monopoly Of being tie
only nIsCclass avenue Tor residences between Forty
added just 80 many lots 70 be brought into competition
Nun y; one would naturally suppose then that neither
lhe hIithVe hOr Madlsonayc., below FOItysecOnd-s,
would have been called upon 10 pay anything for hat
Improvement But such not The case Tie boundl-
~ o Ia lsSt asineht were, north by Ouchundredand
lIots,2 Soltl Sy Twenty secondst cast by the Third
Improvements TO the Third Fourth or sixthaye or 9
any street Png between them than to any other
- tir1,3sI or Won IN u 81 ,ioic 'Sl-le ioi Dl-l
Certainly not Where then the Justice OF assessing
property upon those streets ayennesi
Tic other cas- y that OF the plaza it Is called the
900 feet square added 10 the southeast corner of Inc
rnoso az the Board Of HS'' Ior In9
Park state IN their report Of 1868 of anording NOR
capacous entrance 70 tho Central Pink at that place
a9S certain benefit ~ss he Central PARK AND direct
strp land not moro than 100 feet in depth which was
thus made front upon tho Park extended A. IN an
the other land Charged II received greater benefit f
that ugtqOyed ennoe than any other land ON tsis
islan1 And vet the boundaries ~ the benefit man were
u0rl bv nysOcoud-st, south ly Thirty f,uTh-st
est by FouIth-yt and west by Eightlaye. The mum,
Der Of lots assessed was Ss including the 1900 Ia that
part charged - the Park.
gAt sSaas k4Adrod daf sghe DH cSstsSei
ssef1es lots
awarded for he 10 lots. t.D
b. the AAseSsEcnt 5a5JJ
Cot Of the proceedings soqnre title b those 70 lots +Jll80
If any ouer az real estate prepared 20 contend mat
eystaIp which can make such an eNhhi does not need
thorough reformation then De must DO one ot those
uscuIiar individuals who love % bc imposed u0n Aud
thare are doubtless many Hnc n thIs CITY, judging from
IN L...-l L.