The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-02
STATEMENT FROM THE TAX COMMISSIONERS.



TO THE EDITOR or THE HERALD
The New York Times OF this morning contains
two elaborate articles imputlng to tine Tax Com
missiOners "fraud, jobbery ana corruption" IN gen.
eral, and specifying in detail instances OF iavortlsm
towards certain railroad companies named. THESE
statements are circumstautial-claming 10 De oe'
rived rrom Official sources-that they are admirably
calculated 70 misead the public especially at this
juncture. when the public mind is prepared to
credit any imputation. however unjust, winch may
be cast upon an 0fictal.
The first statement In the Times is that the books
OF the Tax Department were closed against public
scrutiny. This statement is untrue In the sense In
which 1t is made. The usage OF the Department in
this respect substantially the same as It formerly
was greater care, however, being exercised TO pre-
vent fraudulent alterations by outside agents. The
next statement that in October, 1871, when Mr.
Green was appointed Deputy Comptroller, the prac-
lice OF the Department in this respect was mate
rally changed, Is also untrue
The figures published In the Times purport TO give
the for real and personal property upon
the various city railroad companies and deducting
these sums from the market value OF the stocks OF
sai1 Companles. the conclusion is arrived at that
the assessments are far too low and grossly 'in-
equal, ranging from eight and a quarter TO forty
seven per cent OF the real valuation.
OF the second Avenue Railroad Company the
Times makes the following statement:-
Iosai OF capital stock, showing real valuation 49,. 7ssoGo
Real estate taxed being only "a tof real valu
Now let this be compared with the following
sworn statement made by the Second Avenue Rail-
road Company on tile IN the Tax Department.
Statement and delivered to the Commissioners
for ana in behalf Of the Second Avenue Railroad Company
% s 81 n @ U ms @ iT s
o. the provisions Or tiiie W. chapter Xli part OF the
amendatory thereof in addition thereto chapter %
laws OF is5 and chapters 4bs and $685. laws Of is and
Capital stock actually paid in, secured to be paid
Less the value Of the following real estate situated
In the Twelfth and Nineteenth wards, city OF New ,o
Less debts due from this company lcSoo
United States securities ... -. None
Amount surplus earnings .................. None.
The principal office or the place Of the dnanc,
OF the city OF New York. sxythrd street and Sec
Cay% Neg I,r1, .:-I Harvey H. Woods the Secretary
declare that the foregoing 6 respects just
sworn to before me. this 18th day of March, 1slGroE0R
IL. ANDRKwH Com. !. and A.
ON this company it Will be seen that the debts ana
the capital, ssss 100 leave othng to be assessed as
the personal estate OF the company. This seems 10
o. e e ssYs AVENUE ea
was assessed only eight and quarter per cent OF
Its real valuation.
IS the Third Avenue road. Concerning this the
Times says
Amount capital stock quoted price 1875 81 10000
Total OF capital stock showing real valuation 22S $40
Real estate taxed, being only TWENTY-FIVE per cent
OF rea' valuation no personal properly being soe ma
- :. 'u'V.
. me ioi,oWing Is CODY Oh the sworn statement OF
lne Inrd Avenue railroad company on ME III the
Tax Department.
Statement made and delivered to the Commissioners of
Taxes and the city and county of New York
l2r ana 70 oena Of me ihird Avenue Railroad Company
s AZ ~ s'or f nc ppose oi asscssment OF the
tile eabier s bart Of the Reysed Stat.ts. 81 % Ss. 9
of New York and 81 The cs aendatorv thereof or in adi
ton thereto chapter @ Laws OF so3 and chapters 456 and
o,o Laws oI 1901. anu cnapter zsu, Laws OF loo3:-
VaPa s'ocN ac'ay paid III or secured 10 DC paid ~,
Less the value OF the following situated
In Twelfth ward, New YORK city lss ban And 10th
$1,000 s ~, ou ' avenue oofner 'V'n See'' ~, aoo
Nineteenth ward between Sxtv6ftb and Sytv.sirth ''
streets, Second and Third avenues . 375OO0
Nineteenth ward, between Sxty-sixh ana sixty
seventh Streets -.--..........--.. $3.50
Toto, eE1. Io1
Less debts due from this com pany " ... si $4,000
Amount invested in United States securities None
Amount of surplus earnings .................N None.
The PRINCIPAL office or the place Of rasactng the
., e sara y uaed n the Nnessnh
nth stree a' WV " NC" o :" ' A'e'ue' 'o'ner SAy
cv Of Mn YoI ST. Robert squres the President of
the said corporation, being duly hereby certify
and declare that the foregoing statement Is 10 az respects
iorc.. sht,
CHARLES ;. ARTHUR, Notary Public, New York city.