New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-13
PING IPG1CIES.

AIhu LIOhCAHo'
What has been stolen by the Ring Is gone
save the fraction which the pending OConoI
suits may recover, and there is little use IN rais-
ing hue and cry over the irrecoverably split
milk of the corrupt municipal administration
of which we are happily rid forever. But our
citizens have it in their power to save them
selves much Of the needless cost of various
unfinished jobs of the Ring by little careful
scrutiny and energetic opposition and we are
impelled TO point out how they may do it.
We lately called attention to the effort MAX
ing to confirm several score Of the old Ring
contracts. Our original objection to 1t was
that examination into these jobs was under
taken by the Commission at what were prac-
tically secret sessions under bill which mad
been virtually Struggled through the Legisla-
ture. A few taxpayers led by our article to
attend the meetings exposed some palpable
frauds, and have thus far prevented their con-
firmatiOn. Among the contracts under examl-
nation are some which we have been satisfied
from the first ought to be paid, and we hope
the Commissioners will dispute none on merely
technical grounds. On the same general prin-
cple we point out this morning another Ring
legacy Oh II Suspicious tildIdtitl III AhO thi'NA
side Park. There are plausible reasons why
this improvement should be made, and
others showing that it is at least of doubtful
value, all of which arguments we impartially
give as presented to us. While we are indis-
posed at present TO say that the Park should
not be built, we are very clear that, as it is
for the benefit of mere fraction of the West
Side residents, it ought not to be created
wholly at the general expense. The matter
of the awards and assessments is one which
it behOOves taxpayers and property-0wners
and live newspapers to examine and discuss
irrespective of the question of the utility Of
the Park itself. And for the information and
the interest of all who are affected directly
or indirectly, the article which We publish on
the subject has been carefully and Impartialy
prepared from official data.
This much in relation to the work appears
irrefutable 1t was devised by the old Ring
Park Department in 1867. Much of the land
taken for the park is Of rocky, bluffy char
acter, many feet above the grade of the streets,
while some of it is submerged in the Hudson
River The original area of assessment has
been largely increased, and the total awards
for property taken have been augmented from
S5,123,417 to SG,3J3,592. More than 1900 prop
erty-holders within this extended area are as
sessed to the amount of 1890, 40S to build
park of possible yet questionable value
to them, while the Taxpayers generally
are to pay $3,O33,O01 for what no
body pTetends to say is of utility or
benefit except as it beauties the city at large.
The Park runs parallel with Central Park and
n very short distance from it, but it can never
hope to rival that resort in aGtractiveness. It's
main attraction, the new road, cannot compete
as a public drive with the almost completed
Boulevard. Ii is remote from the most pOpu-
lous part of the city, and would be visited
only by residents of the West Side, and 1T
seems clear that the cost of an improvement
designed to benefit a special part of the city
should not be imposed on the city at large.
1t will undoubtedly increase the value Of adj
jacent property when completed, but the area
Of the city to be benefited is very limited, and
the property within it ought to pay the largest
items of the bill. At any rate it seems that
there ought to be some hesitation before COM
hitting this tax and dcbt-burdcned people to
so costly and questionable an Improvement.
These points which we suggest are worthy
the attention of taxpayers before it is too late
There is growing conviction with many that
the upper part of the city has extensive parks
enough for the present and we want to set
about building any other large ones like that
projected slowly and with our eyes open.
Expression ought to be drawn out now, and
action taken that shall secure a remedy for
the many objections which undoubtedly exist.
TIE TRIBUNE proposes to give all sides fair
hearing when such discussion arises as it has
in the article which it presents this morning.