The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-23
A CitisenS Association organized
Uprising Of the Plundered Property Owners
Against tho Oppressive Burden Of Taxa
ton-Resume Of What Political Rul-
ers Have Done for Hoboken.


For considerable time they were not disappointed
In their hopes few years ago the men who
clambered to political power instead OF improving
and identifying the streets already inhabited,
commenced the premature Improvement Of the
waste land known as the Meadows. This was the
same as If the New York city government Of fifty
years ago were to improve the ground wherein
the Central Park now stands The laying out Of
UNNEEDED STREETS
was commenced in Hoboken, in the interest Of
men who have by this time accumulated fortunes
thereby. But If the people were only to be bur-
dened with the legitimate expenses Of the work
done there would not be so much cause OF CON-
plant Such has not been the case. For instance,
the property owners along the line OF Thirteenth
street were induced by agents Of the ring to petit
ton for the formation Of said street. such petition
being necessary in accordance with the provisions
Of the charter The consent Of the property owners
was obtained, it is alleged, by fraud in two ways.
First-The surveyor declared that r. 700 cubic
yards Of earth would be sufficient to form the
street, at q cost Of about $4,000. Secondly-The
untutored property owners were told that rail-
road was to be run across the property, and that
In order to enhance the value of the lots 1t was
necessary to have the street laid out. One Of the
MEMBERS OF THE RING
in order to procure the signature Of one OF the
property owners to the petition, pretended to be
about to purchase one Of the lots and paid de-
post of $40 thereon. This sum he afterwards viii.
lingly forfeited, having accomplished his real de-
sign. Now when Thirteenth street had been laid
out, 1t was found, as already published in the
mad been 1900 yards of earth used in
filling in the 90 street 81, and the cost
and expenditure were authorized by majority Of
the Common Council. At the present day, after all
the improvements" the entire property to be as
sessed along Thirteenth street would not sell for
more than $4,000 That is, the property-owners
are assessed In twice the amount their property lis
which, after paying 81 900 assessment on Them he
could not get more than $4,000. Hence, the owners
Of the lots are to have their
= PROPERTY CONFISCATED,
and even then the whole city will be saddled with
an extra tax OF $4,000 to complete the payment Of
this calamity Mr.. Spielmann, suspecting that the
last figures given by the surveyor were not correct,
caused the earth which had been put on the street
to be remeasured, when he came to the conclusion
that there had not been anything like AZ 600 cubic
yards placed thereon He then made these rep.
e@phasized the statement that the origi-
nal consent OF the property =, owners to
the Was tss gs
writ of certtOrdrt, which restraints the city from
paying the cost Of the improvement Of Thirteenth
Eighteenth streets similar blunders have been
made by the surveyor. The citizens themselves
they elect some men to represent them who are too
iliterate to ascertain whether the surveyors esti
mates are correct or not. The most
ILLrTERATE COUNCILMEN,
however, might have sense enough to employ
surveyors thoroughly capable of making such estl-
mates; nevertheless they still employ the man
whose calculations were SO inaccurate In the Thir-
teenth street matter. 1t Is not too much to say
that many citizens are far nom attributing these
miscalculatiOns to ignorance merely.
Another source OF the increased weight Of taxa
ton lies in the excessive expenditures made by
is true that during the present year decided re.
forms have taken place In the Board OF Water
Commissioners and in the Board Of Education,
though there is still room for better changes. 1t
may well be asked If the Legislature cannot AFFORD
a remedy for those evils but there, too
KEN have sss sought relief in VAIN vain. Hoboxen
boasts itself q democratic city, and elects some
democratic politician to the State Assembly Demo
cratic reporters lend helping hand, and some per-
sons are uncharitable enough to say that ''the
counting out" process is resorted to. Last year a
jority, and the taxpayers were promised many re.
forms. That portion Of Hoboken above sixth street
and east Of Hudson street Is worth
TEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
and had been formerly detached from Hoboken in
the interest Of the Land Improvement Company.
The new Assemblyman was to have an act passed
reattaching said land to Hoboken that the above
named company should bear share OF the Hoboken
taxes The enormous sum Of $4,000 was being paid
annually by HobOken for official printing, and this
fragrant wrong was to be redressed. Time passed
on and during the whole session of the Legislature
not bill was introduced to bring back to the city
the estate OF the Land Improvement Company, and
the printing abuse remained substantially I'M
checked. In addition to the loss sustained by Ho-
boken from the non-introduction Of those bills an
act passed increasing the salaries of the city
officials forty, sixty and 100 per cent Those officials
had already fought hard for Office and were well
satisfied with the pay they had previously received.
Another bin was introduced by which the whole
city was saddled with the alleged
FRAUDULENT EXPENSES
incurred In improving Thirteenth street. The Com.
mon Council was authorized to issue bonds
70 ut alu
mentioned Luckily for the taxpayers the Sn-
preme Court has 'blocked that little garnen Of the
object was to invest the Tax Commissioners Of
Hoboken with the most arbitrary powers, which,
If exercised, must prove rulnous TO those persons
who own property bordering on the public square
at Garden street. This bill authorizes the Tax CON-
missoners to assess property for the Improvement
OF said square in proportion to the benefit received
thereby" Thus the Assessor and Commissioners
are left 10 decide what property shall be assessed
to fraud Is thus opened for the assessors True 1t
Is this injustice Shall never be successful for the
oppressed citizens interested therein are not now
Moreover IL Is hoped that the assessment shall be
made equally on all the city property. May, Mayor
representative that the latter would be
THE ONLY JUST PLAN.
An act was passed in 1869 authorizing the i'm
provement OF said square at cost OF 10000, to be
levied equally on the whole city, II the voters
should favor the Improvement. The citizens, how
ever did not wish it, and never voted for it, where
upon the politicians had the act passed at the last
session empowering the Common Council to have
the work done whether the people liked It or not;
Previous to the passage OF this act the Land
Improvement Company sold all the
lots they owned bordering on the square.
1t Is this same company against which Hoboken has
had to struggle so much in endeavorng to extend
It's southery streets to the river. SO far the courts
have decided in favor Of the extension OF the
streets, which will be OF
fNCALCULABLE ADVANTAGE
to the city. And now that the courts have decided
in favor Of the people, 1t is rumored that the poll
ticians, for reasons best known to themselves In
tend to compromise with the Land Improvement
Company. Should this be done the citizens them
selvesSyi take the matter In hand.
Many frauds and schemes are further contemplated
which cannot fail to plunge the city into endless
litigation. unless q thorough investigation should
lead to results similar to those already attained In
Jersey City. With view to remedy those and
suffering taxpayers issued call on Thursday.
inviting all good citizens, Irrespective Of