New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-28
SAYING SIX MILLIONS.
HISTORY OF A SECRET MEETING OF A
PUBLIC BOARD.

sInE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO RESTORE
THE PROPERTY TO THE owNERs-A MAJORiI1
IN Favor OF REDUCING PRESENT LIMITS of
THE PARK.
The Riverside Park matter has assumed an
entirely pew and unexpected phase, and II naer VI
doubt whether the Park viii ever be laid OUT put ~
should be 1t win probably be reduced to eonparauyoy
small Dimensions The article published IN lHb AiDoS
Of June lS, in regard to the large sums When Weie
about 20 be levied upon the tax payers crefVcu
sensation and when Il announced that nearly
$4,000 we're about 10 be levied upon the taxpayers .,
the city at large for the creation OF PARK OF uouo
yalue general sentiment was expressed py ulSn'ei
sed partes that some effort should be made to reduce
the amounts-that effort should be made 10 dispense
entirely with the proposed park This sentiment pre-
vailed more generally among taxpayers whose properly
was distant from the land appropriated ana ID Oruer 10
decide what action should be taken, several pionlne
LAWYERS of this city held consultation conoeinns u.
matter IL was agreed that all efforts 70 induce inc P
Commissioners of the Riverside Park, Messrs' rap
hagen Graham, and Sutherland, TO make any sucn "
dncton as they demanded would DC uselo''' &c -
Commissioners we're in measure Douhu 70 "0'.I ~
statements OF property-hoders IN the Vicinity Vi o
Park as 20 the values Of property taken ana qua. .
,.rv ~ these persons interested in the mateI'
they could not expect any great success i'll D''' va"
tion Moreover the tax payers ana gentlemen spun"
Of desired II possible to achieve their oiJeel Ny He
The park property returned to Their o"uers' VI i''
prcsept dimensions greatly reduced. such acuon' OF
1o,rso oould not be taken by the Riverside Commits
oDers nor by the Supreme Court the functions OF the
former being confined leyying the assessments ana
naming the amounts Of awards on the propeI'! as
already laid ont the maps; ana tne pioNni0o
Of the court being confined TO confirming OF
rejecting their report. The propriety OF keep
inc the matter before the courts, or otherwise
aolavine final action until the matter eOmd
No broueht before the next Legislature for action was
then discussed. Various propositions were made 10
bring about desired result but none OF them seeeo
feasible or according 10 law reference was then nao
IN the statute and discovery was made that the Zen
tal Park Commissioners who condemned the PARK hau
the mower 10 resclnd their action up to the time
the maps should be placed on record IN the county
Clerks Oflce Investigation soon revealed that inc
maps had never been recorded Several OF tne eg
gentlemen subsequently called upon Controller Green
and urged upon him, guardian Of the eitys hhahces,
and also as member OF the Park Commission, to stand
between the taxpayers and the city and do all III hs
mower 10 prevent this great addition to the taxevy Inc
Controller said he would consider the matter IN al
m hearings and act for the interests Of the city
tameetlng Of the Central Park Commissioners heid
on the 18TH inst, there present Messrs Green
Dillon Fields, Olmsted and Church. After the trans
action of some routine business one OF the Comms-
sioners read the following resolution and moved It's
.sSsd an fsr gosd3S. relative to taking i4s l3a'
lylng eelN,e Hnis river eommopv Known Riverside
under the act entitled An Act ioE me !9s am Ta a s be- and
certain portion Of the City Of Ae"-4ok PAsse' Api - ~ " anu
nS or TWO Of t6e members who had never conceived
that the Commissioners possessed me power 70 SSt
according 10 me d h UStertained asked an
explanation for such remarkable resolutions. Inc
mover OF the resolutions then reced the circumstances
under which the Park was first condemned, recapitu-
lated the action OF the first CommissionefS-he
Tweed. sweeny and Hugh smth-and spoke Oh the
large amounts fixed by the present Commissioner
mentioned the burden II eneed upon ~ by f a 9e
concluded by saving that the interests OF the Guy
manded that the Commissioners should Tescind ther
SV 20 its owners or else curtaH the tract Of land as
formerly laid cut and thereby relieve the taxpayers OF
eussed with some warmth, and IA view OF tle
fact that II had been l1trodnGed without 9
future consideration AZ the next meeting
ing objections Of their awards and assess
ments their Office IN Murray-st, UNCONSCIOUS lhst a
movement already under way to remove the matter
entirely beyond their jurisdiction or the jurisdiction OF
The Court before whom they We're 10 present the report
wednesday the resolutions were brought up for final
dispUs itd Sscnssion TOOK place Messrs Dillon and
Felds spoke at considerable length in favor OF giving
the property back 70 its original owners ana Messrs
os,eG eitbo1I nor expressing MN II decidedly
Oler Green, tb,,6 of the resoi,i
Mr. Fields said that this afforded grand opportunity
FOR those persons who claimed 10 be true refOrmers 10
gave evidence OF it, and save the united taxpayers OF
did nj possess the general reputation OF being OF the
IL seemed to him that the creation Of this park as at
present laid out was unnecessary, ana mat II should De
amounts commensurate with It's merely character,
and burden light that residents in the vicinity
should nave to pay the There he said
why persons owning property IN Chambers or Essex
land appropriated on the extreme upper END OF the
island or that persons residing on Fory-seeondst OF
on tine borders the Central Park be assessed directly
for an improvement which interests property-Owners
only the immediate vicinity Of the land Condemned
Mr. Robert j. Dillon spoke at some length concerning
the awards and assessments stating that he believed
they should be rated according to the value Of the
property when it was first condemned by the Commits
soner that they should be made irespectively OF
individuals according 20 established principle
The Riverside Commissioners ne SAID seemed 70 take
different view Of matters ana he thought that Tor many
reasons the RESOLUTION should be adopted. 1t
10 cry halt and regard the finances Of the city and
the expressed wishes Of taxpayers
n,ove fhe resolution as a whole thought that some
modification should be made and II was proposed finally
Tbat the matter be laid over until the next Getting on
July TO- This, after some further discussion. was
agreed After the meeting had adjourned, however,
Al was remembered that the Riverside Commissioners
proposed present their report for confirmation the
9th OF July and that probable aclioa would be taken
gI 81 n was therefore agreed 10 call sneciai
meeting for next Tuesday evening, when determined
EFFORT Win he made to dispose OF the matter finally If
sncb acton j. taken it viii dispose of matter which
for nearly five years the subject OF debate dis
and settle question which, according to the statement
of many persons viii remain undetermined for long
time If il Is permitted TO before the Supreme Court
for confirmation the basis Of the Riverside Commits
eOners present awards and assessments certain per-
sons who have been assessed declare their Intention to
contest the matter every step, II it involves an
appeal the Appellate Court OF the state. There is
doubt great pressure will be brought to bear upon
the Park Commissioners TO vote down the
luton, for there few persons who own great deal
of property which viii be greatly enhanced IN value II
the Park shall be Laid out according 10 the plan
and II is understood that already persons informed OF
Commissioners TO adopt their The OF their
action will be awaited 10y taxpayers generally with
great deal Of interest.
sEcRET SESSIONS OF The PARK COMMISSIONERS
The Park Commission having twice voted down resolu.
lions offered by Commissioner Field for the holding its
meetings open session. and st continuing TO transact
IT. business session, reporter Of THE TRB