New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-31
THE ANN-ST. WIDENING.
LEGISLATION PeR MAKING THE STREET EIGHTY FEET
wIDE-PROTEsT OF THE PRoPERTY-HoLDERs
AGAINST The ARBITRARY POWER OF THE CoMNIs-

LEGISLATION PeR MAKING THE STREET EIGHTY FEET
WIDE-PROTEsT OF THE PRoPERTY-HOLDERS
AGAINST THE ARBITRARY POWER OF THE CoMMIs-
SION.
A meeting of the Beekman-st. property
holders is called for this afternoon at the Office OF Lorng
Andrews, No. 81 Cfst to take measures for the defeat
Of the Annst. Widening bill which Is pendind In the
Legislature and which Is to come up for action tomor
row. The bill proposes widen Ann-st 80 feet toward
the NORTH Beekman-st. TRIBUNE reporter obtained
yesterday from Mr. latham Of No. 81 Beekman-st copy
OF the bill.
The first section provides that Z. ID. Morgan, -,
- are hereby appointed Commissioners, with power
and authority TO determine upon the expediency OF
widening and extending Annst. from Broadway to
southst aud to decide upon the route direction and
width OF said street. The Commissioners, or
any two OF them, shall make q map or
plan of Aunst az wdened and extended and shan sub
scribe said map and file the subscribed in the
Office OF the Board Of Public Works OF said city 1t Is
declared that upon the filing Of the map, all that piece
OF land shown upon the map as Ann-st, widened and
extended shall thep become and be for all legal pur
poses one streets OF the city, and the plan OF the
CITY OF New-York be tnereupon altered to agree
with the map.
Section empo " ers the Commissioners any two Of
them to tx and determine the lines Of assessment for
damages and benefit and the proportion OF the cost OF
said Improvement which shall be borne by the property
owners. The Mayor, Aldermen, and Commissioners
shall sign this report.
Section empowers the Commissioners to summon and
examine witnesses touching the Improvement and to
hire clerk and surveyor The cost of the
shall be paid out Of the assessment.
Section provides that 1t shall be the duty Of the
sci to the corporation Of said city and he is required
upon being informed Of the filing OF the map and report
of the Commissioners aforesaid with all convenient
dispatch to take the necessary means to open street
the piece Of land shown upon said map as Ann-st,
widened and extended.
Mr.. latham, who 10 one OF the gentlemen active In
calling the meeting to protest againt the bill, character
lied it as one Of the most infamous outrages
tempted perpetrated 1t was proposed, he said to
widen Anns by taking of 80 feet the north side thus
encroachipg the Of the buildings fronting on
Beekman st. and this TO be done at the expense Of
the propertyhOders who were not TO be consulted and
were TO have voice in the matter. He thought
It doubtful whether E. d. Morgan, the only Commits
sioner named in the BILL had been consulted in the bust
ness at all or if he had consented to the Of his
name whether he was aware the enOrmty the pro-
posed act The rest of the list would probably be filed
out with Of men In the interest OF railroad COM
pany whose votes would nufy Mr.. Morgans. He said
that the objection was much the widening TO
the arbitrary in which it was proposed 20
pish it. He said he and those acting with him intended
to put stop the system Of using private property
In order forty themselves properly before taking
open action the legal opinion Of eminent lawyer had
been obtained
This was shown TO the reporter. 1t is as follows:
'n my opinion the proposed act TO alter the map
plan OF NewYork &C., by extending Ann-st. copy OF
which you have submitted to me- directly empowers tho
Commissioners therein named to do just they please
about the matter, without any report to the Supreme
Court, without opportunities to parties interested
to object in any wise obtain modification of the
map and report Of the Commissioners without any no.
tce even to the parties interested Of the time of fling
the same II the direction in Section was honestly In.
tended give parties interested the aforesaid oppor-
tunities the is drawn loosely and differently from
existing statutes that such intention cannot DO re-
ahzed"
There ia much feeling the subject among property
holders the north side of Annst and the south side
Beekman and the protest is likely TO DO earnest
one.