The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-31
TEE ASSESSMENT EXPOSURES.
Some More Complaints Of Tsx-Ridden NinetsentA
Warders-'None Of Alderman Lysaghts
Busines'-The squattsr's Dogs

| Busiuess'-The 6quattsrs Dogs
| The investigation of cases of excessive and IN.
| equal assessment OF real estate In the Nineteenth
| ward was resumed yesterday morning BY the
! special committee Of the Board OF SUPERVISORS.
Messrs Koch. McCanerty and Cooper. The Do
| velopments yesterday were by no means either
more startling or interesting than those OF proceed
ing sessions OF the committee, but any and all Of
them 20 far 10 show that the whole system, q
rather lack of system upon which these asseGH
ments are made, Is a humbug and an injustice.
The investigation of the Nineteenth ward books
was closed yesterday and the committee will to-
day commence the reception OF complaints OF as
scssmcnts in the Twelfth ward. The committee.
however, will hear any further complaints from
Nineteenth ward property owners, should they be
presented.
ALLEGED ExTORTIONATE ASSESSMENTS.
Mr.. John NJ Bxby, whose complaint Of the as
sessment his house, No. 461 Fifth avenue, was
published yesterday appeared and presented the
| following statements and examples OF unequal as
scssment to support his own case and complaint ~
| fled on tuesday,
| The house or John d. Wendell on the northwest
! corner of Filth and Thirty-ninth street, Is
assessed at $4,000 the house is 40 by so, and the
| 10. 40 by 40 feet This property rs worth double
| tho property on the northeast corner OF F0rtieth
! street and Fifth avenue, which is assessed al
| $4,000.
David Banks house is on Fifth avenue; 1t In
| about IS feet wide and 30 feet deep. stable 10
beside it, The house and stable cover lots on Fiji
avenue So ieet wide ana 100 feet deep. This prop
| erty il on the east side OF Fifth avenue between
| Thirty ninth and FOrteth streets. 1t IL assessed
at ST. OOO but 1t Is worth three times as much a.
| the house on the northeast corner of Fifth avenue
ana Fortieth street. which Is assessed at $4,000.
| Mr r. w. Lnsak who resides a DODDS Ferry.
owns lots Nos. l, 2 and East Ninerieth street,
Last year the assessment on them was $4,000, and
this year $4,000. They have not been improved.
| Lots Nos. A. S and OF the same street were last
year valued at $4,000, and this year at $4,000 lie
protested against the increase and asked for re-
ductiOn
r. r. Mack, of No. se5 Fifth avenue, complained
that lots owned by him have been raised this year
from SlO,5O to $4,000. This he considers largely
| excessive and applied for a reduction.
| Louis Broza, OF No. S. 123d street, complained
| that lots owned by him in that neghborhood have
been increased from SIS 900 to 1000 and anothef
lot has increased from 81 900 to $4,000. These
lots are unmproyed and have increased nothing IN
| value. .
| Charles REILLY, of No. 1871 East Fftyseventh
! street, protested against an increase from $1,000
| TO 81 900 assessment on his house.
Henry Grosmeyer OF No. 81 East Sxtieth street,
stated that the assessment on lot OF his In sixty
| second street. between Lexington and third ave-
nues, has been Increased from $500 to $1,000 Other
property belonging to him has been increased ex-
Louis J. Phillips complained that the valuation
on his house, No 10 West filty-second street. has
been increased from $4,000 to $2s,0OO. A house In
the same locality, Tor which he states his willing
ness to pay $4,000 more than for his own, L. as
sessed at only $4,000. Property he owned in Fifty
sixth street. near Madison avenue, has this year
been Increased rom So, 900 to S30,0CO These were
lots which would not sell for as much this as last
year He said no system had been observed in
assessing property end the a ~ n a Hver
raal All n the CITY.
Abraham Waterman, Of Eghty.sIxtn street ana ,Sa
avenue o. oa an ao IN otssr
houses owned by him the assessment has been IN
creased rom 5000 to ssS,ooS ne protested
John J. Nelson complained that his property in
! Eighty third street. between Fourth and Filth
avenues IS assessed this year ut $4,000, while lass
year 1t was only $4,000. The property has IN
creased nothing In real value, and no improve
N. K. Burke complained that number Of lots In
seventy-fourth street between Third and Fourth
, avenues, owned by him, have this year been In
, creased in assessed valuation from 40 to 108 per
cent on last years assessments
ngton avenue, between Filty.eighth and fifty
ninth Streets ls valued at $13 900 tins year. IN in
crease Of 5000 on last years assessment Tha
house has not any year brought in as much che
taxes he has to pay on 1t.
Alderman Lysagnt dropped In incidentally to sec
the committee at work. and while present James
Gallagher made complaint OF the assessment or
bis property single lot on ave. avenue A; between On
is assessed At 81, 500 and his assessment dues
| amounted this year to $42s. Notwithstanding th0
act that the whole neighborhood Is
COMPARATIVELY UNIMPROvED.
| There Is neither paving, grading nor curbing In
the street; nothing has been done for the money
but the laying OF brick sewer. The lot has 'front.'
age OF twenty-five leet and II the lot on the oppo-
site side OF the street Is assessed similarly, that
twenty-five feet OF brick sewer will cost the two lot
owners over $3.50. Mr.. Gallagher thinks that II tho
| city had taken the notion to grade and pave the
street. in addition to putting in the sewer, he
would have had to make the city present OF tho
lot TO pay his share OF the cost OF the Improvement
Alderman related a
effect that he owns double lot. OF hity-one feet
'front.', almost directly opposite Mr. Gallagners lot:
He bought them some i've or six years ago and
has been paying taxes ON them ever since. This
year the tax amounted to over eight hundred
and fifty d0lars-about the same rate as Gallagher
has paid. The Alderman mas never seen the lots
but twice.. e.. when he bought them and once
about three years afterward, which would be. OF
course, about three years ago. On that occasion
he went up to have "a look" at them ana to IN
spect some adjoining property. TO his great sur
AN EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE
| had come over his real estate 1t was no longer
vacant, but there was quite u respectable shanty,
with d henhOuse ana pgpen nourishing on tt-a
over the grass he drew to the domi cile, and
seeing good, healthy-lOoking woman In the door,
s:My good woman, ia like to know who you got
| leave from to build on this property"
"None OF yer business sur" replied the woman.
.'But I'd like to know, though I've no objection
to 1t so longlas the ground is not occupied, only Ia
like to-
| Just at this Juncture he was interrupted bya
| terrific roar OF, defiance from one OF two large
mastills that were leashed beside the house. After
u minute OF furious growing and frantic wrig-
Cling ut the end OF his chain the dog
was free. friend who had accompanied
the Alderman had already ''beat retreat" and
the Aldermen took up the same line OF march,
going backward, however, and bombarding the
n,astr with loose rocks until he had got
CLEAR OF THE soUATrERs DOMAIN,
He hasn't been up there since. He pays the taxea
like man. Meeting Gallagher yesterday. he In
CURED about MS own lots-were they stili thereY
Gallagher said they were.
"Are the shanty, the henpen, the pgpen and the
dogs still there y,
They are all there and doing well,n replied Gal
lagher
Every good. I'm glad to hear they're doing so
finely" replied the Alderman.
INSTR JICTynN.