The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-16
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

| THE SENATE COMMITTEES INQURY-PRopERTY
OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE WAY THE PUB
Lie WORKS ARE CARRIED on
The Senate Committee investigating the misdo-
ings oil city officials resumed its sessions yesterday
morning at half past ten O'Clock at the Fifth Avenue
i Hotel, Senator Booth in the char As 1t known
that the property along the new parks OF the
future" were 70 be gwen opportunity to bring their
grievances before the public, large number of those
gentlemen attended the sitting but only few were
examined by Mr. Davenport to avoid repetition Tho
previous testimony in regard TO the shameful manner
in which the aborers the public works neglect their
duties was confirmed BY several witnesses The follow
| ing Is the gist OF the testimony
Mr.. Dwight II. olmstcad, property owner along the
new parks, gave history ct tho assessments on the
property along the Riverside and Morningsde parks
In both about half OF tho cost OF opening
was levied the city, and the other half ON the
property owners. Taking into account the fact that
the parks ying idle, +" it important to give
computation OF the total assessments paid by the
property owners. This amounted TO about four mill
ions and half up March /, 1875 for which he
considered the property owners had received
spending benefits whatever. To show the enormous
extent 20 which the property was taxed he mentioned
that he had to pay eighteen lots in Riverside Park
about sl5 600, and twelve lots in Mornngside Park
about the same amount For all this money scarcely
anything had been done. On the Riverside Park only
two blocks had been improved, and on the Morning
Park only tow paths had been traced out, while
the avenue was going decay Had these improve
ments been pushed forward there would be now
numerous hne residences along those avenues; be him
sell would have built there The property owners for
the present would be satisfied If the roads were
laid out. While the improvements were no; made the
OF taxation were continually advanced, on the
ground that they had been made. Mr. olmstead gave
his opinion that this region were built up
the gain the city revenue would be enormous He
l. joined his that of the property owners who
had previously testified that it great waste OF
money do the work by day labor, and declared that
u third OF the money expended by the city had been
wasted. He thought it would BIO better that the De
partment OF Public Parks should complete these i'm
/ provcments than the Department OF Public Works, IN
bring the avenues INTO harmony with the
| general design OF the Park Mr.. Porter was willing 70
80 with the work. but Mr. Green refused to pay the
| laborcrs
! SPECIMEN OF PUBLIC WORK.
Mr. Charles c. Peck, residing at No. 90 West Elev-
enth street. said the work OF repairing Eleventh street.
from University place 10 the sixth avenue began IN
May last and not finished until the last OF October
The entire distance was only 200 feet but only one
third repaired In June lac called upon Mr.. Por-
ter and told him that the men were not doing the work
properly, but wasting their time. Mr. Porter THANKED
him and requested him 10 let him know II he saw no
Improvement within few days He did So but 1t was
OF use for the continued as idle and Negligent
they had been hitherto. They came to their work
very late and left very early The work, with an hon
of laborers, could have been well done in four
weeks The pavement is again getting out Of order and
the work VIII probably have 10 be redone within twelve
months
owner said he had made 1t his business 10 inspect the
works twice every week. He fully con-
Cured in the statements OF previous witnesses regard
ing the in which the work was done by the
political lazzaron employed by the department OF rub
lie Works. At time hc noticed four men hosting
a stone from an excavation aud i took them thirty
minutes, while two good men working
with a viii could have easily done It in
iye minutes on another occasion he noticed a gang
OF aborers during work hours coming out OF lager
beer saloon quarter Of mile from their working
place returning slowly TO their labors. He often
had seen gangs OF aborers Of twenty, out OF which
only eight would be actually working. and when he
took his watch they would jump up and seize Their
tools He had three suggestions TO oncr-First that
the Eight-hour law should be repealed, for II had in
jured every trade and most Of all the laborers Tor
whose good was intended; and i was originally only
the work political demagogues. IL should be made
u msdemeanor, he contended, Tor any politician 10
nominate u aDorer and the departments should employ
the workmen directly As II was the so-caed aborcrs
laborcrs any sense OF the word They
we're political bummcrs placed there not purposes
OF labor but for voting, by men who did not own any
property themselves, but we're simply grogshop poll
ticians He would recommend the adoption Of com
plant books, which should be entered
THE COMPLAINTS or PROPERTY OWNERS
about negligent aborcrs and rule should be adopted
that II these complaints were repeated certain num-
Der OF times the foreman IN charge should be per-
! emptoriy removed This would place the foremen in
the power OF the property owners who had TO pay for
the work. The property owners whose property was
entirely unproductye were quite MS eager Tor the re-
4
proycmcnts and they urged them simply IN their own
obedience and because they convinced that the
completion OF these works would greatly increase the
city revenue and lessen taxation very perccptbly
The property Affected by these new park improve
ments embraced no less than 4 500 lois, and their
value could be enhanced $4,000 apiece by the compile
ton Of these works This would make gain Of
$d4 0o00 600 TO the CITY, The west side could yied to
the city revenue OF slO,OOO,OOO instead Of
/ 100000 is IL did now II these improve
ments only IN lair way Of completion While
the east almost entirely finished there not
i "A
sirbe condition The property owners had paid 10 The
city s. 500 QUO Tor the Riverside Park improvements
and the city might at least cxpend the interest on that
(which had accumulated Tor the last three years.
1 Tor the benefit OF these gentlemen II these improve
mcnts carried on they ought TO be the coming
year would with the great beneficial influence from the
Centennial be OF unparalleled prosperity TO the row
/ bghtcd west side. Mr. Church, before rehnquishlng
the stand gave many other facts aud figures TO show
the outrageous injustice Of Comptroller Green's refusal
allow the works to be continued and seemed TO have
taken great pains to reduce his testimony 10 degree 81
statistical accuracy
/ Mr. James Earle another property owner who has
watched the aboreis on the Boulevard said IN all his
experience he had never known men to neglect their
duty in so shameful manner as these employees OF
THEY PARTIES
every day. lie fully concurred IN the views OF the
| other property holders who had testified on the
Mr. william Richardson testified that II this system
OF day labor continued the property owners Of the
west ere transfer their property 10 the
city. For the regulating and grading OF West Seventy
third street Tor ns,ance the ha OF the val
uaton property and the sewerage paving,
curbng &c would sti have to be paid Tor so that the
,ssoss,pnts wnuld amost amount To a conlscaton OF
the property. Owing TO the completion OF the Green
wch railroad large number o expensive build
ngs would be put up next year on the west side aud
these improvements only pushed forward the city
taxes could be easily reduced To two per cent
seth C. Douglass, superintendent OF the Bureau OF
Incumbrances testified that the sandstill IN the bu
reau under his predecessor Nj Shafer had ceased as
Comptroller Green had supplied some money since Au-
gust The principal m1yals OF distractions had
been made in South Fifth avenue, Barclay street, &c.
The witness gave minute account OF the routine OF
| the bureau uf the rules under which encumhrances
could be removed &c He suggested that law should
be passed making everybody who fails TO remove oh
structions, after having been notified oy the bureau,
! liable to n penalty Mr. Douglass denied that encuIn
brances allowed TO remain owing to private