, 1875-04-11
VAN BUREN, STREET.


In the above diagram the dotted lines repre-
ing OF the alley SO rs to make q continuation
! OF Dearborn street. The assessment Of benefit
is indicated by the letter 'B"; the award O
damages by ''D." As specimen Of
| HoW THB THING WAS wOnKED,
| the lot On The southeast corner Of the e1tenno1
| and Jackson street may be .nstanced. This lo
| belongs to F. R. Otis. In anticipation OF the
| proceedings for condemnation 10 decided the
west 40 feet to his daughter. Della H. Otis. il
| consideration Of '.1oye and Affection" OF this
| 81 feet was condemned. and IN award Of 43l, III
made. The remaining piece. 6 feet in depth, in
lis daughters name, (which strip is aisproror-
tlonately large, as shown on the diagtam,-waa
assessed $l,o10 for benefits, and the 60 feet in
his own name was assessed only S425, 40 that
! By this trick he pays an assessment Of only
$1.435 while tho lot Immediately below,
and Of less valuo, is assessed s11, ,4o6. 80,
with All award OF damages OF only 81, 801 81. In
the latter case the improvement costs 50, COILS
to lot 50 feet front and Ct feet deep, while the
receives : bonus Of S29, ,o75. This enormous
grab swels the assessments On the ins do lots to
4he large figures shoFn. Otis was very success
ful in getting big award OF damages- It will
be seen that s3l 40 was allowed his case for I
;t portion 50 !2 by 81 feet in dimensions,
street lot 100 feet by 81 feet was only valued
at $27 ,448. Another disparity which is shown by
the diagram is the case OF the corner lots on the
west side Of the extension. Tho west portion OF
the lot on Jackson street ia assessed $3.50 for
benefits, while on the lot on the co1nar Of Van
Buren, street portion Of idantically tho same
size Is only assessed S4Q0.
This block Is by no means unique for ths groas
Inequalities shown, Is there arc
EQUALLY NOTORIOUS INSTANCES
throughout the entire length Of the extension.
The Raeo lot On the southwest corner of the ex-
tension and Van Buren, street is another flag
rant instance Of An evasion Of assessment. In
anticipation OF the condemnation, the firm
decided the east 40 feet OF the lot to the senior
partner: Mr. Alanson Reed. Thirty-four
ages to the amount Of s27,176 awarded.
Tho total assessment Of benefits was $1,000
On the southeast corner lot Of the same size
belonging to William Arnold is assessed S1G,-
9o7l for benefits. Tho lots on the northwest
corner of Harrison street and the extension. xith
the exception OF the wooden one, which is all
taken for street purposes, belong to Judge T.. B.
Otis, and front on Harrison street. Tho total
assessment OF benefits on these lots having a
new front Of 100 feet on Dearborn street ia
81. 561-50. The lot next above. having front OF
81 feet, is assessed SO, 10000. amounting almost
TO con6scation. The Commissioners in making
such assessments
SHELTER THEMSELVES
undor the provision Of the Law which eojoiued
them to ASSESS ''the several lots, blocks, tracts
and parcels OF land in ths proportion in which
they will DO severally benefited by such i'm
Thus they hold that the
imaginary lines subdividinS the lot are to bo re-
speotei, and no benefits levied On the subdivis-
ions that obtain no front, notWithstand-
ing the fact that the property belongs to one
owner who can Immediately redivide 1t so as to |
make the lots front on Dearborn street. In
other cases, however, they Jumped lots together |
so that they cannot plead compliance |
With the law for an excuse. Another instance OF !
Ibis kind is the lot owned BY Matthew Latin On |
he southeast corner Of Twelfth and !
tha Dearborn street extension. This lot |
q assessed by subdivisions, the total amount
being $725. On the southwest corner, 4 lot of |
he same slze ia assessed Sc. 1879.
These are not isolated cases, but are picked |
nut at random from the returns. They are suf- t
1cient to Rhow the character Of the Job which it
s endeavored to work through the Superior
court, and for which the grabbors have en-
,loyed Gkillful attorneys.