The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-12
THE CoMpTRoLLER's LETTER.


from SO respectable and responsible authority it is
titled 10 prominent notice.
THE COMPTRoLLER's LETTER.
Cry OF New YORK. FINANCE DEPARTMENT
COMPTROLLER RS OFFicK, August 10, 1876.
Hon. WILLIAM H. WIcKnAM Mayor
SIR deem 1t my duty call your attention to a
new the project OF charging upon the
public the expense OF the military parade ground In
the upper ond of the island which appears by the
following preamble and resolutions adopted by the De-
partment OF Parks on the 23d OF last:-
Whereas the map Of the military parade ground on
the Harlem River filed under the act OF 1871 chapter
pnrtx from tb Effects Of filing IL and whereas the Leg
sspure has n each Year since tie man was filed
SHUT failed 70 any act repeang the Parade Ground
Resolved. That without expressing any opinion to he
the OF or ,hs Of
finances Justice to the property owners wno,e land has
other res and who are ened to have the legal
nss 10 their pen 60 w.,
usto take for he completion OF thus matter:
proceed in the application for the appointments of
in this matter until its final determine
That the Department Parks under its prcsen. ad.
Illustration comes IN its action upon tins and kindred
questions quite up expectations OF those who
looked for just this Of thing when that admnisra
inaugurated is quite evident IRON the iavor
with which Its action is received by
SPECTATORS OF LANDS
In and around this parade ground
There is necessity for this ground Its site Is in
convenient and inaccessible; it is on marshy land
which Will require great expense to ILL., and II parade
ground is needed al all far preferable sites can be OBJ
tanned in the annexed district, more conveniently To-
Gated and at Oncquarter the cost. The purchase OF
this 100 OF land Will throw
A HEAVY BURDEN UPON THE
TO pay for the land and Tor It's Improvement It will
add largely annual taxes TO for 1t. 1t is not
approved, AS believe, by the military organizations
generally aud 1t were 1t would be no reason to put
this fresh burden upon tho taxpayers. Indeed tho
Park Department does not prete.-d that this parade
ground needed but puts In the plea that 'ustice to
the property owners" requires that the city buy the
land In other words, neither the military nor the
city want this ground, but certain land owners and
spectators want the city to pay Tor IT, and relieve
them OF the load they are carrying; and the Park De-
OF their wishes.
The carmarks are too plain lcavc any doubt as to
the authorship OF those resolutions. Evidently the
agency set them IN motion that turned over
whole side oil the Battery to railroad corporation
purpose Of benehllng west side uptown property
without any compensation TO the city; the
same that mas wasted more money on
pcic It; the that has been for months past
gagged in removing competent men from the Park aud
filling their places with political pacemen, carrying on
of sweoy nsIS Ks
ground passed in April 1871. when speculation
uptown property ran very high, and ali sorts of
schemes jcbbcry and plumber Of city treasury
set sloo through corrupt legislation and admin
stration.
Tho matter remained quiet for nearly three years,
but 10 the meantime spectators improved the oppor
tunity 10 buy lands IN and around the proposed
ground, with the view OF getting large profit from the
city. The late Mayor Havcmeyer wrote to the Depart
ment OF Public Parks protesting against the proceed
ings. He said
had supposed that this matter had been postponed
the time to large Tor purchases Of land
except for purposes absolutely necessary.
What was dictated by the late Mayor rs the policy Of
N is cd n
IN 1876 Acting on the suggestion OF Mayor have
meyer the Department OF Public Parks before three Of
its present members IN Office passed the oow-
ing resolution the 18th OF January 1874 discontinue
Ing tho proceedings for taking this land:-
Resolved Thst all proceedings in the of the app
curing title to certain lands in the city Of New York
public place or sarsde grouna under authority eonerred
be and the same are HEREBY discontinued.
The Commissioners-wilIiam c. Traphagcn, James
McClave and William A. Seaver-who mad been ap-
pointed solely to value the land, and who were hot
cntrc,y unknown III connection either with uptown
land operations or with street openings soe strangely
enough, 10 have felt II to he their duty
~ oppose this discontnuance court II
seems that these Commissioners went so far
appear by special counsel in these proceedings
instead OF appearing by their proper legal ADVISER.
the Corporation Counsel Tho spectators sted
OF course, agreed with the commissioners. The Spc-
ca Term, bowover, denied their application the
General Term sustained the Special Term.
Park Commissioner Martin, before his appointment
sucn, acting counsel Tor one or more Of
these landowners, tried To Obtain order Of the Su-
prcne Court directing these Commissioners to proceed
and lille their report But he failed in this. Judge
An appeal was taken to the General FERN, and Oc-
toDer the decision Of Judge Lawrence was affirmed
no wac carried up to tho Court OF Appeals and
tho decision was there sustained
Thus ended this recorded attempt to compel the city
to take this land But II was only quoted for time
This counsel William L. Martn) Tor the lot owners
brought into The Park Board by your appointment
OF hun Commissioner OF Parks on January l. 1875 |
III nk however 1t is but fair 10 you TO saw without
n lpuv on MARI hrl,o of
lie held 10 several matters which would come within
the scope OF his official influence and action.
Although the proceedings had been previously dis
continued and abandoned the matter again stirred
up III the Park Department by
This sAxE COMMISSIONER MARTIN
and resolution was put through March 80 1875
within ninety days alter his appointment ordering
new proceedings to take these lands
Another application made tV the supreme Court was
ccnicd by That Court and the proceedn cs wsrc de
missed by Judge Barrett on Muy H. 1870 Thus ended
the thru e'ort ou the operators were again it, and
on May II, 1870, on motion OF iouer Martin
the following preamble and resolution were sloptsd
VIZ -
Whereas BY resolution the Of March, 1875 the
Counsel TO the Corporation take
70 acquire title to the lands laid tor The military narae
him disposed Of by judge Sarra, Of the ssvrew
Court on the Ion Of May inst;
to inform the Boar why the proceeding in
mode 10 be subjected TO such decision rs ~de
anu h"t ne proposes 10 DO 10 directions Of
the department. -
The case was desperate, and the attempt was nedc
through this preamble aud resolution ooviste the
fatal elect OF the decision Of tue Court upon the
scheme Notwithstanding. tho resolution Of March 80
1910, was rendered imperative by tho decison which
terminated All proceedings under H. tns fresh attempt
was maue 10 base proceedings upon u. because the
,mo hau expired within which a new resolution could
be legally passed Dir. smith, then Counsel to the
corporation, stated IN his reply TO the above resolu
ton, that
The effect Of Judge B.rreus decision is neccs-
- an end the old
For the lourh time proceeding was commenced,
pu1 the ti"o Tor making the application had expired,
anu as the Department OF Public Parks had no further
lower 70 make The application, II was illegally insti-
ueu uhder Toe old resolution ot March 80 lss5 under
when the previous application made to the SUI
premc Court Tor the appointment o. commissioners Of
csuia'e ana assessment to acquire tile To the land
Another notice OF Application Tor tho appointment Of
commissioners. dated June 3, 1878, was published in
he Guy Record
Upon exam natioD Of The law II appears that the APP
pchtoh must DC made within two years from April ,,
II ~ Tho Ihn TDIsin