The New York herald., 1876-11-30
SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS.

SALE OF UNUSED CITY PROPERTY PETITION
FROM THE COUNCIL OF POLITICAL REFORM
INTERESTING STATISTICS.
meeting Of Commissioners of the Sinking Fund
was held in the Mayors office Yesterday afternoon.
Comptroller Green, Mayor Wickham, Recorder Hack
ctt Alderman John Reilly and City Chamberlain Tap
pan present
Some routine business was transacted after which
Recorder Hackott inquired to whether any opinion
Tad been received from the Corporation Counsel In
accordance with a request from the Commissioners
to the powers Of the Elevated Railroad Company to
their tracks the Battery and what steps
be taken protect tho ciys this
tion Mayor wickham answered. hat no opinion had
yet been sent In
Mcssrs William H. Webb. Phillip Bssinger and
Joshua G. Sanders from the Council OF Political Re-
form, handed . communication advocating tho sale
of unused public properly belonging TO the city, the
proceeds be applied tho liquidation Of its debts
rnis sets forth that the CITY possessed
OF large Of such property, situated
parts OF New York and Brooklyn, IRON mono Of which
is receiving income adequate to its value, and
which is the occasion for large annual expenditure
over and all receipts derived hereirom II
forty-seven lots mostly situated in tho lower parts OF
the city, which valued by tho commission ap-
pointed by the city in 1870 to apprasa its real estate,
twenty ono lots and plots Of land, mostly
unrcnted valued dat..................... 1870 040
Thirteen plots OF land, leased for terms OF
fifty aud ncty- nine years. at q nominal
rent to several charitable and religious
institutions, valued at.... 723 $50
Market property valued at.............. 4267, ,374
Dock property. valued by the appraisers
of dock property recently appointed at is, 600 900
Making total of................s OF. 500, l66, ia
The city also claims ownership OF large amount of
underwater lands the value OF which Is estimated at
much greater sum than that OF It's wharf structures
and which u is leasing as It IS required do
tcrmlncd by the value o. the contingenci upland.
The of maintann this property averaged sor
the last nve years more than $500 900 per annum
alter deducting all rents paid contracted 10
be paid on account Of it. much OF which is
never collected According to the report OF the
Comptroller made in 1872 on the real estate Of the city
1t appears due the city rents
the OF <411, 700; nearly the whole OF which had
been placed IN the hands oil the Counsel to- the Corpo.
ration for collection, but which still remains uncol-
ectcd ihe city ncurrng thereby heavy legal expenses
in what seems 10 be frutlcss effort to secure
their colccton Much Of this property, especially
the unoccupcd portion Is SO situated that It cannot
be advantagcousy used, at least Tor many years TO
come. II ever Tor pubic purposes, aud II certainly
the business Of municipal corporations to
engage in real estate enterprises or TO hold
| on 10 give reasons why the city should not hold
more real property than IS needed for public pur-
poscs and that the leases OF houses
and lots and egnecn vacant lots belonging to the CITY,
va,ucd at S4oU 900, expire In May next. franklin
Gonverncur aud eighteenth ward markets are no
longer used needed FOR market purposes ana have
/ bc,ome an Expense to the city. These markets. the
| aggregate value Of wach s63o, o0o the Commission-
/ OF the sinking Fund are authorized TO sell by
recent act Legislature. With such properly
lievca from any cmbarrassments as to title. The work
OF selling be undertaken aud prosecuted
! tar AS the true interests OF the city may
l qurc. The city Is now paying annual rents TO
the extent OF nearly $40 900 tor the accommodation or
various departments aud other public purposes The
greater portion OF this sum, II not the entire amount
might be saved to the ciiy liter the first year BY the
occuraion o its own property Tor the transaction OF
ts business and such premises couldbe conveniently
lifted for IT'S purposes by expenditure less than
ft.- SnfG mai tn tsritV tar h1 ne nnf ln- ia
! private individuals The city owns eighteen lots aud
honses IN the lower part OF Chatham street. tho centre
Of the official business OF the city The buildings IN
this street, the leases OF which expire May next
capable, after suitable and Inexpensive alterations
OF accommodating every oIfcc oil the central
department oi the city government for which II Is
paying to private parties $75 900 annum and
at the time the first floors OF the buildings could
DO rented Tor business purposes The communication
then proceeds with statement that other like in
stances OF want Of economy the part OF tho Guy
in the matter Of rents in ght be gwen The Same
economy which private persons OF ordinary prudence
practice IN relation TO !her property IN the matter Of
rcnts II exercised BY the city would save TO H. II wc
cons der what II loses and pays IN rents, at least
| $5ooO 600 annually.
! Alier some short remarks from Comptroller Grocn
the subjects. the Commission adjourned 10
| Wednesday next
MUNICIPAL MOTHS.
Nr. James $. Thayer, tho nominee for Comptroller,
called at the Mayors Office yesterday He has not yet
seniaed his intention OF accepting or rejecting the po
| son OF Comptroller in the Board of Aldermen
arc directed by Mr. John Kelly to confirm him. Being
questioned IN relation TO the matter he said that he
would not be able decide several days The con-
dlion OF his health necessities, is un-
dcrstood, wll nnnlly determine the matter as far as
| Mr.. Thaycr Is personally concerned
Thomas C. CaIlaghan, suporIntendent OF lamps and
gas, has resigned. stephen Mccormick, CHIEF clerk of
| the bureau Will be appointed in his place
AniIavlts OF discharged atacncs OF tho Park Depart
yesterday to the Mayors onice, aud
soon after transmitted 10 Mr. William Il. Martin. one
| OF tho impeachcd Commissioners. The examination
| will be continued before mayor Wckham on Friday.
The Board OF Estimate and Apportionment viii meet
made by tho Aldermen in provisional estimates Tor
1877.