New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-03
THE PEOPLE ON CITY TOPICS
REDUCING CITY BURDENS.
now RAID TRANSIT WILL LIGHrEN THE WEIGHT OF
r.xAlInN-0Nl 600 RAMIIIEs SENT AWAY.

REDUCING CITY BURDENS.
now RAID TRANSIT WILL LIGHrES THE WEIGHT Oh
TAxAIIoS-20O, 900 FAMILIES SENT AWAY.
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR | was present on Jan. ~ as an inter
ested witness at the conference Of prominent citizens
with the Mayor and Controller upon the snbrct OF the
city debt Many wise things were said, and MANY valna
suggestions made but IL seems 10 me that the rea
point which lay at the OF what the conference bad
in view was not touched suggested honesty and en-
p1cty in officials another reduction OF salaries ana
cutting of OF snccnres, and third lndulged I'D tiS
about conducting the business OF the city on business
principles and the like. and then the meeting ADJOURNED
Certainly cutting Off snecures, reducing excessive
salaries and doing business in business way, are OBJ
ects greatly desired but after have done all We
do in this direction and stopped every Leak and hot
city official be found who does not fuly
earn his salary. we shall not have redueeo our
rate OF taxation in that way by one-nith
Of per cent, and the Mayor and Controller py
Unlimited. Our police, nre department, education, and
charities must still be maintained and the interest upon
our city debt must stl be paid. With all our economy
we can scarcely hope again. until debt is paid to get
our annual city expenses below $30.000000 What
then il to be denei Did the sixty leading citizens at
that meeting need be told that trying TO raise
that $50 900 of city only half peopled, and hair
built up and that that the cause Of our heavy bur
dcnsi HNewYor had continued to increase in pepna-
years before, should to-day have had population
exceeding 1000 OOO We have little over half that num-
Der. In the Of competition with other cities, we
have fallen behind every ono OF them Thus, wme New
York has increased her population since 1861 thrysN
per cent Boston has increased 80 per cent Philadelphia
&c. Baltimore H. Cincinnati 81, Brooklyn ST. Providence
100, and Chicago 262. Why is thsi Simply because,
unlike any other city in the world probably NeW-forK
has been kept, and is still kept inaccessible to her own
people.
The effect readily in the growth OF surrounding
towns the period, since $50 in which New
York gaining 80 per cent Brooklyn has gained
1870 and Hudson County, y. j.. Az per cent. We have
sent av more than 2OOOO families that should have
built their houses and paid their taxes here and would
have constituted the very and thrifty popula
ton Of our city The method OF reducing taxes Is by
Increasing the taxable property which pays then I 2
vacant lot nys $50 taxes into the city treasury, good
house but UPON 1t will cause pay 1900 and the city
il a gamer by $40 Now there 10000 such vacant
lots south of the Harlem River. and policy that shall
factories will double the taxable properly o
the cry producing 600 taxes az the same rate as
now or What IL more to the purpose Of that meeting
enabling raise the present amount OF revenue win
ole-halt the Present rate OF taxation. 80
The true object Of city officials and OF these meet
ings Of leading citizens should be 10 stimulate hy every
reasonable means, the building mp and Improvement Oh
the uuoccupiCd portion OF tho city Rapid transit gives
the means to this end. This subject the meeting dId not
touch II is the vital pont of Improvement IN cur cry
Affairs our parks and houlevars nOS In the man.
constructed; q comparatively insignificant sum OILY IS
required to complete them II is these that have cause
Tor the most part tine increase in our CITY debt In
30 miles OF completed boulevards and public drives u
hc- parks and public places made aud being made New
York has Laid the foundations Of city OF futute nagi
fceuce and wealth UnequallcdeertalIy on this CONT
nent aud probably in the world. And while tins has
been going las acquired III Zee park properly oi
more than Loo acres, worth today more tban FiUo-
900 OO0 perfect security for the whole real city debt
DO let get too gloomy. Our money has not beeh
thrown into the We have been laying foundations
COSTLY admit hat broad. deep, and durable. The qea
Is, Shall make them accessible ~ means ot
rauid transit that oar people reinforced by TIE
100000 families have sent away, and drawing TO US
bv the attract offer the wealth, culture, ana taste
oi the whole land may build upon them ~ manner be-
coainy the foundations we have laidi 5. L. CHURCH.
Acic- York. Jan 26 1871