New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-17
TOPICS AT ALBANY.

THE ELEVATED ROADS AND TAXATION.
TIE PROVISIONS OF THE COMPROMISE FOR BACK
TAXES OFFERED by THE ROADS-ACTlON OF THE
SENATE.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUNE.l
ALBANY, March 16.-The elevated railroads
OF NewYOr City, taking advantage OF Obscurities In the
taxation laws have successfully resisted the payment or
OF the levied upon them in 1873 1879 1880
and 1881, UNTIL is claimed by Controller Camp
bell, there is over n million dollars due from them
The railroad companies willing to compromise with
the city arrangement satisfactory t. their interests
can be made. They desire WELL however, to provide
FOR the regular payment Of taxes IN the future. But
recent laws have confused the relations between state
and local taxation, and Of the corporations that
have paid taxes to the State authorities claim that
they have thus been nbsolved from paying
them to the local authorities The authorities OF New
York have been greatly bothered by this claim and at
their request Senator Grady. In January, introduced
bill intended TO at rest all doubt the point under
which the taxes levied corporations by the city in
1880 and 1SsI could be collected.
The bin was examined by the Senate Committee on
Giles Wednesday night. John H. strahan, as counsel
for the authorities OF New-York, appeared be-
fore the committee and made an argument in favor or
the IN David Dudley Field, counsel for the elevated
roads passage OF the bill declaring that IL was
al violation Of the rights OF the cor
poraens r1 He said that the elevated railroad
comprg.as were Hing to pay the city per cent on
their J ycuts for 1890 aud 1891 in lieu Of all other
taxes provided atl their past indebtedness was wiped
out lie sa' .It he Sinking Fund Commissioners had
drawn up % y contaHing this feature a compromise
in 1850 Senator Browning then read bill which he said
contained many OF the features Of the compromise meas
OF $780, and Furthermore acceptable to the ele
waited railroad companies The committee ordered both
the Compromise bill OF 1850 and senator Brownings
bill printed.
Senator Grady briefly explained the matter to the Sen
ate this morning, and asked that the bills should be
printed The Senator's showed great interest IL Senator
Brownng's bill, which is supposed to reflect the views
Of the elevated railroad companies 1t will undoubtedly
be made the basis OF the compromise, II
any Is made by the legislature between the City of New
York and the elevated railroads in respect to the million
OF dollars in back taxes The bill provides that com
pcusaton In full for the of the for all
except real estate, per cent on the gross re-
ceipts shall be paid to the city The compromise affects
all the back taxes, and provides for their payment
In part
According to n statement made to the Commit
tee on Cities by Mr.. Strahan, the authorities
OF NeW-Nrrk claim that there Is due from
the NcwYork Elevated Railway Company the
sum Of $GO5 G3S 50; from the Metropolitan Elevated
Railway Company, Sjj5.021 GO, from the Manhattan
Railway Company 1884, 2lS A.; total, S1,44490s so
reduce hc claimed by the city to 81 064 SS5 TO-
The compromise BILL II accepted by the authorities Of
New. York it estimated will reduce this amount to
iaa han