New-York tribune., 1884-03-01
WHAT AGITATES ASTORIA.
THE CITY GOVERNMENT TOO COSTLY.


movement has been started by some OF the
largest property-owners Of Astoria which forms
part of Long Island City, to withdraw from the
city government and return to its primitive village
existence. Tho reason for this IS DISSATISFACTION
with the enormous expenses incurred since ,no
soIidatiOn, az compared with the cost OF governing
the village for which it s said that there IS no cor
responding advantage. Long Island City was
formed u 1870 by 1dfnn o. h5oRa K and
Bowery Bay, all parts OF Newtown township as
toria had maintained village existence under tne
government of trustees from S39. lhe inoVeihehb
for consolidation started with tho trustees OF As
toFia. Their motive was desire tor more SAVoh SAVeu
sive improvements than could be secured under tne
village system the amOnnt OF appropriations oeuls
restricted by the charter Tho motive OF the resi-
dents of tbe other hamlets land OF Ast0ra aS "olv
was desire TO break away from the RUE OF tle Rr
iticians who misinanaged the township aiairs' ne
only active opposition to the movement came h1H
q few wealthy prOperty-Owners OF Astorla, VINO ue
sired to preserve their lands for residence anu
feared the extravaeances of municipal government;
Astoria entered the new city Win a deOt2 oIne ~
and floating, Of about $4,000, against Whleh sue
could offset some real estate aud PERSONAL property
and contract for the purchase OF a slie lot VIZ
lage hall. The treasury was emptyi the no5doy dyy
raised in the previous year having Deen eAPonu.' @
in improving the streets after cOns0liuatoh np
peared to be a certainty. The village was suppIleu
with street lamps and gas works. WAFER was pro-
cured from wells and cisterns; ,.., ,oo
The new city found itself called upon 10 cCn-
tribute TO the expenses of the township govern
ment Of NewOwn, and at the next session oI th tho
Ip1islature q revised charter was pHhseu anu VI"
debt of NcwtOwn Township apportIon ~ aoogt
$500 900 beng allotted 10 Long Island Clly. Al
1872 survey Of tho city was begnn and 4G
for several years. Bonds were lssnel 70 M tnoX H.
cost of the survey to the amount OF Sl33,OOU. ~
1874 the water works were begun; when conPo,e9u 9
they cost about 375 600, which was also addeu ~
| the bonded indebtedness. Corruption, lncOihpe-
tence and lax management on the part OF tue cIty
officials emptied the treasury and caused deIauiVs
! in the payment of its obligations. ,, ,4ho
In 1880 George Petry was elected nayor' Det lo
was kept ont of office for two years. IN Jan
uary 1855 ne secured decision Of the courts ~, IN
his favor and assumed the dntes of the once. lIe
WAS reelected last fall and his administration mas
In the main received the approval OF nearly an the
citizens except the politicians All inc
iude 1tedness of S25l 900, for winch an issue VI
bonds has been aut Orized. The total indebtedness
of the city is estimated by some TO 80 pntrv az con-
tends that il is much less. The population n ABOUT
| 2I 900 and the assessed aluation @7l39'OOO-
| about one-third of the real yaIue.
| As required by law. notice TO the eiecl thd' ~
| nlicotion wond he made 80 the Legislature at the
expiration of six weeks for Legislation 10 secure me
| separation of Astoria from Long Island CITY was
! published on February II. 1t was slgneu ny
| Cornelms Kapelye Robert Benner, William ID. Snip
man. A. c. MOnson, Joshua LathFop ana nGm,o no of o
Woolser, who represent property to the value oi
| A TKiguNE reporter who made careful inquiries
i'm Astoria during this week found strong terllhg
| among property-owners and business men in favor
| of separation The general reason gwen was tne
expcnsyeness of the city gevernmcpt anu tlio "a
| Bowery Bayl the feeling Is mainly Ia thc olner
direction At Hunters Point the sentiment Is also
| against separatiOh'
VIEWS or MAYOR PETRY.
Mayor Petry, when asked in regard TO the pro-
! posed separation, said
Ihave no definite knowledge OF the proposed serara-
tion. certainly opposed t9 H. anu the as'II,Ud !d
City prosperous future before H. III rs s9, go ~ Ho
oe had been poPTy nGaGi hYa bad io o66 II les op
o.ife % the very heart Of HCwYOrk CITY with Which IL
POM; and another at Astoria; II terminus Of the
railroad system OF Long Island, and has niAli1 dcen
| Newtovn Creek and Bowcry Bay. We are today ia q
better condition financially tban Wo nave Dceh ~. .Gn
CITY as fast as his claim becomes due Our lhdeote"'a
is but little over S9 900, and we have an az 500
valuation of 100000 Last winter we bad ltN
passed fund floating Indebtedness W'cn aiou,!, w
arc ,y,tiy injured however, by false and malicious
statements which published IN soue oI lhe PIOOA
au % s ~ Inc desire to destroy the credit OF the
city Oar works could be sold to-day ior enough
! TO pay OF our Whole indebtedness
AIMS OF THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
Charles Benner who has been the counsel of the
Cifiaens' COMMITTEES since its organization, was
fnuud IA his office in this city ln consultation
with ex- Attorney General Russell lie salu:
lam the attorney of the czeus and property owners
who are oneay oring restore It's former village govern
mcnt Astoria. Mr. lusheil Is ass2ci'e i VIII me- r @
cIons of Astoria are suffering lIou excessive 'A'"'
for which they receive nothing. When Astoria bctH'
st IL, ood order and its people property pro
tcrted bv an efficient consta6ulary force. The whoi'
, va =; ;,lv 81 900 "A year while It's bonded and float
me- udebjc dncss was Only $1,000 In june. 1869 scmC
Of the qT & nrSfS q 600 e s5oo saSI' he proposition o
posed and the election in july was Notcd a"%l la' @
spgud lrs" as they were called, thon started move
T1ent for the Incorporation or the present Guy W o
Island City. The city was carved out OF Ne"to"
township and liable for portion oI the toNliSi
debt in 1871 act ~as passed alportohllg tn" oey
and about 100000 put upon Long Island Clt{' q
survey subsequently made a cost o. S1,OVV' M M
water works were built costing about @tIo,OUV 4 ~.
thn nnder million and quarter. And ali the city t
10 show h IT. water works ana map; Ih'S oNe
100000 has gone no one kIDNs Whote iHe oi,5 m ~,
pfOyeurufs made have been the paving Ol ntlWy an
Flushing and Fulton-st., tho cost OI wien h.
bcon assessed upon the property ADJOINING Or 'tter.
arc badly lighted. During one month l)Oo ilHl "u
reported out by the police Ihis year the Two wards ar
more thnn tour times last levy of the Village 70
ali nurposes The old village apparatus stlll doe
until within two or three years. u Is c4.I5T % ~ lo M
property additionally to the other taxes Ihe P"lc
i Department wholly inadequate 10 The needs OF uI
city though It is better now than under any lOiHti "t
mnisration We have estimated mat by separation
saving OF from $4,000 10 $4,000 year can ~ ctclc
and va can sti have thoroughly efficient vile S9lerh
mcnt Our share OF the expenses IS no" - ~ "
Which sol is required tor ordinary expenses ana tl
balance for schools, Interest on the panc ueVu anu
and county taxes. Ibe government OF iho N".!s" .'t
> bc conducted $4,000, aud ou share OF tnG pnbli
o debt which would be about Y97,OOO and now bears
per cent interest could shortly bo refunded ut per CEN
| cnrcing further saving Aiter ASSUMING our sun ald'e 80
the water bouds would take the pumping station tll
main, in Astoria, tho frUm which would NOR
thn tlefy tho expenses Of tine water service anu eV
= u surplus tO DC apicu tO otlut Pun ioSo'. w '' ,
= | those who have signed Them are A. e. MunSon; W. y
e SIn1nou. Ialpcye r.. j. NOOiscy James J.
u ! DaIci1, d. :. Ri,cr, Josiah Blackwell, Henry ItOw
bridge t. NJ. c. Graham, Henry +. Nesmith, H. NJ Pol
Lenrs stephen u. Halsey. Joshua lnhrop ana i'Obei
4 | Eeuner The petitions receiving additional han'
II | every day.
Mr.. sTEINwAY's OPPOSITION.
e William Steinway, of the firm of SteInway
y | Sons expressed these views:
am opnosed to the separation. think the icca 0f re
: .,,,s tt yi llaye OF Ternment i nonSclacia
t"ns nj Inc city. The city Whole Is lhley situate
and has splendid future before it proper! h'hueu
" %S s.,aI,icd we would bo saddcd with ah enorliol
5t Which we would not be able To bear. We nave 40"
we'll as city. wilderness has been laiu ou1 hlo g.. M
l., strcrts 0pened, paved and severed. Ihcsc Ahp0N'
uenS would never have been undertaken uhuct VIA ~