New-York tribune., 1884-03-09
THE ROOSEVELT COMuITTEE'S WORK.
ASSESSMENTS ON DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS.
GENERAL BURKEs TEsIIMoNY-MoEE WITNESSES
FROM rHE sURROGATE's OFFICE.

! GENERAL BURKE's TEsIMoNY-MoIE WITNESSES
FROM rHE sURROGATE's OFFICE.
The first witness before the Roosevelt Com
mittcc yesterday Edward W Boyningc deputy chleI
| clerk of the su1oeate's Office His salary Is $1,000
year. His testimony mainly with reference 10 the
duties his Office aud the perquses fees associated
| herewith. Whe d certified copies of dccrecs are gwen
the wtnes, said it had been his habit until last Monday
to charge - 30 lie expressed himself as opposed to the
system it disastefu and unsatisfactory He bad
allowed in pursuance Of the practice
which existed when he entered the Office, and which he
understood he'd prevailed under several preceding admin
isratons was appointed by the present Surrogate
General Dennis F. Burke deputy tax commissioner
was next called He has charge Of the assessments In
that part of the city below Canal-st He was asked by
Miller whether any plan existed especially favorable
to owners OF newspaper buildings and he gave an en-
phatic denial Mr. Miller cited the ease Of The HeraH
building assessed last year $i5O0O0. General Burke
said that his predecessor assessed it at those
figures, and he did not change them. His at
tenOn was called to the assessment Of the Park Bank
Building at S73i 800. He pronounced that a much
better building than The Hcroid Office while the plot
contained @ 900 square feet than the other Be
sides il had frontage Broadway with an annex on
Annst. When pressed for opinion ~ to the relative
value Of the ground il vacant the witness contended
that occupied by the Bank ABOUT equal to The
Herdld plot when its connection with Ann-st was
| considered. The assessment OF The Times
Building was $4,000 The witness had
raised it year before Iast from S325,O0O. He
was then asked the assessment of The TRIBUNE
building. He replied that this year il was assessed at
S60OOO0 Last year it assessed at S50000O but on
application by the 1t reduced to 100000
WAS at that Time what known "n progress II
was not completed thoroughly until last summer. He
presumed the reduction was made because 1t was in
/ progress" THIS year there had been reduction
Ihe Stunts Zcfqng Building assessed at S315,000
and The S, Office, S1j0,000-raised from $4,000 The
RudinS at ~. 200, 600 IL
was not completed Now It Il assessed at ~ 400
300 Last year on application of its owner it
duced 81 90 because IL unfinished. is still in
progress the witness continued, and will not be finished
before the first OF May Under the rules Of our depart
very liberal in connection with the construc
| ton of new buildings because the first two years
| the owner is obliged to spend great deal
! OF money in making Improvements.
never met Mr.. Mills but saw the application ard be-
eved Just one" Mr. Miller endeayored to eet the
witness to say that worth S1,O0OOOO
than the of the assessment but he adhered
his statement that he regarded the assessment s Just
and equitable under the circumstance dr Miller cted
Lhe Poa Building assessed al Fi'2o0o anu comparea
Building. The witness expressed the opinion that one
building equal IN value to the other lie was asked
how he found his Judgment such matters. He replied
/ that he OFTEN procured the opinion Of real estate
acenf aI pFoey Ts % Mr inquired What hi,
would be II there had been no recent transfers te an
sycred that would rely "upOn the basis of that in
tutye knowledge winch God gives TO an The chair
man said the the committee wanted to 20 INTO this
subject was that examination OF the assessments
seemed TO show tna the ntultiNe perceptions Of
that a considerable difference existed between values pat
upon property by experts and those who make as
srssments. The miners claimed that
was very rarely tnat even experts agreed
Tie assessment the Morse Building referred too
Last year $4,000, bus ii was reduced on apuca
S}JOO00. Temple CoIr was ASSESSED last Year az
IRIS Bniiding was ASSESSED last year ,95O0O0 and
this year 100000 hc Word Building is assessed at
$4,000. All these the witness regarded aS inst ANA
,r r. Van Wrinkle the Typographical engineer OF the
of PM mi TpI
lie slid iaa The amount expended u, lar VAS about
/ 5}GOOO. Nolhiug done between 1876 and 1919
Application been the Board Of Estimate and
| Appoiiionment money TO 20 ahead with the work.
maps conld onl' Keep pace WIN monunei!lhS ana thal
total cost OF preparing maps would be between 100000
| and 100000.
TIE suRRoGArL's OFFICE AGAIN.
Charles A. Adsus guardian clerk Of the sur
rogates Office. was next called lie ap-
pointed in January, 1Ss2 lIis salary was
$1,000. lie testified to the receipts Of fees.
lie had received compensation from lawyers for outside
work. in accordance with the custom Of the ohice when
he entered. The testimony of Mr. Appleg1tc the law
clerk W 40 detailed Friday instance Of what he
regarded as excessive charge" read to the witness.
lie replied that hl1 recollection Of thr charge Of
Sl1 in the referred TO- and coud n0 have been
made unless justified by extra services performed.
George r. west assistant 10 the administration ccIk
in the olicc testified that he received ssay Of
! excess OF that than 800 year
The OF the Surrogates Court Mr. DcAnson was
recalled to questions respecting details of
hi. position lie was followed by the witness Of Friday,
Solomon DE Watears- the Appraisers clerk. who pro-
duced what me called Journal, in which cert ain abbrc
waited entries made. His further explanations of
! the system of average were anInSng Hc did not
know that the law allowed charge 10y appraisers OF -
day expenses for the days actually consumed in the
work. He construed the law as permitting as indefinite
charge aud In of dispute the surrogate could only
| allow - day and expenses.
+. Ceary, assistant To the probate clerk said
that he had held his position -nce January 1871 ana re
ceyed salary of $1,000 lie charged Tor issuing de
cree 80 ana ior an cAnnnton 1I & wmess ou, , o.,
Office The same amount ne claimed that ne hsd IlSht
he consented tn or an evening perform
charged for which performed olcc-hours, but he
always made w the difference and more too hy working
O'Clock, while the hours prescribed are h0m
. 10 4. During the past year, he had re-
~ 300 lie that the charge of SO for the adj
yert-cmen of citations was more than tue actual cost
himself aud Probate Clerk frinbe was proper inasmuch
as prepared the order of cItaou whicn IL was really
not his duty do. This work consisted in filling in
blank prepared Tor that purpose. Al. ...,,,..,
for the pupOse OF making statement IN his own behalf
and that of the committee. MT Rollins, he SAID, on
entering the Office had given explicit directions
that M excessive charges should bc made by subOrmaes
Aer the witness had been made chief clerk complaint
was received respecting charge made by DE Wale%ss
lie rad called that gentlemans attention to IT, telling him
that exorDtant charges would be allowed Last No
Vember he had under instructions OF the surrogate given
directions That any complaint OF irregular charges sus
tanned wond lead 10 the dismissal OF the offender NO
complaints thst hsd been sustained had Dtcn rece'eu'
| He declared, however. that the revelations re
| charges such had been made III
! connection with advertising Of citations were
surprise 10 him. He had never he1rd OF them before.
II they took certain sum OF money for the purpose OF
! pubcaion" he continue, and charged the persons
paying money amount grossly IN excess OF that
| which IL actually cost | VIII say that my inclination
would be Ia dismiss them Instantly, and think hT.
Rollins would do it, shall report them 10 Mr. Rollins
n. Thought however that where services performed
out OF Office by clerks they were entitled To COM
pcnsation by those for whom the work was done, upon
! basis 10 be agreed upon between themselves.
Tho commit then adjourned to meet tomorrow al 10
O'Clock when few additional witnesses Tl PROBABLY ne
examined, aer which the committee VIII 90 INTO exec
m1ve se.slOn Tne committee evidently feels we'll salts
1ed wit lahor. and r. Roosevelt stated that X had
material enough TO keep !, husy at work until next Jan
4 49, "a, ta