New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-01
TO SEIZE WAITER FRONT PROPERTY.
DISREGARD FOR TIE RIGHTS OF owNERs-BAR-
pARIC TYPASNY.

DISREGARD FOR TIE RIGHTS OF owNERs-BAR-
BARIC TYRANNY.
the Edffor Of The Tr'bnne.
Sir: Yesterday bill was introduced into the
Assembly by Mr.. Hamilton, Of this city which
contains a very extraordinary feature as applied
to the taking of property in The City OF New
York 1t authorizes the Department of Docks,
whenever they see fit. to apply to the Supreme
Court for the appointment OF three commission
ers who may appraise, if the Department thinks
best. all the property Oh the water front from
Canal-st to the Battery, or, for that matter, all
around the City of New-Yorll. and that when the
oath of Office Of the comm ssioneIs is filed in the
Comfy Clerks office, the city, ipso faeto is to
become seized in fee of all the property described
in the petition and may enter upon, use and en-
10y in perpetuity the whole of it. leaving the
owners of the property without any income what
ever until four months after the COMMISSIONERS
may fit to report and their report snail DE
confirmed. Judging from what we recolleet OF
the proceedings in the Story case several years
Will be consumed in the operation. and mean
while the unfortunate owners not entitled to
receive q dollar from the property wrenched
from them.
As the law now stands, the Dock Department
cannot spend more than three millions of money
in any year. TIE principal work in which
their services required on the water front is
in widening West-st. to a width of $50 feet As
the law now is, they are authorized to apply
from time to time whenever they want piece
Of property and there is nothing to prevent their
making such applications under the present law,
so as to supply them every year with all that
they require for the year in advance Of their
making the demand therefor The present. act
authorizes the passing upen the value of all this
property by one comm ssion of three meu. No
jury Of twelve men is permitted by any court 20
sit upon the same ease over again, and such power
should never be given to three commissioners
with respect to surh immense interests as arc COW
cred by tha water front The commissioners
may hc preiudiced they may BE- incompetent,
they may be corrupt. and yet the owners OF prop
ertY woald have no remedy. NO appeal Yes from
tie deriSscu Of these COMMISSIONERS to the court
of Appeals under any crcuin 'tances. one APP
peal is given To the General Term. bat the second
report il conclusive.
We believe that This water property has been
REGARDED by tha old inhabi ants OF New orS rs
the most valuahl property 20 leave TO their heirs,
and tina; LARGE amounts of il gre now held by Is
1atoS and upon trusts Vpon which hundreds II not
thousands Of minors ard willows and mar.,ed
are dcrcnAent for their support MS
proceeding would cut every one OF them on from
any income Whatever unon tho whole of the vatrr
front. and i would secrn- also to crnhlH t1c CITY
the money into the eitv treasury. S'ch u pro-
ceeding world seerl TO be hiTh-han1ed o'tr'' re.
tnreeiIe in Turkey o. in Russia in tho Fcei"e
J~lanfls brt hardly possible in "a civilized CITY
Iikn Ncv-Yorll.
II i the first time. We believe. WHOM any Sf"'-
uto has EXPRESSLY uiVen The authority Z" take
rroDrrtv urfil fior has been ma'e for ~
Tho tot Of 1919 required that the prOnartv should
lac mid for brfor. the ttl vaStad N rho citv. II
IL saiJ that p rr1visiOn Sir1'lar 10 THIS WIS IN
snr-pd in the Hill under which til" Aqu"du"' was
acouired in Westehester C"untv hut. "a that ~
fect,d only fam lard< OF littl" vHlue md row
which no SDpeifc inc ono WIS derived y a-t'a"tod
no attention ara was not not with onDOel''On IN
the courts Mother did IT work suoh iniuSte"
as ,vc have ALREADY pcnted ont. The OvnorS
lost no moons If thcy lost their property anH me
whole value Of the rroncrtv taken WAS hardly
o. ual 10 the valne &C sncl' pier
The act VIII Authorize the Demr'reW OF
Docks to aprIv to the Supronle Court for ia" -
poiutrn,ut II three comm 'Saicn"rS n anprtS 'n'
rolue Of all pier and huvhead property. Unon
anaolntment cf such COMM ssiOn"rs. thev snail
take the cath r~auired hr law and tlr the same
in The County Clerks oficn. II VII then prO-
vide thar on Sling said oath, the Ma0or Ae'Nr-
men and Commcualiy Of the CITY OF New-forN
shall beecme seized in fee Of such per ana Dirk
head PROPERLY and mav imme'lirtniy talr DOS
session and Use aud oc'upy in perpetulty al such
pier aud hulkh"ad property.
II has been sugr~st'd by an able lurist that
each pier or parcel Of property shorld he taken
>inglv and that no title should be diverted from
The individual OWE r vested in the city until
il was paid for This would he Only lar 10 the
property-owners. NiW-YORK TAXPAYER
New-York, Feb. 20, 1888.