New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-05
SUNDAY EDITION.
FEB. 8, 1888.
TRYING TO BLEED NETWORK HEAVILY.
AN ALMOST USELESS Pack THAT MAY COME HIGH
TWO sIDEa 10 THE STORY

AN ALMOST USELESS Pack THAT MAY COME HIGH
Two SIDES TO THE STORY
There Is a bill now under consideration before
the Assembly Committee Cities, tho objcc, Of
which Is to compel the city OF NewYork to pay
taxes the Pelham Bay Park property In tho town
Of Pelham, Wcschester County, taken by the city
for park purposes. Tho Commissioners of Appraisal
George W. QuIntard Luther II. Marsh and J. scavcr
rage, have finished taking testimony, but have not
yet made their report the awards TO be made
the owners Of the value Of the property taken.
Mayor Hewitt. when asked what he thought OF tho
bill to compel the city to pay taxes the park
property, said:
This bill Will DO discussed, among Others whom
tho heads OF departments meet with on Monday.
IL would be manfestly improper for me to discuss
II now This can say, however, that last year I
protested against the city being compelled 10 taLc
this property for park II Is outside the city
boundaries and too far away for the purpose for
which It is intended. Such a thing as taxing pub
lie property is entirely unknown. Hence the intro
dnction Of this bill. II 1t passes, 1t viii leave tho
city, so far this park is concerned at tho mercy
OF the town authorities OF Pelham. They place
on the park almost any valuation they please, and
a consequent high tax, and the city would be power
less prevent it. The entire scheme of the Pelham
Bay Park from first to last, is wrong
COURSE As NOVEL AS WRONG
President Coleman, OF the Tax Department, said
Tho idea Of taxing this city for public park Is
entirely novel and, OF course, wrong The parh
was forced on tho city, in the first place, against
tho protest of the city authorities There IS
necessity for park there for twenty years to come,
and probably not at that time. No park belonging TO
tho city should be outside the city limits All tho
city authorities protested against the scheme OF
park at Pelham Bay, and endeayor made to
exclude It from the parks scheme. II this
bill passes, NewYork City will be compelled to pay
If he toya If tha NJ paIb
That much IS certain. II II could be DONE 1t would
be much better TO allow the land to revert to the
original owners. and pay them for any damage they
may have sustained by reason of their lands having
been taken for the park,
"Could not the city sell enough OF the land ac-
CURED by It TO reduce largely the park area and in
good part reimburse itself for the outlay up to that
timer
To enable the city to do would need a special
act, and would probably be resisted by the adjacent
land owners whose property might be deprecated In
value I'm consequence Of the reduced The better
Bay Park scheme altogether and pay the property
owners for the small amount OF damage they have
received This IS better than TO go and spend
millions of dollars for park that will only benefit
Westchester County,
PELHAM's SIDE OF THE CASE.
A well-knOwn citizen CT the town Of Pelham has
sent letter to Mayor Hewitt calling his attention
to the fact that the town of Pelham has total
OF about 5000 acres, assessed at 81 100000.
OF this area LOO acres, assessed at 100000 are
located within the limits of Pelham Bay Park Under
the present law this park property WILL soon as
acquired by the city, DO exempt from taxation. Tho
taxable property Of the town will be reduced TO
1900 acres valued at 100000, and the tax rate
increased to nearly per cent. This means bank
ruptcy for tho town II Will be obliged TO main
tain many miles OF expensive highway through the
park without the right to tax the latter The town
will be obliged TO maintain the same schools as now
without tho right to tax many hundred acres now
contributing to their support. with the algely In
creased excursion travel, the town Will have TO In
IT'S police force and this will add 10 the expense
The entire burden of the bonded Indebtedness Of
the town will be thrown on less thar Cne-half of
its territory. The letter asserts that the great
majority OF the citizens of the town were opposed
to the park 1t is proposed that the city continue TO
pay taxes on the land 10 the town OF Pelham until
the town Is annexed to the city. IL the bill Is
passed 1t Will increase the taxes OF the city only
$500 of / per It's assessed valuation and
II will save the town OF Pelham from bankruptcy.