The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-26
ASSESSING CALVARY LOTS
SOME OF THEN ARE IN LONG ISLAND
CITY AND MUST PAT TAXES.
So says Mayor Gleason. and his Board OF
Assessors GO to the Cemetery and Copy
on Names from the Monuments.

So says Mayor Gleason. and his Board OF
Assessors GO TO the Cemetery and Copy
on Names from the Monuments.
Mayor Gleason OF Long Island City Is going
to try to tax that part OF Calvary Cemetery
which is included in the corporate limits OF
Long Island City together with tho monu-
ments and tombstones erected by lot owners.
The latter. he says. are improvements. lie
drove to the cemetery yesterday with this OBJ
ject in view, accompanied By James Davren,
William Feth, and George Casey Of the Board
OF Assessors and Clerk James Mcdonald. They
entered through tho main gate and drove
around to the avenue which forms the bound
nry line between Long Island City and the
town OF Newtown. Tho part cut of by this
avenue is said to be the finest and most valu-
ablo part per lot OF Calvary Cemetery. The
Plots are l6 feet by IS feet and are sold for
$1,000 each. The ground stands high above
The surrounding country. 1t commands fine
view OF New York city. The people who own
plots here are. with few exceptions. wealthy.
1t was right in the centre OF field Of tall
monuments that the Mayor and Board OF AS
SCISSORS began their work. Tho Mayor took up
one OF the huge books containing maps OF tho
Second ward. which tho assessors had brought
with them, and. opening 1t on tombstone. be-
gan to lay out the work tor the assessors.
Here are five city books said the Mayor.
placing his thumb on the man and making a
broad sweep with his dsengaged hand. which
the Calvary Cemetery CORPORATION has utilized
Tor cemetery PURPOSES without the sanction or
c9nsent OF tho LeGtsI AZURE. tho County Boar!
OF supervisors. or the Long Island City BOard
Of Aldermen. The whole section is taxable.
Plots containing monuments are to be assessed
dollars worth Of taxable property in this Sec
ton l want you TO assess all lronerty which
was within the limits Of Long Island City when
IL was ilrSt lncOrpOrlted.'
The assessors then began taking the names
Grant OF New YorE city has blot in this Sec c.
ton. and Mayor Gleason told the assessors to
make Hps6 Gr Moora the fist name
absent. and no attempt was made BY tho other
persons about the place 10 stop the work. it
The Mayor, and assessors then went TO the
s Sup office and gave notitisa-
fixing the. amount of the, assessments the
Board of Assessors will take stops to
have wits served ordernG the ow1Sfs 70 show
cause why they should not be COMPELLED to pay
taxes taxes ML ben Long Island City was incorpo.
all the cemeteries which were in existence
then remained in the town OF Newtown Three
ward in Long islaSd City. This piece Of prop
maps. -FOUR streets ran through the property.
which the cemetery has closed. They began to
Mayor Gleason AYERS that no act or resolu-
tion was ever passed by any duly authorized
body authorizing that piece Of property to DO
used for cemetery purposes. he also says
there was never any resolution passed by tho
County Board of supervisors eXemptlng it
from state and county tax, and that no reso-
luton was ever passed by the Long Island
City Board Of Aldermen exemptinG it from
city tax or its assessed share OF the citv's
bonded debt, Under these. conditions tho
Mayor holds that this part OF the cemetery is
no moro exempt from taxation than any other
improved property in the city.
Calvary Cemetery was not organized for tho
good it might 60 the poor Of the church" said
the Mayor 1t was organized for the sole
purpose OF making money II is one Of tho
greediest and most Grasping corporations n
existence. It is a detriment to the city. and to
the Second ward in particular | want it un-
derStood that do not take this action for tho
purpose OF assessing the graves OF the poor
dead Irishmen who are buried there. / believe
in taxing cemeteries that are conducted for
the purpose OF making money. aud / am deter
mined, il possible, to make this cemetery pay
taxes on its property within the city limits"
The Mayor said also that ha would endeavor
to compel the cemetery TO reopen the four
streets. which he says they closed without au-
thority.
The cemetery people say they are prepared
for any onslaught Mayor Gleason may make.
They say he has got one OF the biggest Jobs on
his hands that he ever undertook.