The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-16
raB Wards ISLAND BILL
Ceanlsssener etephsssoa's Protest Against
the Conditions Of the Transfer.


the Condltlons Of the Transfer.
TO the EDITOR OF Tan sux-Str. In your
issue Of this date IL report Of . conference
meeting Of Commissioners Ulrich and Rorke.
Senator Mcmahon. Mayor Grant. and Comp
troller Myers on the bill introduced By sena-
tor Mcmahon providing for the transfer to the
city OF 800 acres OF land on Wards Island.
together with the Verplanck Hospital for the
Insane.
One OF the stipulations in the bill 10 that
the city Of New York shall support the In.
dlgent sick and pauper insane who come hero
from abroad for at least one year after their
arrival.
To my mind this is the most pernicious
species OF legislation ever heard OF In this
nineteenth century. and / 80 stated to the
Finance Committee Of the Senate on Tuesday
last in Albany when n hearing was had on this
bill. at which meeting Mr.. Ulrioh and myself
were present.
Senator Mcmahon. Commissioner Ulrich and
q representative from the Counsel to the Corr
poration appeared in favor OF the bill. The
argument made BY Commissioner Ulrich and
the city representative amounted to nothing:
they did not appear to know what they were
talking about. The only argument made in
favor OF the bill was made by Senator Nc
Mahon. and to my mind 1t was simply ridicu-
lous.
Senator Mcmahon argued that the land and
buildings on Ward 8 Island were bought and
,s sr tGat es Sos
S ens, ions yet unborn should derive the
In opposition to that. stated that was be-
fore the committee to combat such statement.
then and az ths
purchase Of that land. any y more than / haye
road BECAUSE had pald ior q ticket e bring
'fSs' 1S o:'Gf 1!% A%.!lss tho supyem.
tax BY the state Of New York unconsttstio s
no tax 81 any kind. either BY steamship com:
Now YORK thfoash rs le g mac s.e ap
from L SA psr Sear in
Now. during these six years. as | stated
panes nstesd Of ne
Tor immigrants. increased it. The rates Of
STORAGE passage tickets since head tax vas
rs $40. Was the head tax computed in fixing
ne Th rate h o. passage money TOR the IMMIGRANT?
d ab tax the al tas and
pay the head tax. 2 It is dead rot, They did not
pay one tS cent; The steamship companies paid
The steamship companies bought and paid
eraans % the
buildings on Ellis, Island. Is that island held
as sacred trust by the Government. Of the
United States2 They may abandon it some
day and build somewhere else.
Now; am willing that the city of New York
CITY. They need it. and should have had It more
than year ago. but they should be willing to
pay n fair price for 1t. and the money derived
from its sale to the city should 60 to the Treas
ury of the State. the same as tho money the
Government paid back to the State for equip
ping the troops for the war. which. think. was
over S2.0OO.OOO.
No argument can he made in favor Of taxing
the citizons OF this city for unborn generations
OF INDECENT. SICK and insane paupers from for.
eign countries.
II, the. State Of New York is 30 generous
as to give to the. city OF New York this
lowest estimate Si.50o.0oO. let it do 80. o. AS AS
one OF its citizens and taxpayers viii not
in Albany. do not impose this unjust tax pro-
vided in Senator lIcNfnhons bill UPON the peo.
pie Of the city Of New York.
EDMUND STEPHENSON. Commissioner
CASTLE GARDEN. New YORK. Feb. II.