New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-14
ANNUAL POVERTY AGAIN.
TAXPAYERS BEGIN SWEARING FOR THE
REDUCTION OF ASSESSMENTS.
THAT THEY OWN NOTHING WHICH CAN BE
TAXFD-OrHER COMP. AINTS


TAXED-orHER coMPI.AINTS
The way Of the Brooklyn assessor is hard. To
be sure, this is a positive statement and judged
by former years 1t would not be untruthful to say
that his way this year is the hardest he has yet
experienced. July is the month Of complaints and
old members Of the Board know by experience
what to expect. but this year has simply outdone
any of its predecessors in the way of dssatsfac-
ton with the appraisals of the assessors. Com
plants have simply poured in. and the Board 10
holding prolonged sessions daily to listen to pc
titions. For instance. the Parkway Driving Club
property. at the Boulevard and Kings Highway. Is
assessed at s40.55O E. J. O'Flyn and former Ex-
else Commissioner Schlieman appeared before the
Board yesterday and asked to have the valuation
reduced to $4,000. They urged that the club was
simply a social organization making no profit and
requiring annual payments from each member to
support it, They declared that the land should be
assessed as farm lands and not as city lots
John Winslow Of Second-st. and Bay Ridge-ave.
asked this his assessment Of $4,000 be made an
$1,000. His property simply an old home
stead. and part of 1t primeva wilderness.
George Shields who has property at Bath Beach,
consisting of hotel. several cottages. piers etc.
thought they worth only $500 instead OF
$4,000. He said the property had not advanced In
value; that the city was not making much-needed
improvements. and that the public thorouGhfares
were in bad order.
road Company has been assessed at S.0OOW0 Last
year 1t put down $4,000 The Nassau Com
pany is assessed for S2.O00cO. This Is Its first
assessment Both the companies protest, and have
employed Henry Yonge. who last year was counsel
for the Board of Assessors. Mr.. Yonge was seen
at his office, and first declined to talk on the
subject He finally stated that the attitude OF both
railroad companies is that, after deductlng the
value of their realty and their bonded indebted
from their assets. exclusive of the value
of their franchises, there nothing left for
sessment as capital stock. The franchises are
In support of this Mr.. Yonge cited several court
decisions which will be read at the hearing before
the ASSESSORS which is put down for 10 o'clock this
morning. Other interesting facts are likely to come
out at the hearing. 1t is asserted that the prop
erty of the Warehouse Trust, Of this city. Is as
scssed far below its value, and exemphca ton
Of this is found, II is said IN the recent sale OF
the Robinson stores. Their assessed value Is $780,.
COO and they bid off on Friday for sl,JU,GO.
This selling price was considered low by the best
real estate experts.
General James McLeer Of the Assessors ofice,
said there nothing new this year. The usual
poverty prevails among the property-ho OF
Brooklyn. particularly among the big corporations.
He regarded 1t as somewhat Significant that the
man who. counsel for the Board last year,
particularly confidential with the members. should
now be counsel for the roads. This change. he
said, apt illustration Of the oft-Quoted
saw that politics sometimes makes strange bed
fellows"
The hearing this morning will be observed with
great interest. Rollin G. Breckenridge of the
Corporation Counses office, will appear against
Mr.. Yonge and the trolley roads