New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-29
RENTALS PAID BY THE CIT \
TT COSTS NETWORK OVER 100000 \
YEAR FOR HIRED QUARTERS.

HOW A GOOD PART OF THIS COULD RE SAVED
PROVISION MADE FOR SOME DEPARTMENT.
NEARLY $4,000 PAID TO THE OWNER OF
THE STEWART BUILDING SINCE 1854.
The sum Of money which the city Of New-York
as at present constituted pays in rentals Of offices
and buildings for variety of purposes would meet
the interest larger bond issue than most
citizens have any idea of. Even wel-nformed city
officials as a rule. have anything but correct
notion OF the amount thus spent One who visits
the Finance Department. the Tax Department. the
Department Of Public Works. the Law Depart
ment the Building Department and other branches
Of the municipal government which are housed IN
rented quarters and notes the large number or
rooms thus occupied. cannot help wondering why
building large enough to accommodate them all
was not erected years ago. and the money spent in
rents used in paying interest.
II is easy to recall the several plans that have
been brought forward from time TO time for en-
larging the City Hall or razing it to the ground
and erecting huge pile in its stead. and the bills
which have been presented to the Legislature for
and against this proposition. Public opinion eN-
pressed itself strongly in favor Of leaving the VEN
erable structure unaltered. but It with great
reluctance that Tammany officials gave up the idea
OF covering good part Of the City Hall Park with
a big municipal building. Popular sentiment has
prevailed and 1t seems safe 10 predict that tie
civ Hall Will be allowed 10 remain uNulSturDeu,
although if Tammany should get the upper hand
again It Is possible that some Of the old schemes
for despoiling it may be revived or new ones con-
cocted.
II there had been a definite and rational policy
agreed on ten or a dozen years ago New-York
would not now be paying large sums for depart
ment offices In buildings belonging TO private own
ers 4 man whose interest in the city's rentals
was recently aroused called at the Office Of the
fha ther o
thev amount 70 and how large proportion of the
total might be saved II the city should undertake
70 furnish on it's own account quarters for those
departments that might properly be brought to-
rether in the vicinity OF the city Hall II was at
first thought that only little time would be re-
ouired TO make full list but the task proved
more difficult than supposed. as good deal
Of searching of records necessary 10 complete
the record When all the figures were brought TO-
pether 1t vas found that the ctys rents amount
TO sp5.l69 81.
MANY OFFICES IN THE STEWART BClLDlN"
The greatest number Of rented offices are IN the
Stewart Building. at Broadway and Chambers-s'''
in which the Finance Department. the Department
OF Taxes and Assessments, the commissioners vi
Accounts the Commissioner OF Jurors and the
Aoueduct Commissioners have their quarters the
Aaucduct Commissioners pay $4,000 for the nine
roon. they occupy. The other departments ana
officials named are grouped together on the rent
roll and the city pays total of $So.3p 10 accom-
modate them. 1850 -,
II is obvious that all of. this money might ne
saved II the city had building Of its own in the
vicinity The same is true of the 1i"" "hch l.
maid yearly TO the American Tract Society for the
offices occupied by the Department OF fuoHc
Works in the building at No. $50 Nassau-st. but
this is only little than one-haf OF the ch'i'e
sum paid for rents for the department last men
toned The total is 5000. the rest being LOT the
rental of rooms for photometric stations fo' S'o'
.pe wards and so forth. which VIII be continued
where tbev ere in order that the public work may
H.. pronerlv carried on. The amount to be saved
n there were a municipal building to accommo-
date this department would be the rents paid TO
the Tract Society
The Law Department has had hs Offices for
number Of yearc In the S'aats-Ieltuhs building
and $1,000 a year is paid for them In addition.
there are Law Department offices 1T No. 80 West
broadway the rent OF which Is $500. The Depart
ment Of Buildings pays $1,000 for the nve hoors
which IT occupies at Fourth-ave. ana Eighteenth
:, and 81 40 for It's branch Office in the Annexed
District at No. 2.17J Third-ave. The Department
of Correction Is provided for in "A house at No us
East Twentieth-st the rent OF which is goo
The CORPORATION Attorney and the Public Admins
traitor have their offices In Temple Court the rental
for both sets OF rooms being $500 tn" Board OF
Assessors pays a rental OF $500 for floor IN the
building at No q Chambers-st.
The total rent roll OF the Department OF street
Cleaning Is not less than sj,lsj 81. although It's
principal Offices are in the old b'ownstone court
building which is the property OF the city These
rents are paid for stables. storage places. sepa-
rating stations etc. and range in amounts from
5000 TO So year.
FOR EDUCATION. s@,io
More money Is paid in rents ON behalf Of the De-
partment of Public instruction than by any other
| branch OF the municipality. the amount being
SIS 467 1t is made up Of more than thirty Items the