The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-21
An .iSSESSMENT IN 1867.


It may surprise people who hnvc become
acquainted with the slow progress OF condemna-
ton proceedings in New York to know that
these ways are not an official heritage from the
days OF the easy. going and slow-moving burgh-
ers OF New Amsterdam. \ recital of the facts
OF one case may be sufficient to show this.
Along what is now Broad street. in front OF
the Stock EXCHANGE, there was a rivulct OF
l.mYid spring water. known $50 years ago as
the ditch. some progressive cosmopolitan cit
lien proposed rs a local improvement to plank
the sides OF the ditch and make along Broad
street what is known in Holland as graft or
canal. The Burgomastcr employed on this local
improvement three lahorcrs. and their work cx-
tended over IA period of a year. when the
"graiL' was turned over TO the under sheriff.
who was ordered TO take good care OF it. This
procedure was al! night except for the f0rmality.
always an important one. OF finding the money
to pay for il. That was not so easy. and hence
the aid OF the local authorities was invoked TO
impose, as is the rule nuw in like matters, an
assessment upon those benefited by the i'm.
Provcment. Tho matter was turned over to
board OF individuals. known as Tho Superin-
tendent,. who. after sundry hearings. rendered
a decision that the whole cNpcnsc OF the, work
IN pForn8rtion TO the frontage Of each
about 81, and The purchasing power OF a Dutch
guildcr in 1867. when money was a good deal
sctrccr than ii j. to'iay. was about sl9o, and the
scented therefore an assessment upon the prop
orty owners benefited Of about S2s,OOO. This
amount seems ins.gnificant when compared
with the present value OF property in this
vicinity, the most valuable par; OF New York, IL
not tho most valuable land area in the United
States. The formal assessment on the property
was OF a rather primitive kind. and this is an
extract from tho ancient official record:
IendrIck. the baker. , rods ~ feet
Coeuraet Ten Eyck. = rnis a.. feet.
Ahram. the carpenter. 3 rods / foot
ticrrit Jansen Eoss. . rods.
k"inhonr. Reinh2uth.n rods
Cuban CUrnrlis, 3 rods . feet.
Hcntrc Jansen vani"rvin, rods 7 feet
Jacob. the baker. : rrIS ! loot.
TuniS Cray, = rods | foot.
Adrian Vincent, II rod, 10 feet.
The Commissioners fixed the nasis Of assess.
mcnt AT 10 guildcrs a rOu OF frontage, and, as tho
record says - great upronr wa occasioncd
hereby The property owners refused TO pay.
dCrcd local authorities and tErrcuIOn the city
magistrates took IA hand with the result thus
qulintiy stated in the official record ofthe affair:
HondrIcE. the baker. declared that h" had proGtcd
nothing by the imprvrrnen;. ami refused 10 pay,
whereupon he was ordered Ia the prison chamber.
taxed; vas Informed that I; vas even so. DOtwith.
standing. Then 40 what you may" he replied, He
was ordered to the prison chamber.
Hans nsapcr. living On the river shore and having
70 sheet the front as vol AS the side, his assessment
was reduced.
These concessions, however, were not satisfac-
tory to the directors. and finally tho Magistrates
concluded to release the delinqucnts for tho
present. Part OF lie assessment was cancelled,
and an arrnngCmuni was mIdc whereby Tho
balance could be paid on lnStallIn"nts. Tho
Government contributed 900 guilacrs TO
th" Improvement, and after some delay, the
ions being made. the graf" was duly
paid for. The canal continued III use for n good
many year, and il VIZ nj not res Hntai soms y m"
that all the inhabitants living on the wooden
banks OF the canal were summoned Ito Ill up
without delay tho graft and make the same level
with the street, and then to pave. and pitch the
same with stone. They did this the more readily
perhaps because there was no assessment