The sun., 1898-01-15
nTy WON'TPAY BIG RENTS.
10 ooMMIssIOEERs VINO
VOLT UIRED COSTLY ROOMS

,atord., that the aiuling Fund
hse, R.,,ry Improvident BarEntns Made
~. Authority -Richrsona Onlciais
"a PAY 5000 - Year for Hall.
,.w Sinking Fund Commission, which II
No.od ~. Of the Mayor, Comptroller Coler,
eCnyIo,,ain keenan,, President Guggenheimer
~. Council and Alderman Muh, Chairman
49, FINANCE Committee OF the Aldermen,
@ "a ,or the first time yesterday. Tho new
no' 4. mnde UP as tho old commission was
VON ,ho, the President Of the Council takes
o.'p ~. pi,cc of Recorder Goff, who loses thereby
~. erst business considered by the board
,,o nroyidng Of offices for the new depart
vi. comptroller Color said that tho rent
I..,ss ~ of the city had grown TO the alarming
v, =, $3.50. 600 q year, and that steps should
y w. ,,ten 10 cut the charges down instead Of to
sN..o..e them. lie said that he had received
,.,,.r. from President Holahan OF the Board of
n.n,c improvements, from Henry s. Kearney,
r..,m,ssioner OF Public Buildings, Lighting
"a supplies, and from John l.. Shea. Com
s,..,oner of Bridges, saying that they had
-.n. ahead and hired expensive quarters with
y, waiting for the action of the Sinking Fund
c,umlssion. He said that tho rents they had
.rr,ed 70 pay were at least 40 per cent. in ex'
,s.s Of what they ought to be.
President Guagenheimer said that the now
commissioners were paying an average yearly
,,Dt Of sl.6 SO square foot for property whose
,,lue for mercantile purposes IL only s1.25
RTS RSs Mayor also expressed dissatisfaotion
VIII SS nS fS'Sn tS be- abe S to and building noSr Tie
CitJ Hall where many Of these ,departments
could 10 gathered, under one roof" he said. ."
NOV Of n eSSnSs In Which
quarters could bo secured for a number OF the
new departments at very advantageous terms.
owners nc sbs w9aa Sta a pe yern love
rste, because there is no risk and they are sure
10 ret their rent money. To erect and equip q
building of sufficient capacity for al the the de ae,
md Si5, ,OOO, 900. l think we ought to be able
TO hire all the room necessary for s2oo'Ooo or
The Mayor then referred to the new Hall of
Records, the contract for building which was
ist by Mayor Strongs Board Of Estimate for
ood hs s9tlSioS mfSy So sad Ttm%tsS enSS
yet il the last administration had properly con.
hs GS Hall Of SS RssSFSs n and o1 gss Il
can't correct the mistakes of the last adminis-
ration. but we ought to be able to got all the
room we want nov now for ABOUT S2oS, o0o; 90, head,
OF departments had bound the city by rushing
ahead and hiring offices without consulting the
Sinking Fund Commissioners"
"I don't consider that their action entails
more than q moral obligation, said the Mayor.
THE city has not legally assumed any obliga-
ton in the matter, although 1t will pay fair
rent for the offices in question for the period OF
occupancy. Until the Sinking Fund Commits
sion authorizes the leases those owners who
have given possession must regard the arrange
ment as temporary"
Comptroller Co1er gave an instance Of what
be called the exorbitant prices demanded by
landlords who wished.to rent their property to
the city. He said the officials Of the borough OF
Richmond wanted to hire a building at an an
nual rental of $1,000.
Il didn't believe that there was q building on
Staten Island worth $1,000 year., continued
the Comptroller. 80 I sent Col. Mclean, the
TO Investigate. He found that the value OF the
building In question was $4s,O0O. The owner
finally agreed to take $3. 600 year for the
building, with 81 700 for the ianitor and his as
tistant and 5000 for repairs"
"It might as well be understood now, satc
the Mayor, that no extravagance In the mat
ter Of rents will be tolerated.. He then ap
pointed Comptroller .Coler, President Guggen
heimer, and Alderman Muh q committee to in
restigate the whole matter Of hiring quarteri
for the new departmental. Coroner Lynch o.
the borough of the Bronx reported that he haC
selected quarters at 761 East 166th street but q.
he did not state the rent his action was moi
President Gugsonheimer and Alderman Null
were appointed committee to examine all the
securities now In the custody Of the City Cham
berlain. AE