New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-03

don't think that II Is 70 me interest," OF 'he city.
'n en- 10 40 'y not ~ think il interest OF The city to-
endeavor to protect itssh IN y an sI'ess
facts "%-Neher do l. The facts must be pro-
d% awhst f i i YOU don't want to is1 They
", omsWhat is it you don't want to tell? A.-Thsrs
is not any that We are not willing, as have SAID
az tn ms n not fac, that using the 1895 hgures as
a basis. IL they are to be used az basis at an
that your raising OF values IL the most mons,rou.y
unequal and unjust raising or values h'' has eyer
been known in this city. Ism il ~. Ill "a?
basis OF last year is TO be taken as the basis no.
don't think So ,, ,o.. ,,oo- =. =,
the basis you DO not think nat mi: assessrnens
for 1894 Is monstrously unequal? A,LSo,, ,,s
Ing value Of s5cocoo on The western gpi0n and
certain value on the MAI an eonaty no. Ia ans
the Western Union 3uildinE hD0Ve M ap pu q
inS % per cent on last year? Al won't assume
the question Of last year
UNEQUAL ASSESSMENTS.
O-You have assumed It as the basis OF my quess
,,on ask you TO assume that as a basis Isn't
49,, . roonstrous assessment? ! call your atten-
,,oo 10 another Illustration. The PARK BANK Is a
well-known institution in this city. on one slde OK
II f. the ST. Paul Building. On the other sloe OF u
is Mr. Knox's hat store The PARK Natiohal banS
stav. this year at exactly the figure that was given
N /, last wear. while the St. Paul Building. on tho
inCredStn
Building a little brick building on the o'ner sac.
4. Increased 81 IL per cent Now. there are three
buildings on Broadway and all IN the same cohul-
ton they were as to both assessments anu III INC
one case OF the Park National Bank WIN US large
interests behind 1t. its Board OF DIRECTORS NV
members Of which you and both Know i not
raised 81 in assessed valuation. whle mat poor ~.
tic building OF Mr. Knoxs alongside OF IT Is raised
81 ~ per cent and the s.. Paul Building, on tho
other side is raised 80 l-S per cent No' only ua''
hut on the same block you come down 10 ths
Bennett Building. which is raised 70 per cent anu
then those ordinary brick buildings IN Anh-sI ana
Fulton-st lying between the St Paul Building
and the Bennett Building. are assessed at various
ssres ranging from 80 3 per cent. A. per cent ana
a fraction IS per cent and a fraction, % per cent
and fraction and 81 per cent; the DITCH ouIlunss
on Ann and Fulton SITS. are Increased rom % " 0~
nearly 50 per cent; the s.. Paul Building u IN
crsa sed a. "a per cent which seems out OF all pro-
norton TO these Fulton and Ann ST. Duliulhss, tA'
Knox Building is increased 81 IL per cent anu ",
National Park Bank building remains just where IL
stood A-That shows -
o-Now take the question I put; assume 1870
as the bas.s-is not the assessment OF mat ol.
block a glaring example Of monstrous inequahIS'
A-That shows where your assumption - i@S''
MR.. FEITNER EXPLAINS.
owhere IL It false? A.-The Park Bank Buila"
ing is bank building and the Department -
The past by almost the consent or Dahks' a''o"eu
NUT assessments upon bank buildings, deposl'-O@hA
buildings higher than other real estate Decause
9, made no difference to them in the result as IN
the assessment Of their share stock to ther sha'e
hnIaars thew have the deduction OF the assessor
value OF their real Now. we nave not 'aAe''
that condition into consideration ana VIC 81 ~
assessing everything equitably and iairiy this
[ and that refers. you will find. to the FSfA DaNA
Building.
n Nov, Mr. Feitner | ask this question or you
rnor tho basis that we both started together. OF
the 1898 valuation and you said that on the uas's
Of the 1898 valuation II would not appear that 'he'o
| were monstrously unequal assessment. NOW you
| have made your explanation. A-Inat ID ohe H.
| stance. -, 4,
| n -one instance: let us take II as you make its
ord annlv u 10 the rest OF the block. II you In
crease the Bennett Building. on important Nassau~
st. only q per cent why do you increase the COM
| mon brick structures on Ann and Fulton sts'' oc-
| cupied some OF them by pie shops small places
why did you increase them from 80 to 80 per cent
| A-Because, in our Judgment 1t Is an equai @''
| sessment
o.-Aye. yes. in your Judgment 1t is an equal ass
sessment; and when you register your judgm nenS
that that is an equal assessment Eatho Soot'slIsd
equal assessment stands. and the property-owness
has got to go to the pens In 81 mrns ana 70 win Il
he can against exercise of your judgment a no
! discretion A-That Is always the case 1t Is not
! "o-HoW can you call that equal assessment
! correct, why, of course it would not be an e9uai
assessment this year; but we claim ana we VII ~ y,
this year are equal in every respect and that ms
| town is more equally assessed than 1t ever was I'D
o"Mr FetneT what IS the rate per cent OF In
crease In the Borough of Manhattan? CIhe WIZ
ness looks at some papers0 -. .,..o, a,
at p about sSa O 500 AI think t s9 S9'
! Q-Three hundred and twenty-seven million uU.-
| lars think you stated A.-That Is In the Ooi-
Oughs Of Manhattan and nd The Bron nicr. Is so7O@
OSf Al think il IS. and 100000 for The Bronx
MANHATTAN's BIG INCREASE
o-Now that increase OF 1901. 10000 in the Bor-
ough OF Manhattan was not based entirely upon
W ns PnSSn You n aon e ha
increase OF value in that year OF SO7@ooN? A.
| Dwell. you did not claim that did you? An,
swer question You did not claim that g., mere ere
Borough of Manhattat.? Had there been boom
Il real Claims ssa eSa IN ba hs !: Sa
oNo TIA. ,a no. s the qSsTb sssa Aos" ar a
sImed boom in the values OF real estate? A-No
OFT was not? A.-No boom. -. i.
.sS7 10000? A A Il can't say about that
Q.-what was 1t, then? A considerable NJ
o.~There had been considerable increase. but
Mr.. Witness, IL there had been an increase u
the same ne way. Would tin the same street
the same block they would feel the increase aoOu.
proportionateiyE A-Inat depends upon VfN""'
stances -,
Q-Yes: OH OF course; but we are. speaking III
general terms? A-Weli | speaking In gem
erai terms too; It would depend upon the circum~
stances Al.
O-An right. Everybody knows what the truth
Is upon the matters OF general matters and sug-
eest 10 you that you have nothing to lose by CIV.
ing us your frank opinion-nothing at all 10 lose.
and so, Just to give you an opportunity VIII ass
the question again. in order that you may do credl.
J 10 Yourself: not with any disposition TO fence or
I put you In unfair position; Isn't X iact mat
/ IL property Ia increased in value In certain To-
natit
would affect all the property in general wayF
A-No, think not.
DUE TO EQUALIZATION.
o-An right, you are satisfied with that that;