New-York tribune., 1899-06-10

from 10000 to $4,000 30 per cent? A-No l'zsf'
Q-Yes; 100000 to $4,000? Ayes. sirq
Q.-That was 30 per cent Were there new e'aoo-
rate decorations in that building? A.-No.
| Q.-Nothing at all? A.-No.
| Ono extension? A-Not that know or
Q.-But the building which had two extensions on
1t and decorations you only increased 20 per cent?
Al didn't consider the percentage. assessed the
property.
DEALT TENDERLY WITH THE MAYOR
Dwell, suppose, Mr.. Enselhard- Mr. Chair
man. / learn through these variations, running
from per cent to 90 per cent IN his district house
after house-here is the Mayors house, oloek
isO increased from n2ooO to $4,000 only per cent
/ suppose every house in the same piock il very
much the same? A.-Where Is that'
Ono 135 East Forty-sxth-st He lives there.
Block 13Ol. Ayes. sl2. 900 to $4,000
Q-How are the adjoining houses there? A.
The one next door appears to be exactly the same
O-How about the next after that? A.-That
was $1,000 and increased the same. $1,000
O-There you see, your increases along that line
were about per cent, and we run mp to 20 and 10
and 60 and guess higher-I won't risk any higher,
because don't see them at this minute. Al
don't think you will find any over 90 per cent
Q.-You really trying to do the best you
could? Ayes.
Q-It appears that the weekly reports that were
called for yesterday have mostly been destroyeo'
and there is nothing at all In this WITNESSES ois
trict to show the weekly reports
Mr. Feitner-I wish TO say In connecuoh WIN
that that we never keep the memorandum TO
ports.
The cbairman-In whose custody do they got
Mr. FetnerLThe chief deputy
The Chairman-Do you destroy themY
Mr. Feitner-They thrown out as waste.
Tho Chairman-What means have the Commis-
sioners then of reviewing the work?
Mr. Feitner-It is all In the record. That Is only
NJ vi ha doing
NO INCREASE ON BREWERIEs
Q-Is Block ll57 in your district? Al think not.
sir ! think l,257 IL where l began
O-Blcck 1887? Al think that Is In the other
book Volume @ CThe witness is handed another
book and referred TO same)
Q.-That is a block that has some breweres in
It? A.-No 1887?
Q.-Yes: has the David Jones Brewing Company
and the Rupert Brewing Company in that block;
do you find them? A. referring TO book)-The
J. D. Jones. is that 1t?
Q.-Yes. sir and Rupert. There Is no Increase
there at all. is there? A.-No sir.
Q-The brewing business there stands exactly
as 1t did Then In Block 1,352. the Equitable Gas
Light Company, the increase is from 10000 to
S275,0O0 and the gas company In Block 1852
Increased from p75OOO to $4,000; Block 1857 Peter
Doelger Brewing Company. S3730OO: increase.
How do you figure out increases on gas plants and
no increases on the brewing plants? Any Judg-
ment is the gas assessment was low.
Q-Why do you think IL was low? A.-Because
l thought It would sell for more than II was as
sessed.
Q.-Do you know anything about gas properties?
A-No; but the buildings there and the ground
Q.-Do you know anything about gas tanks?
A.-No.
Q.-Do you know what gas tank costs? A-No,
Odd you ever try to find out what gas tank
costs? A.-No.
Q.-Do you know what the machinery of a brew
cry costs? A.-About.
Q.-How did you come to know that7 Al know
machinery costs lot Of money.
Q.-Of course it does; well how is II that you
know what the machinery of a brewery costs and
you don't know what the machinery of gas COM
pany costs? Al don't know. exactly.
O. (contnuing)-When you started out to assess
them both Al don't the cost
Q.-But the cost is an element for you to con-
slider, is Il not7 Ave consider about their cost.
Q.-And II you didn't know what about the
cost OF gas tanks. why didn't you find out. Al
considered that knew about what the cost
Q-You considered that you knew about 1t was
your business to be Just fair to one kind OF
property as to another. wasn't It? Ayes, sir
FACTS ONLY HAMPER HIM.
Ot-How could you be, If you didn't know and
didn't trv find out? A.-Well. don't know that
that assists very much.
Q-Now, Mr. Witness. II you had block fully
built up with houses You would have to make as
many separate examinations as there were houses?
Ayes.
Q-That would be a good many examinations?
A.-Yes. sir
Q-But you have a block upon which there
substantially two three big gas tanks? Ayes.
Q-It is no more labor to examine the property
OF a gas company a block occupied they
occupy II than to carefully examine each OF
the numerous houses built-up block, is IT?
A-No.
go you could do It If you wanted to? Al
did it.
Odd you find out what those tanks cost? A
Not exactly.
Q-Whlt did you find out about It? A-What
considered they cost.
Q-How could you consider-did you ask what
they paid for them? A-No.
O-Did you go to any contractor engaged in that
kind of business and find out what such things
were worth? A.-No.
Odd you ask Mr.. Bell what they were worth?
A-No.
o.-Did you ask any Tax Commissioner what
they were worth? A.-No.
Q-You did not know what they were worth?
A.-About
o-What were they worth? A Il don't remem-
her what | considered they were worth that
time
o.-What was that block worth, the land where
you increased the assessment of a gas company?
Al considered together they were worth Just
what assessed them at.
The Chairman-On the figures the witness has
Given there are about twenty thousand separate
parcels of property. and there has been about
hundred working days put upon II, and that would
make two hundred houses each day to examine.
The Witness-I may be wrong about the number
Of houses never inquired into that. That was
the case The district was from Fourteenth-st. to
Seventy -ninth-st and from Sxth-ave. to the East
River / never calculated the number Of buildings
there II was never OF enough Importance.
O-On those figures you necessarily would pass
upon two hundred houses a day? A.-If there were
not any improvements we could do that
SAME OLD STORY.
Q-Now sir this block. 1853. that you increased