New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-27

on IT until it becomes valuable tine ssTippUsy
,ss made with u full knowledge OK .he ta Az the
would mean that the city fr w about one twenty
OF their property very nearly Yen LINZ The mere
have just paid FOR the !; emu suficient commentary
upon 1t.
THE ASSESSED VALUE.
The upland has Just been ssse an scr Sy
me me osy unSer wafer cannot possibly reach THIS
value until at great expense It has been ned IN
Sounse according TO his statement deems 1t now
worth very nearly $4,000 an acre III he Worth as
much as 1888 acre. and inasnuGh as 1hH the
diture of large amount OF mohes v EH any value
at all II Will be obviously unjust IN the e tbe Value
rate It higher than Dana hFf G SaTe with
heard from the best real estate IN Astoria and
some OF the most intelligent men OF properly Ms
have lands In the vicinity who have 'h sitb e
trs Of No 2S south-st New-York City Mes oaT:
ago they tried dispose OF the whole properly nov h
owned by the Astoria Gas COMPANY: marie 70 do
syrdty Of Claiming that an insignificant part OF
this property can be worth nearly ten times as
much as the infinitely more valuable wnole. .ho
statements that in the arst place the Land Board 1
in dealing with the Astoria Gas COMPANY. mas to'-
lowed out precisely the general policy whlch mas
always been followed out by the State in dealing
with TpaTsa lands, r., ana WecS S Was charter
went into effect in dealing with these lanes con,
more e II appear that the only difference you have
made is that the price charged Is very much hgher
higher than has ever been charged on so large
trace.
AVERAGE PRICE OF GRANTS.
I, Furthermore appears that within the last t two
over thirty grants OF this kind have been made at
en- average price Of 81 per acre. OF when idn
and though some OF these lands were greater in
value than the land asked for the Astoria com
oanv for none OF them high q price charged,
the only instances where a higher price s,, Wiz
charged being where very small amount usuun3
n fraction OF an acre, granted. II appears
Furthermore that the Astoria grant has been made
upon less instead OF upon more favoraoe % Rord
ropef policy % making grants of nature conditional
Upon The Improvement being actually made;
Frrthornore. Ii appears that the adjacent UPLAND
The Land granted is put at $3.50. while estimate
puts the amount OF expendtnIs IN oFuer 20 of be
adjacent upland at less than $1,000 SO that inc
sum Of $3.50 Is certainly reasonable valuation from
the standpoint of the public though IL IS requrins
from the Astoria Gas Company higher paymen'
than from other companies under similar crcum-
stances. Furthermore II appears that II is greatly
10 the interest OF the community 70 nave me iand
The Astoria company: whereas there is not the
slightest evidence 20 show that The city has ever
hoiG aPo nnrioFfb AtoT}5 Gas COMPANY could
take the land and that the city could take II only
by paying its fun value to the Astoria Gas Com
pany. ...-----.
II further appears from the letter OF the Attorney
General that the Corporation Counsel has had
amplc time in which TO proceed, had he been
merely anxious 10 protect the interests OF the city
Of New York. and that he has taken wholly dit-
1crcnt stand in relation TO the Astoria Gas Com
pany which opposed by rival corporation
of great wealth and political power from the stand
he took in reference to other similar grants. The
Attorney Generals office has shown its willingness
10 aid the Corporation Counsel in bringing the
matter before the courts FOR their prompt consid-
GRAFTON and determination, but the inactivity OF
The Corporation C0uusel's office has been such that
the test has never been made.
Such being the case. it appears that the action
O. the Land Board is eminenty proper; that no pos
s5he damage IN the city OF New-York can come
dom II. and. the contrary, great benefit must
inure 10 the city because of it. and that for the
Jsnd Board 10 have failed in doing as II has done
would have been wholly unwarranted from the
standpoint Of the State. and would have been Of
benefit 10 no except wealthy rival corpora
ton.
l shall therefore sign the grant u,,-.-.,