The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-21
DEMAND RELIEF OR DIVORCE.
FAR ROCKAWAY CITIZENS READY
TO Fight FOR RIGHTS.
Charge Low and Grout with Neglect. and
SHOW mat Consolidation Means Only
Increase OF Taxes, Wretched streets.
Fewer Lights and No Water supply.


Increase OF Taxes, Wretched streets.
Fewer Lights and No Water supply.
Among the strenuous battles fought by
neighborhood organi zatons in the greater
city Of New York that waged 10y the Tax
Payers Protective Association Of Far
Rockaway in the borough Of Queens may
not be overlooked This association If
fighting not only for the rights and privi-
leges Of the locality in which its members
have their homes but it stands on the prin-
c.ple of local rights so aggressively that
the threat is made. through sundry of its
members, that unless Mayor Lows aG-
ministration grants to Far Rockaway the
relief for which it prays. "A determined
effort will be made after Jan. /. 1908, 10
have the region about Far Rockaway de-
tached from New York city.
The threat Is not so empty as the opti
mistic may think il sounds, for Lawrence
and Inwood, ncighboring places, went
before the Legislature and had themselves
separated from the city subsequent to con-
solicitation. on the ground that they could
not stand the additional taxation. mas
much as they were unable TO secure bene-
fits Of corresponding value
Far Rockaway is not without veteran
civic fighters J p. Curtis fought hard
for the Improvement Of Atlantic avenue
in Brooklyn and while he sorrowed that
he was unable 10 get into tn" Kings county
papers some of his eloquent periods de-
scrihing that avenue as a graveyard. he
rajoices to-day that his prcsc!ence and his
valor are justified. and that Atlantic ave-
nue. is soon to bc free from the dangers
o. surface steam TRANSFORMATION He is one
Of the active, aggressive members of III"
Far Rockaway Tax Payers Protective
Association, and he expects to fight until
an Atlantic avenue victory crowns his
efforts on Rockaway's strand.
Mr. Curtis has his home al Far Rockaway
now, and he is fighting under the leader
ship of Cornelius ID. Curnen. president OF
the Far Rockaway Tax Payers Protective
Association. The association wants road
ways of good condition. a street cleaning
system commensurate with the import
ance of so thriving portion Of the NUM-
Cipal community. a system Of water dis
tribution and fire protection which shall
inspire confidence among residents and a
garbage conveyance system which shall
not lie an offence to householders and their
visitors. Above all things. the association
wants for its members and their neighbors
the worth of the money which they con-
tribute to the city Of New York in taxes.
and this il last what they affirm that the Y
do not get.
Far be II from the association to an
tagonize Borough President Cassidy Of
Queens. who declares himself the asso-
cations friend. vet the members do ac-
knowledge that Mr.. Cassidy appears to have
funds for the purposes nearest their hearts
which he feels impelled to Use for other
leeds. The associations special committee.
which has already had four months Of
usefulness, has been compelled to point
out that while Mr.. Cassidy's protestations
are earnest and fair, the works by which
lie must be judged in their neighborhood
are below proof; and the committee is now
I'm communication with Mayor Low and
Comptroller Grout with view to obtaining
for President Cassidy the benefit Of these
officials ideas as TO the best course for
him to pursue TO give Far Rockaway its
deserts.
The leading complaint Of the Far Rock
away taxpayers is Of the roads of their
neighborhood. They had caused to be con-
structed fine macadamized streets and
highways prior to consolidation with the city
Of New York, they say, and had paid for
them. They assert that for the past four
years not a thing has been done toward
keeping these roads in order. with the re-
suit that they are worn away, rutted and In
a generally disgraceful condition.
The taxpayers say that the roads have
not been sprinkled as they should have been
and they add that had they been even
sprinkled the ruin would have been less
than it is. This statement is explained
by Mr.. Curtis, who says that carriages
disturb a macadamized road more than
wagons do, inasmuch as wagons pack down
the material Of the road while light car
riages do not The horses Of swiftly travel
ling light carriages disturb the stones In
the macadam and then the passing Of the
carriage does not pack down the remainder
of the road material as a heavy wagon does
he saws, while the absence of sprinkler
accentuates the damage by leaving the roao
material free to fly as dry dust or particle:
anywhere. whereas IL the road we're sprink
led the passing Of wagons or even carriage:
afterv ard would tend to bind together the
road material when softened by the water
'4f it had not been for the providentia
wetting OF the roads this last damp sum
mer" said MIR Curtis we should now b,
IN terrible state. As III Is u representative
of the Mayor who went down there to SCI
Just what the conditions are has reported
according to our local paper, that the road
are in even worse state than we represented
them to be. He found that, whereas ",
spoke Of ruts and holes here and there. as
matter of fact the roads as a whole are il
execrabe condition and need attention anC
proper repair forthwith"
The Association contends that Mr.. Cassid,
might have done something to keep tn
roads in repair al small cost, but that he ha
spent the sums at his command in labor il
various parts Of the borough, has bough
little material for road improvement, an
assuredlv has not bestowed on that part o
his bailiwick within the bounds Of Far Rock
away the attention il deserves.
A to the expenditure for labor. the aSso
citation contends that IL has been who'll.
disproportonate to the expenditure 70
material. TO such an extent that men hav
been employed to work. with nothin