The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-10
CHELSEA PARK LONG DELAYED.
CITIZENS UNION ACCUSES TIE
THREE COMMISSIONERS

The bureau OF city betterment OF tbs
Citizens Union yesterday published a
report charging the three commissioners Of
estimate and appraisal appointed to fix
a condemnation price for the property in
the proposed Chelsea Park site with pur-
posely delaying the final completion Of
their task for the money that Is In II.
Ths commissioned have held more than
lao sessions since their appointment on
July Is, 1905, says the report Of the bureau.
For attendance upon each meeting each
commissioner receives 80 from the city,
yet no figures on any portions Of the prop
erty to be condemned have yet been SUBJ
mitted. James W. Boyle, II. B. Devoe and
James Barker are the three commissioners
Of appraisal.
The proposed site for Chelsea Park lies
between Ninth and Tenth avenues and
Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth streets
and eighty houses and tenements and one
public school building are located in the
block. Already t~hirty-two OF the houses
have been purchased by the city Finance
Department by private sale and It Ia upon
the remainder that the board OF appraisal
has to fx prices for condemnation pro-
ceedings.
According to the accusations made by
the Citizens Union the delay Of the COM
missioners In making final settlement Of the
matter in their hands profits several petty
landlords who have Leaf ed the tenements
already purchased by the city and who
make the uncertainty Of their length Of
tenure the excuse for allowing the tene-
ments to run themselves without effort at
repair OF keeping up Of sanitary condi-
tions. Tenants pay their rentals week
by week, knowing that at any time they
may ave to vacate and expecting little
from the landlords in the matter Of better
ment.
So bad became the sanitary situation in
some Of these city owned and sublet tene-
ments that on the representations of the
Citizens Union the Tenement House De-
partment condemned seven Of the rock
cries several months ago. Others, in
Guiding several yet in private possession,
are still occupied, despite the vacation
orders Of the Tenement House Depart
ment.
or the conduct Of the business Of the
commissioners the bureau OF city better
ment reports in frank terms. II is de-
clared that a typical meeting Of the
board opened on August 80 with one
commissioner present and that a second
dropped in later in the day to register his
attendance so that his voucher for SO, the
fee for attendance pom a meeting, fright
be passed up to Comptroller Metz.
So far only executive sessions have been
held. When the commissioner have com-
pleted their appraisement OF the property
to be condemned, open meetings will have
to be held to hear the objections Of property
owners. This will necessitate man more
sessions Of the special body appointed
fourteen. months ago.
Under the city Charter the commissioners
are required TO submit to the Supreme
Court their report on the values Of property
to be condemned within six months after
taking the oath Of Office, unless an extension
Of time be granted by the court; this can
only be granted on the written petition Of
peal for the extension Of the Chelsea Park
commissions tenure Is on record in thu
Office Of the County Clerk, says the Cts
report. ~
The report Of the bureau of city better
ment calls this fact 20 the attention Of
Comptroller Metz. "The six months term
Of the Chelsea Park commission expired
January -, 1905" says the report. Before
that date the commission held only forty
three sessions. II Il Is true that no extern
forced the commission will not only not
receive $40 each for every one Of the 40 odd
sessions it has held but It will receive moth
ing at all.
ITO many this will seem a proper reward
for the COMMISSIONS labors. The impress
sion Is growing that a desire TO earn fees
rather than any effort TO conserve the inter-
ests Of the city Ia the cause Of the long
drawn out proceedings OF Messrs. Boyle,
Devoe and Barker"
Commissioner Boyle, who lives at l7s
West Eighty-eighth street, answered the
Rh arUQa taaf ninhf He aaids
The work OF the Chelsea Park Commits
sion has been greatly complicated and
considerably retarded by the action OF the
Office in sending agents up
erty outright which would in the natural
order OF things come under our consid era
ton for condemnation. The board from
the Comptroller's Office has purchased
about thirty lots. Many OF the people
they purchased from were individuals
and over whose affairs we had spent, in
some instances, several meetings.
The result OF this state Of affairs has
been great confusion. The board from the
Comptroller's Office has acted entirely
Independently Of ourselves and the work
OF our commission has been greatly re-
is that one OF the reasons why 20 many
meetings nave been necessitated n the
work OF youEcommission has been delayedf"
Doyle was hbkcu' |
Yes. that il the real reason. The com
would have been through with it's
work before this II il had been allowed to
set alone. and il the city had originally ac-
CURED title to all the property to be con-
demncd, as it nae power to do
Mr.. Boyle was asked II II were true that
NJ some Of the meetings only n or two of
The commissioner were present and that
The sessions we're brief.
well, the minutes Of the commission will
answer that, If the Citizens Union people
want to look it up. Yes, there were some
meetings that were brief. The commits
sion would have an appointment to meet
4 property owner, for instance, and he
would fail to show up. Then the session
would lave to be adjourned"
But each OF the commissioners would
$40 for being present, even though
no work was done?"
Certainly, IL wasn't their fault in those
instances that no work was done"
Mr.. Boyle denied that all Of the meetings
u the commission had been executive
meetings
~All Of the testimony OF property owners
a now in, said the commissioner -and
We now ave only to consider that and Ak
he prices OF the properties. Then We will
oe finished. That Will be some time this
The commissioner said that he was not
,wara ~ anu clat,aa in tha r{fu Fhart.~