New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-13
HAS A COSTLY FARM.
ASKS s545, 900 OF CITY.
PeekskW Man Has Railroad, Spring
and PUL: on Aqueduct Route.

If The Dry Goods Economist" and Of the Root
Newspaper Agency. at No. 900 Greene street
in HIS correspondence with the Law Depart
ment has filed claims with the Corporation
Counsel for $4,000 on account Of alleged pros
pective damages to his farm back of Peekszu
because the city plans TO run the Cats1in Aque-
duct across his place.
lie Vino's farm consists of 30 acres. but the
city plans to take only 1OA acres Of it for a
right of way. The farmds in the town OF
Phillipstown. Putnam County, where lie Vino's
farm IS situated, say that the farm is one of the
poorest in the country, and that 5000 would be
q big price for the city to pay
To have some of basis for his surpris-
ing claims. lie Vino has built a crazy looking
railroad up the side Of his wood lot crossing and
recrossing the survey for the city's aqueduct
His railroad he calls the Putnam & Westchester
Traction Company. It seems 10 start on LIE
Vino's farm. miles away from a trolley line and
end at the top OF a knoll.
lie Vino bought the farm from James Gale
IN the summer of 1903. This the summer
that the citys surveyors made their preliminary
survey for the line of the Catskiu aqueduct
when they the line the Gale place
The official map for the aQueduct was filed
October g. 1903. Since that date, in addition
10 building his remarkable railroad, lie Vino
says in his correspondence with the Law De-
partment that he has discovered that his farm
Is natural park and health resort. He says
he has discovered a marvellously healing spring
on the place. This he has named Miracle
Spring. and has built cheap shed It.
The whole business would be farcical but for
the fact that Mayor Mcclellan, Corporation
Counsel Pendleton and Henry T. Dykmatl.
counsel specially retained to protect the city's
interests in Westchester and Putnam counties.
have learned beyond the shadow Of q doubt that
there is a movement amounting to a practical
conspiracy foot among certain lawyers to
compel the city 10 pay extortionate prices for
right Of way along the Catskiu aqueduct
This attempt OF LIE Tino's," said Mr.. Dyl1-
man TO q Tribune reporter last night in White
Plains. is the most barefaced attempt TO
compel the city to pay Lilwarranted prices fer
right Of way that has coTae Under my observa-
ton during my connection with the Law De-
partner Is counsel since 1876"
COUNSEL ON THE TRAIL.
The Mayor and the Corporation Counsel"
continued Mr. Dyknan, Instructed me to keep
under constant supervision the land needed by
the city for its additional water supply. and to
spare no effort or necessary expense IN protect
ing the citys interests ferreting out any
claim seeming TO be fraudulent. Under these
general instructions have made personal IN
spection Of the LIE Vino matter and shall forward
all the data to the Law Department to-mor-
row.
Mr. Dyl1nan is a son Of the late Justice Dyl-
man and brother Of William n. Dyknan, OF
Brooklyn.
tographs involved in lie Vino's claim viii be
fled with Corporation Counsel Pendeton this
forenoon When seen last night Mr.. Pendeton
said:
THE city IS ready and willing to pay a good
price for all the land needed for the CatskilI
aqueduct, but viii not submit to extortion"
Mr.. Pendleton is making investigation OF
the methods Of so-called guaranty and IN
demn.ty companies. which have obtained more
than three hundred options parcels needed
by the city for the water supply right OF way.
and Il is likely that he VIII call the attention OF
the courts to the conduct OF the lawyers en-
gaged In it
These companies have persuaded more than
three hundred owners OF land needed by the
city TO give them options. the land owners being
under the impression that the companies can
compel the city to pay three or four prices for
their land
nifty Company. which holds options on between
two hundred and three hundred parcels in Ul-
ster. has had nothing TO do with the LIE Vino
case. 50 far as the Law Department has discov-
cred The city has not done any business with
this company whose directorate, as given else
where. would seem TO be guarantee Of legiti-
mate dealing
lie Vino's demands are the most astounding
Of any that have been made UP TO date. After
making them. he writes under date OF December
81 1906 70 Mr.. Dykman follows:
do not care to stand in the way Of progress
and do wish 10 take any steps that would ap-
OF
Among the papers in Mr.. Dykman's possession
there iE an unsigned memorandum in connection
With the letter OF December 81, 1906. which says:
have Just learned that most Of the farmers
around Peekskill have placed their claims IN the
hands n lawyers. Mr.. L. IS IN position 70
Manipulate these people over the lawyers helis III
the interest Of the city If the city wishes MN 10
DO This is a mere suggestion, and take II FOR
what It is worth.
II is scarcely necessary 10 say that Mr.. Dyk-
did not bite at this. 1t is when lie Vino
gets down 20 the task Of figuring his prospective
damages that he says things which make the
lawyers wink
sOsfE ITEMS OF DAMAGE
First Of all, there Is the damage 20 his private
railroad basng 1t to 2 certain extent the
product Of a stone quarry which, he alleges, he
owns The city's engineers have hunted IN
vain for the quarry, something that reseih-
oles quarry, without success But lie VINO
Seems to have quarry right on the route OF the
equeduct, for his little railroad, with IallS
weighing about twenty pounds to the yard, runs
night along the SURVEY made by the CITY en-
elneers For damage 70 this railroad Mr. Le
VINO demands $4,000.
Then there is his Miracle Spring" There is
suspicion that lie Vino has visited Lourdes, in
France lie says that lie intends to establish
health resort around this sptag, with string
o. cottages on a rise Of ground known as Cat
Hi. The dana ge to thisprospective enterprise
is put at SlJ0OOO
AeEt comes the destruction by the city OF MS
hunting ground. lie Vino says that his wood
lot is natural park, and that il is a natural
abiding place for quail, partridge, rabbits ana
deer He asserts that he cancelled an option FOR
f%1tD for this park account CT inc proA-
iinity OF tt aqueduct.
Then tLers is the item of general and all
around damage TO his place because Of depriV-
hfH..x 1gfG