Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-13
ROUND ABOUT NEW york.
Rlpples on the Current OF Life In
the Mefronouta

HhAnnAea on the current OF AANe In
the Metropolis.
Land values I'm New York and vicinity
Increased so rapidly within fve years that
the returns exceeded any other form OF
permanent Investment II IL calculated
that owners OF land are dividing $500. 100000
as a result of last years Increase alone
The 1907 assessment roll shows that real
estate IN the greater city is appraised for
taxation at n total 500, 5O4,549 larger than
the fgures for 1906. But the tax COM
missioners do not fix values, on the aver
age, higher than 20 per cent OF the actual
market value 1t is plain, therefore, that
the Increase in market values Is at least
$3.50 100000 above last year.
These figures represent Greater New
York only In the suburbs of New Jersey,
Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk which
form part OF the new suburban rapid
transit zone, more than 5O.OO0.Oo0 Increase
has been established In the market values
during the last year. Thus the full Increase
In market values through the entire met
ropolitan district has exceeded 10000, 900
Tire outlay for new buildings and aitera-
lions during the year in the same terri
tory was $250,000O00. This is included In the
increase of assessed real estate values. So
the actual increase in land values, indie
struction, was s25O.OoO,OOO
Chinatown must goi The great Joss in the
Doyers street temple will soon pack UP his
trunk and grotesque altar and abdicate the
uncanny building which he has occupied
for decades The Board of Estimate today
authorized the laying out of public park
bounded by the Bowery. Pell and Doyers
streets and portion Of the block bounded
by the Bowery, Pell and Mott streets. This
will wipe out the heart OF chinatown"
The property will include about one and
one-half acres with assessed valuation
OF SbSSSOO No one appeared either for or
against the proposition and the resolution
was adopted with rush.
A feature Of the domestic kaleidoscope
which elevated travelling in New York af-
fords between and o'clock in the even
ing-where curtains are not drawn at apart
ment windows-is the succession of patient
women. sitting at the dining room table,
hands folded, one eye on an invisible clock,
reflection apparently having to do with the
overdone contents of a concealed gas stove.
Each woman is waiting for her husband;
each is seemingly rather calmly patient.
One instinctively wishes he could observe
dilatory husbands wander in with expla-
nation.
The building Of apartment houses in New
| York on the cooperative plan is attracting
| greatly increased amount Of attention,
and the idea bids fair to be applied In the
near future to the middle grades of null
tiple housings and eventually to the cheaper
kinds of flats and tenements. So success
full have been the the more costly buildings
erected on this basis that steps are now
being taken to give the plan a thorough
! trial in apartments OF the middle class,
and several Of those who have been ac-
lively identified with the work of provid-
! ing better accommodations and lower
| rents for the tenement population are also
considering the possibilities of the scheme.
Briefly stated the plan involves the pur-
chase OF the plot and the erection Of n
building by a group OF individuals. the
| founders. each of whom. through his sub
| scription becomes the virtual owner Of
one of the apartments in the completed
| structure The founders are organized
into corporation, which takes title to
the site and which at all times occupies
| with regard to the entire operation the
7 position or owner. Each founder receives
| a long term lease OF his particular apart
| ment at a fixed annual rent, which Is a
| small proportion OF the commercial value
1 OF the space occupied. This lease however
/ is little more than a formal necessary pre-
I caution, so far as has been shown In the
buildings already erected since the found
/ ers' rent is not collected II the remaining
! space in the structure not occupied by the
/ founder Is successfully rented and q
! founder may rid himself OF his lease la
bility at any time by selling his share In
the enterprise. This can usually be ac-
complished without difficulty.