New-York tribune., 1907-04-09
BLOW AT PARK LEASES
CITY IN EASY LANDLORD.
Officials TO ReUOkc Privileges and
ReIct to Highest Bidders.

Mayor Mcclellan Controller Metz and Park
Commissioner Herman, after a partial inVestlga-
ton which disclosed manifest abuses in the ad-
:1linistration of the Park Department have de-
ciGea u revoke all tie special privileges leases
and permits that are revokable, advertise Them
na4 set them 10 the highest bidders, where de-
s:ralle for park purposes, and where not de-
siraile % DO away with thcm altogether
Ckar.as s. Hervey, Supervising Statistciah
end FxsrsiGer in the Controllers Office mace 4
detailed report yesterday 10 the Controller on the
lark leases, privileges and permits. His report
shows that some of the Leases are allowed TO
control Immensely valuable concessions in return
for Their maintenance. the cost of maintenance
more tran cfrsctting the nominal rental imposed
BY the city.
The Co,ltroi!e- recommends also that no re-
d.ctions be made in rents and that no allowance
be given for repairs or alterations. Mr.. HerVey
saws there are some seventy existing leases per
rlits aud licenses in parks in Manhattan ana
Richmond. and that about dozen Of these pay -
ia S15 = month and some of the others . or 10
per cent oe their gross receipts. The report says
that there appears to have been IN some cdse9
an lnbusinesslike method of granting or renew
ing I,ermits and gives as an instance a slaiii
IN Ciry Hall Park which had yearly lease IRON IRON
Park Commissioner Wilcox at SlVoO a year. oU'
ovner of ahis stand does not operate II himself
hut suhlets it TO Greek at Sl66 81 montn'
,bus farming out the stand monthly proht
20 himself Of S1l634 Another stand At the
Hamilton Ferry. Mr TIervey says, pays only
Sl5 month while the Union Ferry Company
rets many times that amount for similar STANDS
on it's PREMISES only a few feet away
The carrouseI privilege in Central Park has
haen held for thirty years by Isidor Isaac ana
the present license is for ten years from 1908. al
~ ner cent Of the gross receipts. Since lsoI'
hEr Hervev says, the city has received an aver
age Of s4ss Sc from this privilege while in Pros
pect Park. Brooklyn. the carrousel privilege was
LET in 1906. after public advertisement at So'ooo
a year for four years = ,,,o,-s ay,d
inonrovements allowed to the lessee OF the Oiate-
mont Inn Mr.. Hervey shows, aggregate 90 go
$50 49, and he says that Ordinary pISii, ,,a e,cb
dence would seem 10 suggest that Wtere suCn @
extensive improvements on public ouidIhgs as
required for the public good the el'Y sIlouIu
nav the cost, and that the eNisung iease .!
license should then be relet or modified so lhaI
the CITY would be assured Of fair and reason
able return. -, ,.,iss;o,,er
,P Water supply Gas and Electricity be asked
20 ascertain whether the city Is oelng cohIpen-
sa4ed for the use of water used IN the places
enumerated in the parks. 1t is expected that
C,on1rnissioner Herman viii refuse 10 renew some
Of the leases that will expire shortly, ouI Ihost
of these are only small stands ana reiiesiiIliei1I
booths.
With the report Controller Metz gave out a
statement by r A Gusher. the lessee OF the
Claremont Inn. explaining that he had had TO
replace a stable near the inn that customers
objected TO- and that he had 10 build S9,eVo
automobile cellar and buy property near the Inn
70 make changes He estimated that the net
rental was actually SlS.139 30 year, and SAYS
that A thunderstorm Of an hours duration will
spoil an entire days business He also says
that he took in only SIS on last New Years
Eve and says business is good only on me
days from Nay TO November.