New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-07
THE COST OF STREETS
Up to This Year the Bronx Rate
Was $166,264 a Mile.
PLAN FOR NEW METHODS
Length of Thoroughfares To
Be Legally Acquired Is
459 Miles.

400 Miles.
The campaign OF education to reduce the
cost of condemnation proceedings begun
several years ago is gaining new support
ers every week. In view Of this it is con-
fdently expected that the next time the
voters OF the greater city have an oppor-
tunity to cast ballot for or against GER
tain proposed amendments to the city
charter the majority will vote in the af-
frmative. With the adoption of the amend
ments the old expensive methods Of &C
curing property for public purposes WILL
II is hoped, figure only in past records.
In his address to the Taxpayers ALI
ance of The Bronx. Cyrus C. Miller, presi-
dent of the borough. outlined in a most in
structive manner the character of these
methods and what they cost. He also de-
scribed the damages the city had to pay
for change of street grade. AS regards
those damages he said. in part, as fol-
lows:
1T seems to be that damages for change
of grade are given for injuries to buildings
only. The owner of vacant lots may cede
without fear of losing such damages, as
there are no damages awarded TO vacant
lots for change Of grade.
1.-The owner of a building adjoining a
street which has been coded by him does
not lose his claim for damages by change
of grade, and may enforce his claim either
under section $50 of the charter In pro-
fnr uha "
the grade has not been established, or
under section s51, IN proceeding to regu-
late and grade, where the grade has been
established. The single exception TO this
may occur in the case where all the own
ers of the property in the block have
coded but this is extremely unlikely 70
occur.
Street opening proceedings have been
sources of complaint for many years.
The following extract from the Laws Of
New York, Chapter 4s3 of 1852, pages 966
and 967, furnishes an amusing instance of
the comparative cost Of fees then and
now. It is entitled An act to prevent
fraud in the opening and laying out Of
streets and avenues in the city of New
York and is as follows
Section / The compensation to the
commissioners In any proceeding mere
after to be commenced, lot opening or al:
tering any street or avenue In the city or
New York, north Of l4th street shall not
exceed in the aggregate. exclusive or nee
essary disbursements hereinafter men,
toned, the sum Of 80 cents a foot fer the
lineal extent Of the street or avenue, or
the portion thereof so 10 be opened or al
tered. The said commissioners shall COM
plete said proceedings on their part with
In mr.
appointment, unless further time shall be
allowed by the Supreme Court.
The saving to the people of the Borough
Of The Bronx by ceding may be seen from
the following facts. In the borough there
are S25 miles OF streets. On January l.,
1872 there were 366 miles Of streets legally
ACQUIRED by cession, condemnation or vest
ing Between January l, 1874, and January
l. 1912. there were 293 miles of streets con-
frmed al a cost Of S4s. rs, $50, OF which 3d.
1910 were assessed the difference,
amounting to Sl6,s3s,6sO, presumably was
paid by the city at large.
This is at the rate of $16S,264 mile, or
about SIG a front footage, equivalent to
800 city lot, Of which the part assessed
was at the rate Of a0S, $50 mile, or 80 u
a foot frontage, which amounts TO s25S 70
a city lot.
THE amount contributed by the city also
must not be forgotten, as every lot had to
pay its share OF that.
There remain TO be acquired 4Ss miles OF
streets in the borough, which at the above
rate would cost SO, $4,000. 1t must be re-
membered that the value OF property in
The Bronx before 1890 was very low, and
probably the values Of property to be &C
uuired would be much larger. The ex-
penses OF condemnation are taxed as costs
OF court The total awards from 1874 to
1912 were s45,l29 900, while the costs for the
same period amounted 10 s3,5Ss,460 making
siS 75, $50, as before stated. The costs be-
tween 1895 and 1902 approximated per cent
OF the awards. and since 1892 they approx
mated 10 per cent. They are likely in fut-
ure to be much higher.
Among other thugs, the costs or the
maps used in the proceeding are now
charged against the property, instead or
being paid by the city at large, as hereto
fore While these figures are somewhat
II is clear that II the 10Y
miles Of streets TO be acquired would cost
s76,4l5.O0O and 10 per cent might be saved
by ceding the people of this borough may
save at least s7,6ilOOO by ceding their prop
erty to the city rather than by undergoing
proceedings.
BESIDES this. the time saved by ceding
the property is very great. Property own
ers NAV proceed at once to the develop
,nent Of their properties by installing sew
ers and having other physical improve
ments made as soon as title Is vested IN the
city"