The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-10
CHARGES WEST SIDE
PLAN MULCTS CITY
Craig Says Railroad Gets Nalu.
able Lands and Rights
and Gives Little.
ESCAPES TAXATION TOO

Charles I. Craig. chairman Of the
legal committee OF the West End Asso-
citation, continued yesterday before the
Board Of Estimate his assault uton the
proposed plan for the Improvement OF
the IVES, Side. as submitted Ivy the port
and terminal facilities committee. The
burden Of his argument vas that the
railroad y ny will be n great imam
cial gamer through the proposed rc'o-
cation Of It's tracks and the exchange
OF property necessary therefor.
Attacking the assertion Of the com
mittee that the major portion OF the
lands to he conveyed TO the railroad are
practically vaiueless for general civic
purposes" he pointed to the Fffty-ninth
street pier. now leased to the railroad
for $4,000 a year. and FOR ten years
after 1921 to be leased for Nb.iS5 a
year. Under the plans OF the committee
,his property Is to go TO the railroad
In fee for SAlS, 900. Mr.. Craig de-
clared that this was an negotiable ex-
change.
He asserted that the railroad IL In
fact selling to the city It's franchise TO
lay railroad tracks In the streets south
Of Sixty-second street. despite the fact
that tho word franchise is not used.
the right To- operate In these streets
being designated as a surface ease
mcnt.' The total amount paid TO IN"
railroad for this surface easement
south OF Sixty-second street il sl,79l.-
bs0.
Fores~cs q Loss in Taxes.
Mr.. Craig con,ended that the New
York Central pays a tax on this fran
chise on An assessed valuation that ap-
proximately seems to he somewhat IN
excess Of the price paid for Il by the
city. He also averred that by grant
ting to the railroad company an easement
which will permit II to lay tracks and
Occupy the land either overhead or un-
der surface for railroad purposes
the city will free the railroad company
from any obligation TO pay a franchise
tax 10 the state. In 1915 the assessed
valuation OF the New York Central
West Side franchises for the purposes OF
franchise taxation was s3,692.sSe.
Mr.. Craig mentioned in detail IN
stances. "a shown by the plans, that he
believes support his contention mat CITY
ownership in the present railroad Aeht
~ way will be sold To the railroad CON-
pany for an arbitrary sum. parts OF II
repurchased for sums greatly In excess
~ that paid the city. and rights then
sold by the city 10 the railroad COM
many at one-sixth of the sum paid by
tho city TO the railroad company Tor
the sa me lands. He declared that there
are now I.ija.SIS square feet OF land
under water from Seventy-sccond street
10 Spuytcn puyvil. owned 10y the city
but used BY the railroad company, which
Il IA proposed to lot go for 100000
After giving in detail the specific sums
covering this operation Mr.. Craig SAID
.The rights that the railroad ON
pany gets at IS cents a square foot are
OF far greater value than the rights
IN the same land that II transfers to the
city at So a squar foot. In its present
FIGHT Of way the railroad franchise Is
subject 10 control and regulation by
ehe Legislature.
by the transfer and ~retransfer OF the
And as above shown the railroad Wholly
escapes from this power OF control and
regulation by the Legislature. II nc
longer uses a franchise granted by the
LEGISLATURE, but possesses an ownership
IN the land In the nature oe an easement
LANDS In the improved and land
ocaped portion OF Riverside PARK are
granted by the city to the railroad io'
railroad purposes al N.15 a square foot
There are 1866 square feet. or more
than eighteen acres of such iand' Lana.
OF the railroad in the abandoned right oil
way are granted to the city al " a
square foot"
Mr.. Craig denounced the plan FOR tht
location Of a freight yard at 135th street
lie declared that no such extensive
yard was necessary and that taxablf
values In the ncighborhood of II wou'c
he reduced because OF the necessary
erection in proximity to the freight yarc
. of great warehouses and terminal ouiin
,ngs similar to those provided Tor II
West End avenue from F,tty-hinth u
Sixty-fifth street.