New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-05
Mitchell Explains
His Stand on New
Courthouse Site
Also Makes Clear His Posi-
ton on the Garbage
Disposal Plant
BY BRIGGS

Mayor Mitchell issued two statements
last night to make clear his position
regarding the new Courthouse project
and the garbage disposal plant. The
statement explanatory of the new
Courthouse situation is signed not orly
by the Mayor but BY Controller Prem
dergast and George McAneny, who we're
his associates on the Corporate Stock
Committee of the Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment in 1911, when Court
house plans began 10 take definite
form.
In that year, during the regime OF
Mayor Gaynor, Mr. Mitchell pointed out,
a mandatory bill was passed by the
Legislature which gave only six months
for the selection of a courthouse site.
Mr. Mitchell, Mr.. Prendergast and Mr.
McAneny were opposed 70 the proposal
and favored reconstructing the exist
ing Courthouse. The Legislature, how
ever, ordered the work TO proceed.
Economical Site Chosen
Experts ascertained that the site
chosen was economical and suitable to
the purpose, and "the city Mr.. Mitchell
said. deliberately took more land than
it needed for the building itself, pro-
posing TO sell the excess sections at
the higher value that the improvements
would create" The net cost, after the
sale of the leftover parcels, has been
figured by real estate experts, the
Mayor said, at from 100000 to
81. 900 900. Other sites under consid-
Grafton would have cost from $4,000
900 10 $1s 100000.
Mayor Gaynor's Courthouse Board
and the justices of the Supreme Court,
Mayor Mitchell continued, selected the
type of building, as was their function
under the law. When it was discov-
cred, however, that this type would
cost SIS 200 900 the Board Of Estimate
ordered cut of 100000. The plans
were changed accordingly, and then
the board ordered further cut TO
$500 900.
"Whcn, in March. 1916. the Court
House Board pressed for an appropria-
ton in this amount" said the Mayor,
conditions had changed. The mount
ing costs of steel. due TO the war.
threatened to drive the total cost Of
the building TO prohibitive figures. CO.
incidentally. the city's borrowing mar
gin became greatly reduced through de-
rnands of the Public Service Commits
sion for further appropriations for sub
ways in excess Of their original esti-
mates. The Board of Estimate con-
cluded that it w,uld be good business
to wait until these conditions had
passed, and that the loss entailed in
carrying the idle land for year or two
would not be comparable 10 the loss
that immediate construction would en-
tail"
As to the garbage disposal plant, the
Mayor declared that the defalcation of
the old disposal firm in payments to the
city necessitated bids for n new and
modern plant, 10 be ready for operation
on January 1917. Bids were received
for plant on Riker's Island and for
another on private property at n site
TO be selected by the contractors.
Site on Private Property
"'The Mayor and the Board of Esti-
mate approved the Riker's Island
project" said the Mayor. THE Board
of Aldermen killed this on March 7.
1915. leaving the city but one course
ramcIy, to accep< the bid for plant on
private property, as only ten months
remained TO build a new disposal works.
Thus it became essential, not "a n mat
ter of choice. but OF necessity, to ac-
ccpt a contract for a plant on Staten
Island"
The Mayor denied, however, that the
plant vas nuisance. and declared that
10 would abnte II the instant il became
one.