davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
TAX RELIEF
TO Be DISCUSSED
City Officials and Realty In
tcrCStS TO Plan Big
Campaign.

AS the initial move in its programme
to obtain relief for real estate owners
this fall the Mayors Committee on
Taxation, Nathan Hirsch chairman. an
nounCed yesterday that hearing
would he called at an early date, at
which time nm opportunity will he af
fOrded TO representative real estate in
tercstS and city officials to discuss the
general real estate and taxation stu
alton. Mayor Hylan, Comptroller
Craig and President Cantor of the De
purtment ot Taxes and Assessme hts
have signified their willingness to be
present and participate in the discus
sion. II is expected that other mem
hers of the Board OF Estimate will also
attend.
Mr., lIirsch discussing the plan said
yesterday: EVERY one comedies that
the New York city real estate situation
has become serious enough from the
standpoint of overta nation, to warrant
effective measures of relief at the
hands OF the new State Legislature
The only way in which such relief can
be obtained is by the presentation Of a
, solid front at Albany through a dele
cation which will not alone represent
the sentiment of the best minds on the
subject but will also have the solid
backing OF the city administration, the
real estate organizations and citizens
Mt large.
"One OF the great difficulties that
have come up in past years In connec-
ton with legislative matters has beer
the lack of coordination with respect
to the preparation, presentation anC
| support OF real estate bills at Albany
Dozens OF bills have been presented
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

be reduced to the extent of over S76,-
ESQ. The reduction allowed in itself
was not sufficient to saddle the costs
on the city or the other 5000 'taXpay-
ers, but the ratio of the assessment
generally having been decreed at So
per cent, this percentage automati-
Cally produced another reduction of
s59,043, or n total reduction OF s102 1923
and costs were charged against the
city. The wealthy resident, therefore,
not only succeeded in securing a re-
duction in his taxes of $2,1S5.44, but
did so at the expense OF the other
5000 taxpayers who lost s5,4ss.i3 in
reduced taxation, costs and disburse-
ments.
The automatic reductions ordered
on account of the deCreed low rate
OF So per cent. in the Dickerman case.
and generally applied TO all New Rn-
chelle property in subsequent cases
proved to he the deciding factor in
taxing costs, disbursement AMI add.-
tional allowances against the city.
The case of the Ward estate on the
1916 roll is particularly interesting.
Charles \. Ward, one of the executors
swore that the properties involved
and placed on the assessment rolls at
s206. 100 were assessed a. 1877 per cent,
While New Rochelle generally was as
sessed at 10 per cent Of full market
value; that this figure was an over
assessment of s56.100 and demanded
,hat il be reduced to $4,000 The
referee reported an overassessmcnt
VI SliSJ0. and through the APP
oucation Of the So per cent. rate
lecreod in the Dickerman case, a fur
Their deduction of s2S,6s7 was allowed.
bringing the figures down to s16256
ami making a total deduction OF $43.-
49,. The overassessment OF S14s50
was not sufficient TO saddle the cost
IN the city, but the decree setting the
rate at So per cent. made up the de-
ticiency. This case cost the city ST.
>3H.0f and the individual taxpayer
gained S93l.70.
In October, 1916, Mr.. Ward. in In
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

claimed that the properties involved
and valued by the city at s436,7OO
were assessed at las per cent. Of
their valuation. while all other prop
critics in New Rochelle were at the
same time assessed on an average of
but rs per cent. Of full value. They
claimed the realty was overassessed to
the extent of s136, 700, and demanded
that the valuation of s436.700 be re-
duced to $2S3400. BY the report OF
the referee, duly confirmed by Judge
Morschauser, II was decreed that the
ratio of assessed valuations in New
Rochelle generally on the 1916 roll was
at So ner cent. of the actual or mar
ket value. The referee reported that
the properties were worth $393,620
against the claim Of $2S3,400 set forth
by the petitioners and that the over
assessment amounted to s43,0SO
against the claim of sl36,700. The
referee also reported that the prop
critics should only have been assessed
at So per cent. Of the $393,62O or
s334,577.
1t has so worked out that property
placed on the 1915 roll by the taxation
department at valuation OF S436,100
was reduced to sS34.577. a deduction
Of $102 1928 and the taxes from $9.S45.S6
TO $7,159.92, a remission OF $2,1So4i,
One of the points which hurts the
5000 other taxpayers most. and TO
which Mr.. Sutton merely refers in his
introduction, is that the cost of the
proceeding are saddled on the g
He says in his statement tha. the Law
provides that If the assessment cum
planned of shall be reduced by an
amount greater than one-half of the
reduction claimed before the ASSESSING
officers these costs and disbursements
shall he taxed against the city utl.r-
wise against the petitioner. In t.
report of the referee in the Dickerman
estate case the generalization i'
placed at st3.oS0, whereas IN order ,n
tax costs against the city the assess
ment of the petitioner would have to
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
FIXED REALTY TAX
RATE DEMANDED
Two Per Cent. Levy Wanted
and No MOrc-PerSOnal-
ity Should Pay.

Tho legislative committee OF the
Real Estate Board of New York sub
mits the following statement showing
the assessed value OF real and personal
property not only in New York city
but in the entire State:
Real estate in this State in 1917
was assessed at sl2.OO6, 966,764, while
personal property was assessed nj
sl,Oi7352, sos, In 1916 real estate paid
taxes on nearly Sl2.000.000, 900, while
personal property paid taxes for local
and municipal purposes on only $+5+
9S9.997. The committee has not the
figures showing the amount Of per
sonal property upon which taxes Were
paid In 1917 or 1918, but the proba
bilities are that the amount does not
exceed $500. 100000 in either year.
Every experienced observer agrees
that the value OF personal property In
this State vastly exceeds the value OF
real estate, and some experts put per
sonalty in the State of New York al
500. 000. 900, 900, or eight times the
value of real estate. There can be nc
doubt, however, in any mind but that
there is at least $50, 100000, 900 OF
personally available for purposes OF
taxation. The present system of as
sessing is, of course. absurd. For in.
stance, personal property in Hamilton
county Is assessed at $500 In Mon
roe the assessment for personal prop
erty Is $685., 900. In Onondaga county
it is s5,7S7 900; in Erie, including the
city of Buffalo, sl40OO,O0 and in Al.
bany, the richest city for it's popula,
ton in the State, personally is only
assessed at S7,310,000,
in addition 10 this assessment fo
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

local purposes personal property paid
in 1914 according to an estimate made
by Comptroller Travis, about SO, S95 900,
made up as follows: Secured debt,
100000; mortgages, $4,000 motor
vehicles. Sl.7S5.OO0.
strictly speaking. all that the entire
personally of the State paid for local
or state purposes was about $751;
$4,000, averaging Il 3 per cent. tax on
the $500, 100000 SeSsment.
The balance of the total amount OF
taxes collected in the state. $2s9.-
O69,646, for all purposes, except Fed
eral, was roughly made up as follows:
Excise Sl200G,90N corporations.
(franchise), $6.l42.313: organization
tax. s940,056: Inheritance tax, So
9S4,O1S; secured debts S429,6 stock
transfer tax. s4S65,7 racing associ-
atoms, $3.50; real estate, 1855 900 900,
and various small items TO make total
Of $3.50, O69.G
IF, as 1t is claimed, personal prop
erty values are very much greater
than real estate values 1t IS unjust
that the property of the smallest value
should pay $3.50 900, O00 and the prop
cry VI largest Nllue pay only SIe'oSOt-
900 toward the expense OF village.
county, city and State government 1t
IS argued that many forms of personal
property earn nothing for their own
ars. but this is also true of real estate.
Vacant land and vacant buildings earn
nothing and from many forms of i'm
proved property there is but very little
income.
Tie committee shall ask the Legis-
/ lature to do justice to all forms of
property. All should he taxed There
Is nothing sacred about any form Of
property. New York city property
owners however, have one Idea In
mind, n fixed tax rate on real estate
and that rate must not exceed 2 per
| cent per nnnum. II more income Is
needed for the support of the govern
mcnt that is not their affair. Other
forms of wealth are available for tax
ation. There are 10000 real estate
owners in Greater New York, They
are practically a unit in their demand
| for a fixed tax rate and that other
| forms OF wealth should bear fair
share OF the burden Of government"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
WALTER STABLER TO TALK.
VIII Tell Building Managers Hts
Attitude on Mortgage Loans.

Walter Stahler, comptroller Of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company,
is expected to address the New York
Building Managers Association on
the subject OF mortgages at the meet
ing to bc held December 10 IN the
Park Avenue Hotel. The subject OF
mortgages is an interesting one at this
time when so much depends on the
attitude of the lending institutions to-
ward new construction and the gen
eral real estate market.
The Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company is one Of the largest holders
Of realty mortgages in the country. It
has helped in past years many notable
building operations, In recent years
the company has given some attention
to other real estate fields because the
complaint was made that the company
was partial 10 New York although
other parts Of the country contrib
uted to the wealth OF the comp ny.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

able to sustain its assessments. no
matter what thes assessor ant might
have been. or upon what basis the
assessments have been levied. The
refer in each instance. whoever he
may have been, has always found
against the city. This, TO my mind,
is a very unusual thing
THE property under investigation.
(the Ward estate), and all interested
in the case agreed to this statement
is one of the show places of this city,
if not one of the most beauti
full places in Westchester County
1t consists of fifty eight acres Of
land, and II. Il, Ward purchased II in
1911 and paid $1,000 per acre The
property L. divided into two par
GELS. namely, the forty-nine acre par
eel and the nine acre parcel. The
nine acre parcel was valued by
two of the experts for the REALTORS
at $1,000 per acre. some s400 less than
Mr. Ward paid for it in 1911. The for
ty-ninc acre parcel was valued at $3.50
per acre, S1.o50 less per acre than Mr..
Ward paid for it in 1911.
1T VIII he agreed. I presume, that
Mr. Ward spent several hundred
thousand dollars in the Improvement
OF his place. but | merely set forth
the ridiCulously low values OF rela-
tors experts, without setting forth
the values of the city by comparing
their values with the price for which
the property was originally pur-
chased.
For the purpose OF argument. let us
disregard the testimony of all the ex-
pert witnesses except thnt Of ,IesR~
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
Builders Are Ready to Start Great
Construction Campaign Here
Higher Costs to Be Offset by
Higher Rentals-Large Prof
ects Not to Be Started 49,.
Until Next Fall

Now York builders are girding their
Inns like the gladiators of old in prep
ration for the great construction
work ahead. The wonderful under
,,kings which gave Solomon and his
men place in history as great build
,rs cannot compare, all will agree,
with the task ahead of the builders
- This city. For we'll nigh a decade
there has been comparatively little
construction here, while on the other
hand the city has steadily grown in
wealth, business Importance and as a
,rsiSential community beyond the most
liberal expectations. Since 1914. when
,ouch OF the business of the entire
world was transferred to New York,
this one sided development has been
Intensified with the result that New
York is greatly underbuilt. Survey
made several weeks ago disclosed the
fact that New York has about one half
as many homes, offices and factories
As II should have that all needs may
be satisfied.
Capital labor and building material
men are the masters OF the situation.
Like the starter at racecourse they
hold the starting gun. When capital
Is made available for construction and
hbor wages are adjusted to peace time
conditions and material men resume
fin fabrication of material, then the
gun will be fired and construction and
reconstruction of the city will be
started with rush.
Folks who will live through the next
i,'l years will witness a great trans
formation in the physical development
OF the city. Builders. and the most
Conservative of them, are agreed that
never before in the history Of building
has there been a similar situation.
Low sky lines will be lifted as high
as the coming law will permit; sections
OF the town skipped over in former
developments will be invaded and built
W. there will be heard in every cor
nrr Of the parent borough the machine
sun rattle of the riveter welding to-
gether the steel frames of business
Buildings, factories and apartment
houses. In outer sections of the
great metropolis the slower and more
measured rap Of the carpenters
hammer will echo through the streets,
o. across the lawns. or through the
trees, because this building period
ahead OF us is not to be centred In
Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens but
vii he found in every section OF the
urban and suburban zone within
forty miles of the City Hall.
Il is remarkable. the feeling OF
o,imisn that permeates the building
craft. Everywhere 1t is found in
larger or lesser degrees. 1t Is detected
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
Citys Most Costly School Building
Set Amid Fine Fifth Avenue Homes

TINE Bovee School for boys has
selected a building which for
its size and location makes It
the most costly institution property
IN New York city. The school has
taken dwelling in the best part
OF Fifth avenue. that facing Cen
II! Park, where values run into
a. S55, adjoining the south corner OF
NAty-ttfth street and on the same
block with the homes of Mrs. William
watts Sherman, Frederick Lewisohn,
lar5nce Mackay, William Guggen-
I'm and Mrs. James b. Haggin.
NJ the north corner of Fifth avenue
ana SiXty-tifth street is the Vincent
As'or house, and at the north corner
o. Fifth avenue and Sixty-third street
IS an apartment house which is re-
tirded as the most costly in the world,
rentals there averaging about $1,000 a
room a year.
Tie Bovee School Is the first to Sc
'e't 81 costly home, this section Of
LIE city being reserved for the homes
O. those who have an abundance Of
I' goods Of this world. But since the
i'"vce school is II private institution
altering to wealthy students a better
location could not be desired.
tn" deal, considered from a real
eS'ate standpoint, is a boon to the mar
h'' because the school paid c. Grayson
Martin profit for his contract on the
property although the operator had
"a4 the property in his control but a
mort time, It was an opportunity
winch had been overlooked by many.
J. Is Understood that several profess
e.onaI traders could have purchased
'he realty before Mr. Martin. The cir
c!mstances leading up to the purchase
ot the property by Mr. Martin from
airs. Seligman have not been told,
neither has II become known what
front Mr.. Martin made through the
urn Both deals were arranged BIZ
Fease & Gilman.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
BUILDING
PROGRAMME AWAITS
CAPITAL AND LABOR

be trained before they will have the
quality or production value OF their
coworkers.
Labor and money therefore will
hold back the big building programme
which has been mapped out for this
city. Construction of small flats will
be started next spring, but 1t will
not be for several months later that
the larger enterprises will be launched
because it would be too late to start
next spring the construction OF large
apartment buildings for the fall rent
ing, which is factor in planning,
despite the fact that builders and real
estate men say that the out of season
renting demand is sufficient to fill a
good many OF the largest apartment
houses in town
William II. Barnum, who with Will
lam Everdell, Jr, erected many large
structures In this city in the last few
years, notably the Guaranty Trust
Annex on Liberty street, which Is the
last large office building to be erected
ir the down town section; the Brooks
Brothers Building, at Madison avenue
and Forty-fourth street; the Longacre
Broadway and Forty-second street,
said that at first thought, the present
high cost Of building would seem to
argue against an early resumption of
building activities. When we remem-
Der, however, that for a considerable
period prior to the war there was a
large excess of space in New York
city over requirements and that now
requirements are considerably in ad-
vance of space. and when we remem-
Der further that New York city now
occupies and will continue to occupy a
position in the worlds industrial life
far more influential than during any
portion he period in which there
| was MOI IAN enough space for the
city's + rements, II becomes OBJ
vious tina, we must revise our first
impression.
Nor can we expect a very early or
radical decrease from the present cost
Of building" Mr.. Barnum said. 81 be-
lieve that the general economic stu
alton will rapidly develop to a point
where building in New York city will
be resumed and continued for con-
siderable period on a large scale. In
this connection we shall probably
have to accustom ourselves to an in
creased rental schedule and also to a
higher valuation on completed build
| ings.
Some doubt exists as to whether
the necessary financial assistance for
building operations can be obtained.
Personally l believe that the financial
end will not be the deterrent factor.
1t is we'll recognized that building
must be given the necessary assis-
lance, although every one soundly in
tercsted in real estate in the city will
proceed with caution and the hope
that we will not again be placed In the
position where space is a drug on the
market"
Mr.. Rarnum thought that the re-
sumption of building activities held
in check during the war period would
be one of the readiest methods Of alb
sorbing labor and material diverted TO
war work, and he is confident a dis
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
OPERATOR REsELLs FLATS.

=. The Mason Realty Company. Max
=, Natanson president. has sold 1906
.h'erstty avenue. "a FIVE story apart
Ilent house on plot s3E100. to the Ben
.hson Realty Company In exchange
s ,s purchaser takes 61la and So East
!zSth street. two four story buildings
on plot S3xl00. L. j. Greenberger was
.he broker in the transaction. This is
ule second OF the four houses bought
,"ecently by Mr.. NatAnson from the B. e.
construction Company to be sold
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
rLANSING DRIVE APARTMENTS.

me Fred +, French Company Is hav-
plans revised for Ave eight story
.artment houses Of various dimensions
" be erected at Riverside Drive and
'''h street for Arthur w. Hay, owner.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
Unable by Law to-
PreventLargeRe-
auctions at Great
Cost to the City,
Com m SSiOner
Sutton Issues In
usual Statement
in Hope Of Find
ing Solution for
Weighty Problem

New Rochelles Tax Department,
hoping to stop what it calls concerted
action on the part Of certain we'll to
do residents of the city to obtain lower
taxation on their properties through
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

Continued on Second Page.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1918-07-30
ALLEN FOR CONGRESS
political Advertisement
Hon. Louis Bennett For Watson.

Fairmont, July 22.-Hon. Lewis
Bennett, of Weston, who has been i'll
in Atlantic City, is considerably i'm
proved in health according to advices
received here today.
Arising from a sick bed he has sent
a message to Colonel C. w. Watson
expressing confidence in the Fairmont
mans success at the August primaries
and in the November election, closing
with a declaration thoroughly charac-
terrific OF the veteran Lewis county
Democrat:
II am for Colonel Watson and ex-
pct to give to his candidacy every
ounce of individual and political in
fiuence ! may possess"
Judge Bennett was the party candi-
date for Governor in 1908 and has nu-
merous friends and admirers in every
section of the state.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1918-07-30

have the government open the gate in
West Virginia as it is doing In the
South. by converting the great water
power. that is now being washed, into
cheap electricity that would throw out
inducements so strong that the mills
of the north could not refrain from
rushing forth to meet here in this zone
of power the raw material of the south
that may be better worke up in West
Virginia because of climatic conditions.
Let us send our coal where it Is most
needed, and with the money reaized
from its sale, let US use our white
coal''-our wonderful water power
let US build other industries.
The progress of country depends
entirely upon the power of that coun-
try to produce, and the power to pro-
duce, depends upon its natural re-
sources such as this district has, yet
its labor and capital may be entire
strangers to such resources and allow
them to remain dorment and therefore
practically worthless. The countless
acres of undeveloped fruit lands, the
hidden millions Of tons of coal, and
marvellous quantities of other mineral
sufficient to produce seventy-five pei
cent or more of the chemicals and by
products that are necessary to modern
! life and industry, most of these are
yet asleep because of the inadequate
transportation, lack of capatal, ano
discrimination and ownership manipu-
lation. Let the government continue
to control the railroads and finally
own them and such other public utili-
ties as are necessary, and let it also
be developer of new industries where
needed, if private capital can not OF
will not do the pioneer work.
| Win The War First.
Important as are the foregoing sub
jects to the people of the Second dis
trict, they are altogether secondary tt
the biggest job on earth that oul
nation is now engaged in, and that is
winning the war; We must subordinate
all minor issues and interests, we mus
solidly back our President and our mil
lions of fighting men, we must suppor1
our allies to the end and beyond, We
must do our utmost without stint o.
limit, to the very limit of our strength
and sendurence, we must do these
things for we muSt-we will win thu:
war. Let me help you do it.
ROBERT E. L. ALLEN,
Candidate for Congress
political Advertisement