August 24, 1901.





RECOKD AND   GUIDE.





239





crease of traffic on the surface lines in Brooklyn was for the
same period approximately 4.6 per cent., and on the elevated
lines practically nothing. Since the Introduction of cable and
underground trolley, the trafRc on the surface lines in Manhattan
and Bronx has shown the enormous increase of 20 per cent, per
annum, while the traffic on the surface cars In Brooklyn since
crossing the bridge has increased about 25 per cent, per annum,
and that on the elevated lines has shown a slight decrease.
Much of the Increase is due to the cheap seashore travel inaugu¬
rated since 1895. and also to the fact that many persons who
previously patronized the local bridge cars and ferries ana
walked from the Brooklyn terminals to their homes have pre¬
ferred to use the trolley cars and pay the extra 2Y2. cents to ride
all the way home. The increased traffic on the Brooklyn surface
lines Is not a correct indication of the growth of that borough
to the same extent as would be the case in Manhattan, where
the conditions have been more uniform.

"The wonderful development of Harlem flat-house property
and the corresponding stagnation of Brooklyn real estate show
how the public regard the question of local transportation; but
the time has come when the congestion on Manhattan Island
must be relieved, and with proper facilities and means of access
the section opened up by bridge No, 4 will offer inducements
which will not fail of appreciation. In Queens the main line and
the North Side Division of the Long Island R. R., which now
terminate at the Thirty-fourth Street Ferry in Long Island City,
would run over the bridge, and if a short connecting link were
built from Whitestone by way of Bayside to Jamaica, a belt
line could be operated which would furnish very satisfactory
facilities of travel to the thousands now living in that section
and to the hundreds of thousands who would live there under
improved conditions,"





Questions and Answers.

We nnist remind our correspondents that we cannot answer anony¬
mous communications. Readers must also remember that communica¬
tions io us cannot invariably be answered the week they are received.

VAULT RIGHTS.
To Ihc Editor of Ti-ir Record and Guide:

1 notice in your issue of August 17 a note with reference to
the decision of Justice Clarke affecting vaults at Nos. 54-56
West 3d St. In this note you state that this opinion antagon¬
izes previous opinions of the Appellate Division, If not of the
Court of Appeals. Would you be kind enough to state any such
decisions that you may have? I think this decision of Justice
Clarke should be reversed, if possible.

Answer,—A case in point is that of Zeigler vs. CoIIis, decided
by Justice Andrews in Special Term early in 1S97, and later
reviewed by Appellate Division, For subject of vault rights
generally see Record and Guide, September 29, 1900, page 3S4;
November 3, 1000, page 566. and November 17, page 656.—^Editor
Record and Guide.





Lorimer st. No, 243.    P, J. &. L. A. Eisemann have sold this
property for John J. Harrington to J. H. Dittmars,





The electric system of this borougli has been enlarged and
extended until at the present time all the leading streets are
covei-ed. and it is reasonahle to expect electric service in almost
every section. This fact renders it advisable to prepare all
modern houses for electric service. The necessary interior wir¬
ing can be done more economically and advantageously during
the construction of the building than at any later time, and
builders recognize such wiring as one of the important advan¬
tages in a new building; in fact, a new building of the present
time without electric wiring is considered as much out of date
as was one without gas piping some years ago. The Edison
Company will be found ready to co-operate with builders in
extending electric service throughout sections where extensive
building is in progress, so that the purchasers of new houses
may be assured the advantages of electric hghting at once.





Real Estatc Notes.





The price paid for the 7-sty apartment house on plot 75.6x100
at the northwest corner of Broadway and 95th st was $200,000.

Mrs. Lydia A. Clark, of Leavenworth, Kan., Is the buyer of
No. 353 Riverside Drive, reported sold in our issue of August 10.

Dispute about a party wall has stopped work on the Colhng-
wood, the big apartment house on West 35th st. between Sth and
6th avs.

Acting Mayor Guggenheimer signed the resolution of the Mu¬
nicipal Assembly fixing the tax rates for the several boroughs on
Thursday,  22d Inst., at  2.30 p, m.

The Sinking Fund Commission decided to take no action on
Commissioner Murphy's request ior the assignment of the Col¬
lege of the City of New York as a police headquarters when
vacated by the college.

Charles Maitland Gonnfelt, broker, of No. 542 5th av, is now
traveling in Europe with Count Zichey, and will return the latter
part of September, Mr. Connfelt was the broker in the sale of
the block front on Broadway from 33d to 34th st.

The trustees of the New Tork Public Library have offered to
the city the property No. 222-224 East 78th st for one of the
Carnegie branch library sites. The Board of Estimates have the
offer under consideration, and have referred it to President
Feitner, of the Tax Department, for report.

Sixth and Sth av electric cars now i-un to South Ferry. Work
on the introduction of the underground trolley on 7th av is de¬
layed for want of steel castings, for crossings at 23d and 34th sts.
The change to electric traction on West 10th and Christopher st
line is announced for Oct. 1st. but will not include the part of the
line on Sth st.

Prom 25,000 to 30.000 tenement house owners In Greater New
Tork have filed returns with the Health Department under the
new tenement law, and hundreds more are daily complying with
the statute In obedience to a circular sent out recently by the
health officers. Such returns must contain the owner's name
and address, a description of the property, occupations carried
on within Its walls, number of rooms and apartments, and num¬
ber of families occupying them.





WHEN   ARE   TAXES   A   LIEN?
Tl? ihe Editor of The Record and Guide;

If a deed passed August 15. 1901, with no stipulation in the
contract who shall pay the taxes (which we see by your Real
Estate Notes is 2.31). who is to pay the taxes—the buyer or
seller?

Answer.—The latest judicial ruling is that taxes are not a lien
until they are extended on the books and delivered to the Re¬
ceiver of Taxes for collection. Previous to this decision the
custom was to consider them a lien when the tax-rate was
adopted by the Board of Aldermen or Municipal Assembly and
approved by the Mayor, The new charter, which, however, is
not operative until next year, provides they shall become a lien
on the first Monday of October of each year. In view of the
possibility of differences arising, parties to sales of real estate
made between the making of the tax-rate and the delivery of
the books to the Receiver of Taxes should arrange among them
which is to pay the taxes,—Editor Record and Guide.





INTESTACY.
To the Editor of The Record and Guide:

John Jones dies, leaving no will. Surviving him are a widow,
a sister and brother. His estate consists of real and personal
property. A claims the widow is entitled to one-third of the
real estate and all of the personal property, B claims that only
one-third of the personal property and one-third of the real
goes to the widow.    Which Is right?

Answer.—Neither A nor B is right. The widow is entitled to
her dower, which is one-third of the net rents and profits of the
real estate during her lifetime. The real estate vests at once in
the brother and sister, subject to her dower. The widow gets
all of the personal property remaining after the payment of
debts and expenses of administration, if the residue does not
exceed :?2,000: if it is over that, she gets $2,000 and one-half of
all that is over that amount,—Law Editor.





PARTNERSHIP.
To tlie Editor of The Record and Guid.i:

Two men. A and B, form a partnership as masons and plas¬
terers. After a while A does work for himself in the same line
under his own name, but he has not dissolved his partnership
with the other man.    Can B be held responsible for his debts?

Answer.—If A, In incurring the indebtedness, does not repre¬
sent himself as a partner and the credit is not given to the
partnership, I do not think that B can be held. Still, if A's
creditors find out that B was in partnership with him, they can
give B considerable trouble. If B fears trouble, he should dis¬
solve the partnership and give notice of the dissolution to all
who have had dealings with the firm.—Law Editor.





THREE CONTRACTORS,

To the Editor of The Record and Gxjide:

A Is sub-contractor to a general contractor. B is sub-con¬
tractor to A. C is sub-contractor to B. C contracted to do
some work on a certain building for B, C does not complete
his work for B, and B notifies him' that if he don't complete hii
work for B, B will do it and charge it to C, E does the work.
In paying men to finish C's contract. B overpaid C. B applies,
to A for a payment. A refuses it on account of C writing that
he has not been paid the balance on his contract with B. A„
after receiving C's communication, urged C to prosecute if he
has any claim against B within reasonable specified time. C
Ignored everything. (1) Has C any legal claim against A or the
building at the end of ninety days after C stops work? (2) How
long will B legally have to wait before beginning action against
A for his money?

Answer,—(1) No. (2) He can commence action at once.—Law
Editor.