L©^ on til© evemsi





Tlic West Side Association was organized
in the year 1800 for the purpose of promoting
West Side improvenienls and prolecling the
interests of properly owners. It makes no
(iiialification for nicmhership.

All persona avIio own or represent property
west of the Central Park, and northwardly as
far as the jurisdiction of the Department of
Public Parks extends, are entitled to hecome
niembei-s, and all such persons are -nelcomed
lo the meetings, and are invited to participate
in Die discussions. It is an association of the
people to create and concencrate pnblic opin¬
ion ia support of AVest Side measures, and by
llie power of this public opinion, which is the
greatest political force in existence, to accom¬
plish results beneficial to the pnblic and to the
legitimate interests of property-holders.

The chairman of each of these committees
is charged with the duty of investigating the
subjects committed to him and of accumulat¬
ing facts and information for the association.
Whenever, therefore, any question of local
interest arises in regard to any particular
street improvement, it will lie practicable for
the property owner lo obtain information from
the officers of the association; aud if a repre¬
sentation ought to be made to any public offi¬
cer or department, the committees will attend
to it alone, or in connection with a local dele¬
gation.

By this means the power of the association
is exerted iu favor of an individual property
owner, aud in support of the right side of_auy
, question of local improvement.

The officers of this association fin-1875 are:
President—William T. Blodgett.
Secretary—Francis'M. .Tekcks.
Preasurer—l^im.iv G. Weaver.
Executive Committee.
Maksiluj. O. Kobehts, D.vniel F. Tieman,
John W. PnissoN,        AVilliasi: P. Dixon,
AVrLi,iA:M B^gden,      Lewis B. Rkown,
Wheei.eu il. Peckuam, JosEi'ir AA^". CiiOWES,
Courtlandt Paljier, V. K. Stevenson,
Thomas A. Yyse, Jr.,   AVal Richardson,
IT. B. Claflin,               Ethan Allen,

Isaac P. Martin,           George IT. Bissell,

Russell Sage,               James Earle,

Fernando AVood,          Leavis J. Phillips,

Cyrus Clark,                Martin Zboroavski,

E. S. Higgins,                James Flannigan,

Simeon E. Church,      Charles Sanford,
Daniel Butterfield, AVm. A. Wheelock,
Dwight H. Olmstead, Joseph W. Drexel,
Q~^gf7LAND N. Hazard, John A. C. Gray.

I^ame" lan^                                     •





The Executive Committee has been divided
into six sub-committees, viz.: on
Transit,                               Taxation,

Local Improvements,       Legislation,
Assessments,                        Finance.

THE MEETING AT HARVARD HALL.
On the evening of Thursday, jNIavch 18, one
of the most important meetings ever held by
this association, and Avhich Avas attended by
numerous property owners, .assembled at Har¬
vard Hall, corner Forty-second Street and
Sixth Avenue. There Avas hardl}^ a seat va¬
cant in the large hall, and at no time since the
liistory of the association Avas such a- dcter-
miniition evinced on the part of all assenililed
to urge upon the authorities the necessity of
improving the AVest Side and continuing to
make the metropolis Avhat it is destined to be,
under able management, the fairest city on the
face of the globe. The following is a full re¬
port of the meeting, Avhich Avas called to order
by the President.

REJtIARKS OF MR. AVILLIAM TILDEN
BLODGETT.
The objects of this meeting I suppose arc
well understood bj' those present, as they were
alluded to in the invitations to the meeting
Avhich Avere sent to the owners of property
uorth of Fifty-ninth Street and Avest of Cen¬
tral Park. TlK^y ^I'^i briefly, to present the
vicAVS of propertj'' holders in regard to the
completion of certain impvoA^ements for Avhich
assessments have been levied and paid, and
in regard to the laAvs now before the Legisla¬
ture for providing the means of securing rapid
transit, t&c. The AVest Side Association has
lately been reorganized, its object being to
protect and advance the interests of property
OAvners in this city, and particularly the in¬
terests of those OAvning property in what is
commonly known as the AVest Side, being that
portion north of Fiftj^-ninlh Street and Avest
of the Eighth Avenue. At a recent meeting
of the Executive Committee a sub-committee
Avas appointed to draft resolutions, to be pre¬
sented to tliis meeting, upon the subjects be¬
fore referred to. Mr. Olmstead, the chairman
of that committee, will present to you the
resolutions. The present is an exceedingly
important lime for the property owners, in
which they should not fail to act.





At the conclusion of Mr. Blodgett's re¬
marks, Mr. Dwi.ght IT. Olmstead Avas intro¬
duced, and read the folloAving :

REPORT   OF  THE   EXECUTIVE   COM-
JIITTEE.

At a recent meeting of the Executive Committee of
the West Side Association, the undersigned having
heeu appointed a committee to express, in the form
of resolutions for the action of the Association, the
views of the Executive Committee relative to up-town
improveinents, assessments. Rapid Transit, and the
resignation of its late President. William R. Martin,
Esq., heg leave to suhmit the following report.
Whereas, Several years since, certain public improve¬
ments were initiated by the authorities of this City,
and asscFsmenls levied therefor upon adjacent prop¬
erty,   for  the benefit supposed  to  he   derived from
such improvements, which assessments have been paid,
or are now a lien upon the l.ind, hearing twelve per
cent, interest; and

Whereas, The improveuients for which such assess¬
ments were levied, have not been made, hut the work
thereon stopped, nnder the specious but unsound plea
of economy and retrenchment, and that the city is un¬
able to hear tho burden of advancing the money to pay
for the same; and

Whereas, The local assessors have, year hy year, in¬
creased the assessed valuation of such property, for
the purpose of taxation, upon the assumption that the
property so assessed has been benefited by these im¬
provements, and its value thus greatly enhanced, there¬
fore

Pesolved, That this Association deinands, as a matter
of right and common justice, tbat the public improve¬
ments, lor which asessraeuts have already been im¬
posed, shall be comvileted without further delay; and,
particularly, tiiat Morningside Park and Avenue, and
Riverside Park and Avenue, .he completed according to
the designs and plans adopted hy the Department of
Public Parks.

Ilesolved, That the hest administration of our munici¬
pal affairs would involve, not only fidelity and economy
in the inihlic expenditures, but the prompt, vigorous,
and efl'ectivc prosecution of all tho great pnblic im¬
provements so wisely planned; tbe completion of
which would add largely to the assessable value of all
up-town property, and thus reduce the tax-rate in the
entire city.

Resolved, That in view of the present low price of la¬
bor, the needs of the workingmen, and the excellent
credit of the city, it is both the interest and the duty of
the city at once to commence and finish the public
works above referred to.

Eesolved, That this Association recognizes the abso¬
lute necessity of some immediate means of Rapid
Transit, regarding it as essential to the continued pros¬
perity and growth of this city, and respectfully urges
the city authorities to devise some means for its ac¬
complishment, believing that the people Avill hold them
strictly responsible for their failure to do so.

Pesolved, That while this Association regrets the res¬
ignation of its late President, William R. Martin, Esq.,
rendered necessary hy his appointment as a memher oS