Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 15, no. 368: April 3, 1875: Supplement

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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