The evening world. Newspaper, July 27, 1922, Page 6

H \ ENORMOUS LOSSES TO CITY SHOWN IN SALE CF ISess | SITES WORTH $3.000.000 “Comparison of Values Shows ‘ Exorbitant Prices Paid for Properties. -TO BE AUCTIONED OFF. Value of Land Wiped Out Many Times by Loss of Taxes. i Comptroller Craig ts going to sell fo the highest bidders $3,000,000 worth of city-owned property which has been steadily accumulating for ~years and much of which is #0 much ‘deadwood on the tax books. Figuring af the present rate of interest this property, if in private hands, would be paying $63,000 a year taxes. [fone were to attempt to compute the lost taxes on this property during the years the city has belu it, it is esti- mated that the value of the land would be wiped out many times. In other words, no private concern, to use the language of one of the Comp- troller’s experts, could have weath- vered such a period of financial mis- management and remained out of ~ bankruptcy. More than a year ago it was de- ‘elded by Mr. Craig to get together « complete list of unused city property, .Before that none was available, for numerous reasons, the chief of which ‘was that friends of administrations ting back to the days of Tweed, even further, discouraged the compiling of such a@ list It would mean the disturbing of hundreds of long leases granted at ridiculously low figures on this class of property —leases obtained through political pull. The $3,000,000 worth of property “mow ready for sale is only about half of the city-owned lana the Comp- troller is determined to sell, The second list will mot be ready for some ume. In the present lst there are ten pieces of property turned over to the Sinking Fund by the Department of Education, four by the Fire Depart- ment, two by the Police Department. Much of the other property has been turned back to the Sinking Fund Commission by various city depart- ments, the City Charter compelling the relinquishment of such holdings to the commission after they have ceased to be of any use, Still other property on the list was acquired through foreclosure. Some of the property was given to villages for school and other public purposes by private citizens, and was taken qver when the greater city was incorpo- rated. Some of the purchases are wcented with graft, In other in- stances, particularly in the cases of @chool sites, one wonders why the Department of Education got rid of old sites. Was it to give some one an opportunity to buy new ones at ‘private financial advantages? Take old Public School Nb. 144 at N 28 to 34 Allen Street and Nos. 76 to 78 Hester Street, as an instance, ‘It was acquired in 1860—seventy-two years ngo—at the then enormous price of $124,300 ‘Te-day, after all these years, it is assessed at $170,000 on the city’s tax books, and its upset price at the coming auction will be $200,000. Real estate experts will tell you that the price paid was high enough to sult the most fastidious purchaser. Indeed, Pere he so inclined, he would have endigh margin to reward some kind official. This property, no longer wanted by the Department of Edw cation for schoo! purposes, was re- leased to the Sinking Fund in 1916, Tt should have been sold then, but it ‘was not “discovered” until Comptrol- Jer Craig ordered the preparation of the list. This has been gathered by a corps of experts working under the personal direction of Augustus J. Rinn, Appraiser of Real Wstate for the Finance Department. OLD VANDEWATER S8CHOOL GOES ON BLOCK. Among the city-owned property whose passing into private hands will mean the wiping out of a landmark replete with tender and other mem- orles of childhood is the old Vande- water Strect school. back of th Pulitzer Building. This school known as Grammar School No. 1 and as Public School No. 80, The site was acquired sixty years ago for $31,500, It now rents for $1,000 a year toa monthly tenant. Its assessed Vaiuation is $65,000 and its appraised value $70,000, It will be seen that some one was well paid for the Van- dewater Street site jurt sixty years ago. This is another site that could we been sold long ago and would still be renting for $1,000 a year if it hadn't been placed on the list by Mr. Craig's investigators, The property has been in the hands of the Sinking Fund for the past twelve years, Im 1915 the southeast corner of Rhinelander and Bogert Avenues, the Bronx, was acquired as a school site. ‘The price was $15,642. In 1919 the Department of Education decided it did't need this plot and turned, it over to the Sinking Fund after this raueh money had been wasted on it. The property has an assessed valua- tion of $11,700 and $15,000. it to the will it ba Old- timers who lived on the south fringe of Greenwich Village will yu what a wonderful thorough Bleecker reel was ls appraised a Perhaps the person who sol Department of Educatior attend the auction sale and bu) fare short after the Civil W when the blur Woods of the city lived a few block north om Washington Square, The gite of old Public School No, 13, at Bleecker and Downing Streets, wa “sold” to the city in those good, gen erous days for $111,243. The year of the sale was 1868 William Marcy Tweed, the Tammany boss, who died | in” Ludlow Street Jai! after he had been brought back from Spain fol- lowing hig escape to that country, was School Commissioner from 1857 to 1858 and State Senator from 1867 to 1871. If Conan Doyle could get in touch with his spirit, Tweed could possibly tell about values on Bleecker Street. Old No. 13's site Is not as lucky with figures as it was when Tweed was alive, for the tax books show that the property is assessed at only $49,900. Mr. Rinn's appraisal is $60,000, “Which is a long way from $111,243 in 1868. James B, Lent, of the old City of Brooklyn, donated to the trustees of School District No. 1, in the Town of Westchester, in 1871 . school site on the north side of Houghton Avenue, 279 feet cast of Castle Hill Avenue, Although fifty-one years _ have passed, the school of Mr. Lent's dreams has not yet materialized, The property is now worth $5,750, how- ever, and it will go vinder the ham- mer, Some think tho heirs of Mr. Lent, if there are any, might make a successful fight for the property despite the consideration of $1, pro- vided the deed contained a school- house clause. In 1901 a proposed school site was acquired at Jamaica and Hopkins Avenues, Queens, at a cost of $9 4€5,59. Twenty-one yeurs have passed and nothing has been done with the property. It is what the Comptroller characterizes as another deliberate waste of funds or worse. The property is assessed at $15,000 and the upset price on the auction- cer’s list is $17,600, SOME ONE WAS WELL PAID FOR THIS PROPERTY. In 1906 a plot was acquired at Myr- tle and Ridgewood Avenues, Queens, fer $26,000, Sixteen years later the nssessed value of this site Is only $24,000 and the upset price fixed .y the real estate experts ts only $80,000 Inasmych as real estate in Queens hus greatly, increased in value in all sections, the only conclusion to be dyawn from the various figures ts that some one was very well paid for she Myrtle and Ridgewood plot in 1906, After holding the plot eignt years the Board of Education decided didn't want it and turned It over to the Sinking Fund.Commission, The northeast corner of Juniper and Ferth Avenues, Queens, was bought for a school site in 1853 by the school trustees of Newtown in Queens. They paid $300 for the prop- erty which was never used. It 1s now avsessed by the Tax Department at $4,600 and appraised by Mr, Rinn at $0,000. Another abandoned school site is on the south side of Alton Place, 145 feet west of Kast 40th Street, In the old town of Flatlands, It adjoins the Dutch Church of Flatlands, whlere some of the earliest settlers wor- shipped, It was purchased in 1887 from George L. Lott. The Lott fam- ily, together with the Vanderveers, Remsens, Schencks and Bergens, were ‘among the pioneers of that section of Long Island. This land was purchased in 1887 for $1,800, Its presen: upset price ts $5,500. One of the sites relinquished to the THE EVENING WORLD, THURSDAY, JULY 27, he ne und Commission by the Department ts at Nos, 128-120 Third Street. According to the ords this property was used for nd repair purposes, The perty was acquired in 1830 for 1475, ‘The upset price at the com- ne auction sale will be $40,000. No, 180 Bast 83d Street was iuired for the Fire Department tor *s00 and was Used as quarters by the {ef of the Sth Battalion. The roperty WAS surrendered to the nking Fund Commission tn 1916 © property Is assessed for $9,600 J its unset price is $10,600 In 1859, No. 154 Clinton Street was ed by the city for $6,250. It fore been tn possession of for sixty-three years. It nown once os the Clinton Street irt. ‘The property is assessed at $29,000 and its upset price at the auc- tion will be $87,500. The Sinking und Commission has had this prop- erty for thirteen years, BIG PROFITS MADE IN SALE OF e city THESE PLOTS TO CITY. In 1904, No. 25 Bridge Street was juired the site of a firehouse The price pald was $35,000, For some nexplained reagon the fire house never materialized, The property was turned over to the Sinking Fund Commission seven years ago, It |s now assessed at $47,000 and Is ap- praised at $65,000. In 1906, Nos. 163 and 165 Monroo Street was purchased as the site of firehouse, The price was $60,000 After sixteen years the property !s assessed at only $36,000 and the city’s appratsers place its upset value for auction purposes at $45,000, showing that someone made a good profit when the land was sold to the city One of the most interesting pieces of property in possession of the cit the corner of Delancey and dge Streets. Although tt is as: $40,000 and appraised at amount, cal because which a that {ts real worth {s problemati- of the condition to purchaser would have to subscribe, Beneath the property 1s one of the immense Catskill water supply valves. Because of the deli- cacy of the machinery the purchaser of the site must erect underground walls and foundations and other pro- tions, give up part of his founda- tion space and subscribe to many specifications prepared by Board of Water Supply eng neers. Despite these handicaps the corner is one of the finest, from a business standpoint, on the lower cast side, In 1914 the Police Department had purchased for {ts use, presumably for station house purposes, the southwest corner of Brook Avenue and 142d Street. The sum of $26,000 was paid for it. Still a vacant plot, it is now assessed ut $15,600 and the upset price at the auction sale will be $19.000. ently this was not a good in- ment for the city. In 1885 No, 49 Fulton Street, Brook- Jyn, was purchased for $37,000. For many years it was the home of the police and detective force of the old city. When the Brooklyn Bridgs opened in the early seventies lower Fulton Street between Sands Street and the river, on which the police sta- tion was located, was given a severe blow. The Fulton Street ferry from’ then on ceased to be the main gate- way to Manhattan. That left the old station house with its Greek temple front hidden away from the main stream of life. It still stands, Its brownstone front bearing the scars of age and neglect. The property ts as sessed at $15,000, but the city will try to get $18,500 for it Last but not least of the proper- tles to be sold by the city is Nos, 24 and 26 Peck Slip. The city acquired this land from the old town of New Amsterdam undr the provisions of the Dongan Char- ter in 1688. This land was Dutch and English ‘ia turn, according to the for- tunes of war, until it finally becam: United States territory. Originally the land was under water, Accretions from the East River filled ft In and it was first known as Peck's wharf. Just what this property wil bring is not known, It is considered quite valu- -ble. i RESCUR WOMEN AND ELEVEN CHILDREN FROM FIRE. BROCKTON, Mass, July 27,—John Maloney and bls eldest son, John Sr. twenty-three, rescued Mra, Maloney an: eleven children from thetr burning dwel ling to-day and then fell to the floc overcome by smoke, Patrolmen carried them out. 1922, NEWARK OFFICER SAFETY INSTITUTE HELD FOR MURDER) PLAN TOMAKELIFE REMANDED FOR DAY) SECURE IN ClTY Killed Heinen Cop During Theft of $21,000, It Is Allege” Patrolman Adam Dresch, eight years old, of 97 Wilsey Avenue, Newark, © member of the Newark police force under euspension «ince Aug. 18, 1921, was remanded for twenty-four hours to-day when ar raicned before Recorder Walter y West Hoboken in connection with 1) murder of Detective Charles Harm: on Jan. 28, last, The delay was granted at the re- quest of Chief of Police Charles Rohr- bach of West Hoboken, The Newark Policeman has not yet been confronted by the material witnesses nor by Sec- undo Gallo, the bank messenger who was held up by the four thugs when Harms, who was guarding the mes- senger as he took $21,000 to the Post Office at West Hoboken, was killed According to the police, however Dresch answers the description of the driver of the car in which the robber drove away after the shootin A third material witness w: twenty § taken into custody early to-day — Ie Herbert Gerhardt, twenty-six years Ho old, of No. 221 Madison Strert boken. The other two materia nesses, taken into custo: are Edward Flaherty, of No. 642 a K Avenue, Weehawken, and Ju Mason, of No, 13 West 18th Street, Weehawken, They were held without bail, charged with cone Ing facts about the murder, Flaherty and Mason have admitted, the police say, that they saw the four men running from the automobile after the hold-up, going along the tracks of the West Shore Railroad to Pershing Road. Men attached to the office of the Prosecutor in Jersey City have gone to New York to make arrangements to have Martin Lyons, the New York mail carrier arrested yesterday in connection with the Harms murder, held for thirty days, pending his ex- tradition to New Jersey. Lyons, ac- cording to Chief Rohrbach, answers to the description of the man who shot Harms. The automobile was left after the shooting In Baldwin Avenue, Weehawken, Lyons is attached to Station C, New York Post Office. He was arrested yesterday near the station in Ninth Avenue near 13th Street, Manhattan He lives at Dunellen, N. J. Dresch was suspended following charges by Frank Tichnor and Miss Dorothy Clinton. He was then in dicted by the Grand Jury on the charge of assault and battery, found guilty and sentenced to three months in the Essex penitentiary. He ap- pealed and is out on bail. The couple charged that the policeman beat them in Weequahic Park, Newark. ee eS BATHER’S BODY RECOVERED AT CONEY ISLAND, The body of Morris Isalc, No. 363 South Fourth Street, Brooklyn, was re- covered off Beach 38th Street, Coney Island, at 7.40 o'clock this morning, His clothing was found in Locker No. 88 of the Whitney Baths, West 29th Street, Coney Island, evening of July 21. AT EVERY MEAL There is one dish or more that will be made more inviti by a dash of w= 65’ ‘Stamped one Shoe Mesos Standard of Merit )BCAUSE these Novelty Strap ? Effects, Sandals and Oxfords for women MUST MOVE FASTER asthe season advances. All are this Spring and Summer models, formerly sell- ing at prices up to $12.00. Plenty of Whites and Patent Leathers. THIS SALB IS IN PROGRESS AT ALL THREE STORES CAMMEYER 47 West 34th St, New York BROOKLYN — 390 FULTON 6T. MEWARK — 649 BROAD 6T. STORES WILL BE CLOSED SATURDAYS DURING JULY AND AUGUST } a V. Coleman, Director of Committee Gives Plans to Save Tragedies on Streets L. V. Coleman, Director of the Safety Institute of America, explaine’ to-day the plans that wil be followed {n the campalgn to make the streets of New York safer for pedestrians nd to cut down the accidents tn tn- lustrials establishments. Elbert J. ry Is Chairman of the Public Safety ‘committee, composed of hundreds of Prominent citizens, which is backing the campaign of the Safety Institute Mr. Coleman's statement follows: “The campatgn falls {nto two parts a safety week {n October and con- tinuous progress for the succeeding twelve months, “Safety Week is an intensive dem- onstration which serves three pur- poses, First, It demonstrates that afety is practicable by actually low- ng the deth ratea for the seven iays. A well managed week never fails to eccomplish this result. See- ondly, it enlists the interest and sup- port of those leaders in the commu nity. upon whose continued help and Insting aciedent reduction must de pend, Thirdly, Safety Week gives publicity to the mechanism of the permanent program mnaed assures fdr it serious attention and confi- dence “The continuous programme in the week complete City “The first and most important feat- sutetoy teaching in the public jal schools. It has been shown that one-half of all that can be done to prevent public accidents can done through the schools. A plan ©’ the safety institute for rendering as- tance to teachers in presenting ety to their classes has received the official approval of Dr. William L. Et- tinger, Superintendent of Schools, “The second feature of the pro- gramme is a school for automobile which will be conducted in as invites participation whieh ‘a innovation for New many reparate clanses tn the five to-| BOBBED HAIRED GIRL | realtor. atlede hte mounts ¢ oughs as may be required to serve the need, In each class a course covering three months will be given. “The third feature is a programme of general erucation through the press &and platform to inculcate into the pub- lie mind the principle of accident pro- vention and « wholesome desire for law enforcement. An interesting part of this effort will be the formation of an organization of speakers similar to the “four-minutemen" of the Liberty Loan drive ‘The fourth line of work sill be in industry. The small plant is unable to combat its accidents problem be- cause only a few employees are in- volved and the management cannot} rhe ; girl was dressed in a white pela ty eth beret at amant{@dy blouse, brown skirt, black silk ampaign. Tor the benefit of amall)«tocking and brown shoes. She has managers, therefore, schools for fore- ; nen will be conducted in the five voronghs, It has been discovered hat the foremen are the men who can control ane es accidents, REVEALS TH THE NAME OF ACCOMPLICE IN POST OFFICE THEFT Little Silver Robber Betrays Confederate--Postmaster’s House Looted. Detectives at Little Silver, N. J., sald to-day that they had obtained from James Ayres, forty, the thief who was drowned out and captured in @ vacant house after robbing the Post Office there, the name of a man who aided him In the robbery. His arrest is expected. Ayres, who waged a four-hour battle with policemen and firemen and shot County Detective J, B. Rue in the hand, was held for the Grand Jury and may spend the rest of his life in prison, He said he had intended to kiN him- self rather than be captured. He for- merly lived In Little Silver and was released three weeks ago from the Trenton prison, where he had served a term for robbery, Little Silver had another thrill last night when the home of Postmaster Clark B. Kemp was robbed. The thief got in a rear window and stole a diamond ring, revolver and cloth- Ing. Franz Rafvlt, sixt man about the ‘Trinity Avenue, the self to a transom in his room fn the basement there this morning. He house papers dated in this city in 1890, six weeks, Bronx, hanged him- had in his pockets 48 cents and citizenship He had been employed in the house about IS AMNESIA VICTIM Pretty, Weara C Good Clothes, but Can’t Tell How She Got to Bordentown. BORDENTOWN, N, J., July 27.—A sixteen-year-old girl was found on the porch of the home of Bert Hargrove in Farnsworth Avenue at a late hour last ight in a dazed condition, evi- dently an amnesia She w unable to give victim. her name or address or to tell how she came to be the black bobbed hair and Is pretty. It is thought that she may have been put onto the street from an automobile The girl was taken to the home of James Monroe in Farnsworth Avenue and will remain there until she is identified by relatives, It was said pee edi cade BANKRUPTCY PETITION AGAINST INVESTMENT BROKDRS, An Involuntary petition in bankrupey was filed to-day against Wee, Edwards & Co., investment and stock brokers, with offices at 847 Madison Avenue, only one creditor signed the petition, this under the law, Indicating fewer than fifty creditors. John Quinn the $5,987 and that it was assigned to him by McFadden & Co., inc., and that his concern had advanced money to the al- leged bankrupt corporation, ‘The Mabtl- ities are estimated at $35,000, No eatl- mate of assets is mad Refrashment Sets from $5.00 to $100.00 FTER the last set of tennis, the young people willseek the shade of the veranda, where they will find waiting for themacooling drink, with theicetinklinginthecrys- tal glasses of arefresh- mentset from Ovington’s. OVINGTON’S “The Gift Shop of Fifth Avenue” FIFTH AVENUE AT S9TH ST. 100 M very smartly fashioned popular weaves; in exceptionally Instead Bed Room Sets from . Italian Dining Suite at $449 ECAUSE of Flint & Horner’s August sale, with Fey acca) suoouues, poo ty tay ie teal 10 piece Italian dining suite at a saving of $225. The re- strained decoration of the oblong table, the closed china cabinet, the graceful chairs with tapestry backs are just a few high-lights in a very lovely group of things. Dining Room Suites from. . « FLINT & HORNER CO., INc. 20.26 WEST 36TH STREET A few yards from Sta Aveame Important Sale of Wrist Watches for Men and Women Women’s 18 kt. White Gold Wrist Watches, beautifully engraved and fitted with ts jewel, 5 adjustment movement, Women’s 14 kt. White Gold Wrist Watches, rectangular shape, fitted with 15 jewel, 3 adjustment movement. Men's Wrist Watches of Sterling Silver in round and cushion shapes fitted with 15 jewel, 3 adjustment, Swiss movement. (MAIN FLOOR) of $674 $279.00 to $1197.00 $240.00 to $1195.00 2975 vegularly 39-73 2475 vogularly 94.79 1275 (Mi sses’ Separate The Blouse for women, women’s sizes. Dainty Overblouse: turmeback cuffs . . Habutai Silk Spor models (Third inclu Sports Coats of-tan ga at . «© © «© « Golf Knickers of white Worsted Bathing Suits Silk Half-hose, with ~@ (Sixth Madison Avenue 34th and 35th Street sizes 14, Union Suits of white plaid madras: . heels »« © © © © © © «© «6 Also Luncheon or Motor Cases of black enameled duck, with service for six persons . GB. Altman & Cn. Spe cial for to-morrow (Friday) isses’ White Silk Sports Skirts of the season’s 16, most 18 and 20 low-priced at $7.50 Skirts, Second Floor) Mepartment offers, in regular stock, attractive values in Imexpensive Blouses and for misses who can wear Included are S in the new, smart middy style; with three-quarter sleeves and $2.90 ts Blouses; tailored $5.00 & 6.90 sd | Floor) The Department for Catalogue and Folder Merchandise is showing, at special prices, a large and varied assortment of Men’s Summer Clothing ding bardine . . $18.00 Summer Trousers of superior white flannel, $7.50, 8.00 ortaniimen . 5.25 (coast style) . 3.85 95c. lisle tops, soles and 50c. $11.50 Floor) Fitth Avenue 8 RNew Dork