Queens County Bills

New York, 1895

CITY TREASURER KNAPP HAS A $10,000 EGG HATCHING.

A Bill to Create a Commission to Settle Arrears of Taxes — Long Island City Wants Five Supervisors — More Newtown Creek Bridge Jobs — Water and Cemetery Legislation.

(Correspondence of THE FARMER.)

ALBANY, Jan. 31.

City Treasurer Knapp of Long Island City has a beautiful job before the Legislature. Assemblyman Vacheron has introduced a bill to make Mr. Knapp a commissioner to revise and correct valuations for purposes of taxation. He is to remain in office until the close of the year 1896, and he is to receive $10,000 for his services and disbursements, and the less the disbursements, the more there is in it for Mr. Knapp. It is a beautiful job, which no one but Mr. Vacheron would have the nerve to father. Mr. Knapp is a Republican who believes in grabbing all that there is in sight.

There is still another bill here to revise and correct assessments in the city and the towns of Queens county, with a view to clearing up arrears of taxes. This bill creates a tax revision commission and names County Treasurer Joseph Dykes, Supervisor Martin V. Wood of Hempstead, and ex-Custom House Officer Colonel William S. Jones, of Jamaica, as a board of Commissioners. They are to have $1,500 a year each, with necessary disbursements. Solomon S. Townsend, it is said, will be substituted for Mr. Dykes.

Assemblyman Madden has introduced a bill to authorize the extension of water mains in Long Island City, where the annual revenue will amount to ten per cent. of the cost, and authorizing the issue of bonds to defray the expense.

Mr. Fairbrother has introduced a bill "for the further protection of cemeteries" in Queens county. The bill authorizes the officers of any cemetery to appoint as policemen all watchmen, superintendents, gardeners and agents in the employ of the cemetery. They are to have all the powers of constables. The bill does not say who is to pay them, therefore they will all be entitled to collect statutory fees from the town of Newtown for arrests and the like.

There is a piece of property in Long Island City which was owned by one Anton Polak, and which fell to the state on the death of Polak. Assemblyman Madden has introduced a bill by which all the interest of the state in the property is to pass to Long Island City.

Assemblyman Madden has introduced a bill affecting the public offices in Long Island City. The mayor is to hold office for three years and receive a salary of $2,500. There are to be five ward aldermen and two aldermen at large, and they are to be paid annually $600 each. The overseer of the poor is to hold office for two years and receive a salary of $500. Two justices of the peace are to hold office for four years and their salary is to be $2,100 each. There is to be a court stenographer at a salary of $2,000. Each ward is to have a Supervisor. There are five wards.

Mr. Vacheron introduced a bill in relation to unpaid taxes and water assessments in Long Island City; Mr. Madden, relative to the extension of water mains in Long Island City.

Mr. Fairbrother introduced a bill for the protection of cemeteries in Queens county and providing for watchmen.

Lucien Knapp, treasurer of Long Island City, has had a bill introduced by Assemblyman Vacheron, which permits the treasurer to appoint a commissioner to settle tax arrears in Long Island City. He is to be paid $10,000. Assemblyman Madden will fight the bill.

Mr. Wilks of New York, who appears in the blue book as a "manager," but was simply called a bartender before he was elected a Republican Assemblyman, introduced what he declares is the liquor dealers' excise bill. It is a general act. and in that respect differs from the scores of Sunday selling and side door bills already in. It takes precedence over any special or local law, but provides that Commissioners now in office shall serve out their terms. The fees established are: Hotels and saloons in cities, $30 to $250; in towns, $30 to $150. Ale and beer licenses in cities, $30 to $75; in towns, $20 to $60. Storekeepers' licenses in cities, $30 to $250; in towns, $30 to $150. Druggists' licenses, $20. Sunday selling from 6 to 8 A. M. and from 2 P. M. until midnight is provided for, and on other days selling between 1 A. M. and 5 A. M. is not prohibited. Existing provision as to sales on election days and to minors, drunkards, and Indians are unchanged.

A bill of Mr. Rider's of Otsego came out of the box with the Wilks bill. It prohibits the sale of anything on Sunday, meals, food, and medicine excepted.

Among the bills introduced was one to repeal the Ives Pool law by Mr. Wilds. It is intended to make operative the new constitutional provision, "nor shall any lottery or the sale of lottery tickets, pool selling, bookmaking, or any other kind of gambling hereafter be authorized or allowed within this State." The Wilds bill especially exempts from the prohibition revived in the Penal Code by this repeal all races or trials of speed which are held without bookmaking or pool selling, which may be held between May 15 and Oct. 15, and for not more than thirty days on one track.

The report of Capital Commissioner Isaac G. Perry was submitted, and stated that the value of the plant and the materials on hand is $106,243.18; that $2,638,112.16 is the amount that will be required to finish the capital and make the necessary repairs, and that the work should be completed by days' work, and not by contract.

The nomination or William H. Johnson, of Oneanta, to be statutory commissioner was confirmed.

Mr. Rider introduced a bill prohibiting the sale of anything on Sundays except meals, food and medicine; Mr. Friday, providing that in cities of 100,000 inhabitants street service and elevated railroad companies shall not exact from employes more than ten hours for a day's work.

These bills were introduced: by Mr. O'Connor, appropriating $100,000 to establish the New York state home for the aged veteran and his wife, veterans' mothers and army nurses; by Mr. Mullin, to prevent the sale of liquors on Sunday, holders of druggist licenses and innkeepers licenses are exempt.

By Mr. McMahon, appropriating $100,000 for the equipment of public school scholars as the American Guard, which shall consist of all able bodied male pupils of 11 years of age and upward. The scholars are to be divided into companies in each school and regularly officered as in the National guard.

Mr. Brownell has introduced a bill appropriating $100,000 for a normal school at Binghampton. This bill may clash with the bill giving Jamaica an additional appropriation of $50,000.

William J. Youngs, chairman of the Republican county committee of Queens county, is opposed to the Queens county tax revision bill unless the name of Colonel Jones is stricken out of it. He is also opposed to Joseph Dykes being a commissioner, and suggested the name of Edward N. Townsend. There was objection to him so his brother, S. S. Townsend, was agreed upon.

Mr. Schultz introduced a bill providing that no street surface railroad shall hereafter be granted a franchise unless it gives a bond exempting a city, town, county or village from damages occurring to such company as the result of a strike.

A bill that will interest Agricultural Societies has been introduced by Mr. Ainsworth. It gives the town agricultural societies thirty per cent, and to county agricultural societies seventy per cent, of the money collected under the Ives pool law. The bill provides that only the societies shall be benefited that have held fairs for the past three years, and disposed of $1,000 annually in premiums. The distribution applies to money now in the comptroller's hands.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 1, 1895, p. 1.