Town Hall Land Commission

New York, 1895

More Testimony Given as to the Value of the Property.

The commissioners to appraise the value of land to be taken for Town Hall purposes at Jamaica, held their second meeting on Wednesday. Counselor William W. Gillen appeared for Thomas Foley, lessee of the Denton property. James F. Archer valued the Everitt property at $15,000. The stable building outside of the property he valued at $7,500. The market value of property on Fulton street near the Town Hall was about $10,000. The Everitt property that the town proposes to take was, without the buildings, worth $7,500.

William E. Everitt, recalled, said that when he gave his testimony at the first meeting he only included the cost of the new stable. It cost $5,000. The town had offered $10,000 for the Everitt property and it was refused.

George E. Tilly testified that the Everitt property and the right of way pertinent to the Durland property was worth $9,000; without the right of way, $8,500. John H. Brinckerhoff thought that the Everitt property, without the buildings, was worth from $1,000 to $1,500 per lot.

Testimony was closed as to the Everitt property.

George Maure testified that the Denton property was worth $11,000.

Counselor Monfort introduced the lease held by Thomas Foley of the Denton property. Counsel claimed that the town must condemn any rights that the lessee held under the lease, and it should not be taken out of the fee.

Commissioner Sprague — "I suppose that we can do nothing here but make awards for property.

Counselor Gillen — "We propose to show that Foley's lease is worth more now than when we took it."

David L. Hardenbrook valued the Denton property at $10,000.

John H. Brinckerhoff testified that he held a mortgage for $5,648.50 on the Denton property as guardian for Mrs. Denton's children. The mortgage covered other property than the Fulton street piece.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 15, 1895, p. 12.