Shelton Avenue Opening

New York, 1895

The Commissioners Ratify Their Awards and Adjourn.

The commissioners appointed to award damages for the opening of Shelton avenue, Jamaica, from Carlton avenue to Fulton street, met at Trustees' Hall on Monday for the purpose of hearing objections to the awards. Aaron A. Degrauw, Mrs. Gunther, and Mrs. Sellers entered objections.

Mr. Degrauw claimed that the commissioners had not allowed him for his fences or buildings, and that there was a discrepancy of 50 per cent. between the awards on his property and the Baker property. His award should be proportionate to the award on the Baker property. Mr. Degrauw said: "You open a street through my property, which divides and ruins it for the benefit of others. The awards you give to these poor women will all be taken by the village trustees for their assessment. They will not get one cent. You ruin my property and give me nothing for it."

Commissioner Murray said: "We desire to satisfy you that we have not overlooked anything in making the awards. We considered the manner of taking in every case, read the testimony carefully, and our conclusions were unanimous."

Mrs. Sellers — "I paid $350, a lot for two lots, and loose by the award $50. The village assessment for opening the avenue will make my loss still more."

There being no further objections, the commissioners found as follows:

"Having this day heard all objections which were offered to the awards for damages made by us, and having reviewed all awards to which objections were made, we have altered our report so as to award to Nathan C. Kaplan and George W. Jeffery, as mortgagees, the sum of one dollar, and to the Citizens' Real Estate Company, as mortgagee, the sum of one dollar."

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 26, 1895, p. 1.