CROSS SECTION, SHOWING ELEVATED STRUCTURE, WITH TROLLEY LINE ON SURFACE, BETWEEN BEDFORD AND HOWARD AVENUES, AND, IN TWENTYSIXTH WARD, FROM WILLIAMS AVENUE TO ATKINS AVENUE.

litigation. But, passing that, and coming to the question of value which Mr. Barnes discusses, I want to call your attention to the fact that even in the Twenty-sixth Ward, where steam has always been in use, the most valuable property in the ward is on Atlantic avenue.

In regard to the Barnes estate, the house which is said to bring in less than the taxes is peculiarly situated for a mansion. It is a very large and beautiful house, surrounded by extensive grounds, but is hardly in the place where it would bring the greatest return for the kind of house it is. In the same way, the dwelling houses which the estate has erected opposite the homestead, while they are very fine houses, they are not calculated to bring the greatest receipts for that place.

Immediately opposite the Barnes property on the south side of Atlantic avenue, there is more or less activity in real estate. There is a row of houses there and a pretty fair price was paid for them. The railroad company purchased a block of land immediately to the west of Mr. Barnes' property, between Carlton and Sixth avenues, and we found we paid pretty much up to the real value of the property, even though it was taken by condemnation proceedings. There has been depreciation in some kinds of property. You can't put a house like Mr. Barnes' down here on Court street or in the Twelfth Ward; it won't bring the revenue it would bring if located in some parts of the Twentyfourth Ward, where they have residences of that kind, or as much as if located further down on Carlton avenue.

What I am trying to get at is, that for other classes of property there is more or less activity. Houses have gone up along Atlantic avenue; improvements have been made immediately opposite Mr. Barnes' property. For certain classes of property the trade on Atlantic avenue is active, in flats and apartment houses.

In East New York it is Atlantic avenue that furnishes the cream of values in that region. I don't make these remarks in criticism, but simply thought of them while he was reading his

statement.

no

Mr. Barnes-We have a house on Atlantic and Marcy, and one but colored people will live there; we have vacant

lots on the corner of Atlantic avenue and those we can't dispose of.

Mr. Philips-It does appear that on Flatbush avenue property up to Nostrand avenue, all the life and business is on the south side of the Park.

Mr. Barnes-I think that is accounted for because they have access to the Park.

Mr. Beck-I think the matter has been pretty thoroughly discussed, but I differ with Mr. Kelley when he says that the Atlantic avenue tracks improve the property on the avenue. I think the condition of the avenue deplorable. I would suggest the depressing of the tracks, with a terminus at South Ferry. The Long Island Railroad would thereby obtain such advantages that they could well afford to bear the entire expense for the building of the road, with perhaps the exception of the expense of the sewer pipes and the engineers' fees. The railroad company could very easily obtain all the money they require without borrowing from the city.

The Chairman-You are the President of the W. C. Vosburgh Manufacturing Company?

Mr. Beck-I am.

The Chairman-Have they a factory on Atlantic avenue?
Mr. Beck-No; our factory is on State street.

The Chairman-Your place of residence is within a few hundred feet of Atlantic avenue?

Mr. Beck-About 170 feet.

The Chairman-Have you any knowledge as to what effect the railroad has upon the value of real estate in your immediate vicinity?

Mr. Beck I have made no attempt to sell. The house I occupy sold fifteen years ago for $14,000; I bought it for $8,500. Mr. Philips-Is it not a fact that property worth $5,000 sold for $20,000?

Mr. Beck-Yes, because it was wanted for business purposes. Mr. Philips-At the time of the location of the depot, the Long Island Railroad Company bought a house which Mr. Richardson formerly lived in. They offered to sell it to me for $4,800. I presume it would bring $10,000.

Mr. Kelley-I understand you to say, Mr. Beck, your house was sold for $14,000; the railroad was running then-fifteen years ago?

Mr. Beck-There wasn't as much freightage then as now.

Mr. Kelley-I think some of the depreciation was occasioned by the meat houses back of you.

Mr. Beck-But that was caused by the railroad. All property has depreciated. There is great danger in passing there. The tracks divide the city in two parts, and should be removed. This will increase the value of property for taxation purposes, and will decrease the loss of life and health.

The Chairman-What effect do you think it would have upon. the interests of the City of Brooklyn, if steam were removed? Mr. Beck-And placed in the Twenty-sixth Ward, for instance?

The Chairman-Yes, either the Twenty-sixth Ward or Jamaica.

Mr. Beck-I believe that the business interests of the city would be just as well served, provided that Long Island City remained a terminal as well.

Mr. Philips-Would it be your idea that the freight should go there as well? Any freight that was designed to go to Brooklyn would be out of the way if it went to Long Island City.

Mr. Beck-There could be a trolley on Atlantic avenue; this. could be used for freight, as well as passengers.

Mr. Philips-You think the construction and operation of an elevated railroad would improve Atlantic avenue?

Mr. Beck-Not to the extent that an underground road would.

The Chairman-Mr. Kelley, is it a possible thing for you to furnish this Commission with figures of the net earnings from the Atlantic avenue division to the Long Island Railroad?

Mr. Kelley-I suppose so.

The Chairman-The net earnings from all sources?

Mr. Kelley-Well, it is possible; I don't know whether thereis any objection to doing it or not; I will submit it.

Adjourned to October 12th, at 4 P. M.

E. F. LINTON, Secretary.

October 12, 1896.

The Commission met in their rooms in the Real Estate Exchange, at 4 P. M.

Present -E. G. Blackford, E. F. Linton, W. M. Meserole, Commissioners.

The reading of the Minutes of October 5th and 8th was dispensed with.

Mr. A. H. Hatch, of New York, spoke at some length of the Greathead system of tunneling, such as used in various European cities, and was followed by Alderman Walkley, who addressed the Commission on the subject of removing the railroad altogether from Atlantic avenue. Mr. J. F. Anderson also spoke in the same strain.

Colonel Langdon—I am neither a property owner nor householder in this city, but I have been asked to come here from the Church Charity Foundation. Had I known the case would be so ably presented I think I would not have come here at all.

Mr. Linton-We understand the suffering on the avenue; what we want to know is a remedy for it. The suffering is the reason of the existence of this Commission.

Col. Langdon-The most noiseless way is to have the railroad underground.

Mr. Linton-You mean an underground road or a depressed road?

Col. Langdon-I mean away underground. It is no trouble. at all to build it. It would be a great benefit to the city, and a great thing.

Col. Langdon then read this communication:

ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL, BROOKLYN, N. Y., October 12, 1896.

To the Atlantic Avenue Commission, Brooklyn:

GENTLEMEN.-As an active member of the Board of Managers of the Church Charity Foundation, I have been appointed by that Board a committee of one to appear before your Honorable Body and most earnestly, but respectfully, to request that the tracks of the Long Island or Atlantic Avenue Railroad be