Note 226 — Chapter XXXVII

Several ladies appeared last week before the New York Supervisors' Committee to protest against excessive taxation. The New York World informs us that Mrs. Harriet Ramsen complained that the appraisement of lot 5 West One Hundred and Twenty-second street, was increased from $7,000 to $9,000. Mrs. P. P. Dickinson, house 48 West Fifty-sixth street, increased from $15,000 to $20,000; Mrs. Cynthia Bunce, house 37 West Fifty-fourth street, last year's valuation $10,000; this year's, $15,000. Mrs. Daly, who owns a house in Seventy-second street, informed the committee that the assessment on the house (a small dwelling) was put at $2,000, an increase of $700 over last year's valuation. This house stands in an unopened street. Supervisor McCafferty said that the committee would do all in its power to have the assessment reduced, and also remarked that it was a positive outrage to assess such a small house at so high a figure. Mrs. Louisa St. John, who is reputed to be worth $2,000,000, complained because three lots on Fifth avenue, near Eighty-sixth street, and five lots on the last-named street, have been assessed at much higher figures than other lots in the neighborhood. Mrs. St. John addressed the committee with much eloquence and force. Said she: "I do not complain of the assessments that have been laid on my property. I complain of the inequalities practiced by the assessors, and I should like to see them set right." Supervisor McCafferty assured Mrs. St. John that everything in the power of the committee would be done to equalize assessments in future. Mrs. St. John is a heavy speculator in real estate. She attends sales and has property "knocked down" to her. She makes all her own searches in the register's office, and is known, in fact, among property-owners as a very thorough real-estate lawyer. Many years ago she was the proprietor of the Globe Hotel, now Frankfort House, corner of Frankfort and William streets.