"Resolved, That the Comptroller be authorized to pay to W. A. Cable and E. A. Sargent the sum of five thousand nine hundred and fifty-six dollars ($5,956), as per accompanying voucher, for professional services in the erection of the armory building on Fourteenth street, west of Sixth avenue, and that the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund be requested to concur in the same.” Which was referred to the Comptroller. Very respectfully, E. P. BARKER, Secretary. The Recorder submitted a list of additional changes and furnishings required for the New Criminal Court Building. The list was examined, item by item, and approved. The Comptroller then offered the following: That in the forms of contract and specifications for the additional changes and furnishings required for the New Criminal Court Building, the list of which was approved on December 18, 1894, there be added one safe fɔr active indictments, and one file case for the Clerk's Office, Court of General Sessions, inclosed and made burglar proof; also the items on the list just approved. Which was agreed to. The Comptroller presented the following report and preamble and resolution to exempt certain City bonds from taxation: FINANCE DEPARTMENT-COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, To the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund: January 11, 1895. GENTLEMEN - Herewith I present a resolution exempting from local taxation certain bonds of the City of New York heretofore authorized to be issued by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. Heretofore, as the proceeds of these bonds have been required, they have been issued from time to time and purchased by the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund for the investment of surplus revenues of the Sinking Fund. I am of the opinion, however, that it may be deemed advisable during the current year to dispose of a portion of the balance of said bonds remaining unissued in open market, upon sealed proposals after due advertisement pursuant to law, and I therefore recommend that such portion of the said bonds remaining unissued be exempted from local taxation by the City and County of New York. Respectfully, ASHBEL P. FITCH, Comptroller. Whereas, The Board of Estimate and Apportionment have heretofore and at the times hereinbelow mentioned adopted certain resolutions authorizing the issue of Consolidated Stock of the City of New York, as follows, viz. : March 28, 1894, and July 9, 1894, "Consolidated Stock "-For the Construction of a Public Driveway, pursuant to chapter 102, Laws 1893. February 6, 1894, and December 27, 1894, "Consolidated Stock "-For the Improvement of Parks, Parkways and Drives, pursuant to chapter 11, Laws 1894. May 16, 1893, "Consolidated Stock "-For the Erection and Equipment of an East Wing Addition to the American Museum of Natural History, pursuant to chapter 448, Laws 1893. April 13, 1894, "Consolidated Stock "-To Complete and Equip the Addition to the American Museum of Natural History, authorized by chapter 63, Laws 1894. June 19, 1893, "Consolidated Stock "--For the Construction of a Bridge over the Harlem river at Third avenue, pursuant to chapter 413, Laws 1892; and Whereas, A portion of said Consolidated Stock so authorized still remains unissued, and it is deemed advisable for the interest of the City to dispose of the whole or a part of said stock still remaining unissued in open market, upon sealed proposals after due advertisement pursuant to law. Resolved, That so much of the Consolidated Stock of the City of New York, authorized to be issued as hereinabove stated, as may be issued subsequent to the passage of this resolution be and the same is hereby exempted from taxation by the City and County of New York, pursuant to an ordinance of the Common Council, approved by the Mayor October 2, 1880, and the provisions of section 137 of the New York City Consolidation Act of 1882. Which were referred to the Mayor and Comptroller. Offer of Dennis McMahon to sell to the City certain water lots on the west side of Ward's Island. Which was referred to the Counsel to the Corporation. Petition of Charles B. Morris for renewal of lease of Corporation property, lying between One Hundred and Thirty-first and One Hundred and Thirty-second streets, Twelfth avenue and the Hudson River Railroad. Which was referred to the Comptroller. Adjourned. RICHARD A. STORRS, Secretary. Proceedings of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund at a Meeting held at the Mayor's Office at 10.30 o'clock A. M. on Wednesday, February 6, 1895. Present-William L. Strong, Mayor; Ashbel P. Fitch, Comptroller; Joseph J. O'Donohue, Chamberlain, and William M. K. Olcott, Chairman Committee on Finance, Board of Aldermen. The minutes of the meeting held on January 11, 1895, were read and approved. The following communication was received from the Commissioner of Street Cleaning, submitting plans for the reconstruction of Stable G, in Hamilton street: DEPARTMENT OF STREET CLEANING --CITY OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK, February 6, 1895. Hon. WILLIAM L. STRONG, Mayor, Chairman of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, Mayor's Office: SIR-I beg to submit herewith plans for the reconstruction of Stable G, in Hamilton street. I recommend that the proposition of Phil. Collins, the owner of the property, to reconstruct the stable according to the plans, and to lease it to the City for a term of years, at $6,000 per year, be accepted, the present lease being annulled from and after May 1, before which time the new stable will be ready for use. Respectfully, GEO. E. WARING, JR., Commissioner. Which was referred to the Comptroller. The following communication was received from the Commissioner of Public Works, submitting forms of contracts and specifications for the additional changes and furnishings required for the New Criminal Court Building: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS - COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, Ì NEW YORK, January 30, 1895. J Hon. WILLIAM L. STRONG, Mayor, and Chairman of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund: DEAR SIR--I have the honor to present herewith, for the consideration and action of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, a form of contract and specifications prepared by Mr. James W. Wilson, Associate Architect of the Criminal Court Building, for the additional changes and furnishings required in that building, in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the Commis sioners December 18, 1894, and January 11, 1895. Very respectfully, MICHAEL T. DALY, Commissioner of Public Works. Which were referred to the Comptroller. The following communication was received from the Commissioner of Public Works, transmitting presentment of the Grand Jury, in regard to the occupancy of the Criminal Court Building, etc. : DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS-COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, NEW YORK, January 30, 1895. Hon. WILLIAM L. STRONG, Mayor, and Chairman of the Sinking Fund Commissioners : DEAR SIR-I have just received the accompanying presentment of the Grand Jury in regard to the occupancy of the Criminal Court Building and the inadequacy of the space allotted to the District Attorney and other public officers; also suggesting changes in the occupancy of the building which cannot be made without expenditure, which this Department has not the power to incur. I, therefore, transmit the presentment for such consideration and action by the Sinking Fund Commissioners as they may deem proper. Very respectfully, MICHAEL T. DALY, Commissioner of Public Works. I, John F. Carroll, Clerk of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace, and Clerk of the Court of Oyer and Terminer held in and for the City and County of New York (each being a Court of Record and having a common seal), do hereby certify that the annexed is a copy of a presentment of the Grand Jury now on file in the Clerk's office, and that the same has been compared by me with the original, and is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of such original. Given under my hand and attested by the seal of the said Court this 29th day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five. [SEAL.] To the Court of General Sessions of the Peace: JOHN F. CARROLL. The Grand Jury of the City and County of New York, hereby respectfully present to the Court of General Sessions, as follows: During the present term the Grand Jury has made a personal investigation of the New Criminal Court Building, occupying the block bounded by Centre, White, Elm and Franklin streets, in which building at present the Criminal Courts, the Grand Jury and the District Attorney's Office are located. This building was erected by the City for the express purpose of securing ample and suitable accommodations for the officials charged with the duty of administering criminal justice in this County. The quarters formerly provided for these officials in the old General Sessions Building in the City Hall Square were long and generally recognized as wholly inadequate, and as not affording proper facilities in the administration of the duties imposed upon those officials. It was for the purpose of remedying this defect that the New Criminal Court Building was erected. This is shown by the language of the act providing for the erection of the said building. By chapter 371 of the Laws of 1887, it was enacted by the Legislature of the State that the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of the City of New York be authorized to select and locate a site in the City of New York upon which to erect a building for criminal courts and other public purposes, as in this act provided, sufficient to accommodate the following-named courts, to wit: The Court of Oyer and Terminer, the Court of General Sessions of the Peace, the Court of Special Sessions of tle Peace, and one or more Police Courts, together with the necessary and proper chambers and office accommodations for the Judges and Clerks of said courts, and of the juries and grand juries, and for the District Attorney, and for such other offices and departments as the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund shall designate and appoint to occupy the said building, and the said Commis. sioners of the Sinking Fund were thereby authorized and empowered to designate what other offices and departments in addition to those hereinbefore enumerated should be accommodated in and have and occupy the offices and rooms in the aforesaid building when completed. The language of the act expressly states that the primary purpose for which the building should be erected was the accommodation of the criminal courts, the Grand Jury and the District Attorney, the other offices and departments being secondary. In accordance with this act, a committee of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, appointed for that purpose, issued instructions to Architects for preparing plans for the said building. These instructions provided that accommodations should be given for one Court of Oyer and Terminer, for four Courts of General Sessions, for one Court of Special Sessions and for one Police Court, and that in addition thereto the said building should provide accommodations for the Grand Jury, the District Attorney, the Coroners, the Health Department, the Board of Excise, the Civil Service Board and the Street Cleaning Department. It appears from personal investigation of the Grand Jury and from their inspection of the plans of the New Criminal Court Building that the floors of this building are occupied as follows: The cellar of the building is used for storage rooms and for the accommodation of the machinery necessary for supplying the building with light and heat. The ground floor is occupied by the Sanitary Bureau and the Bureau of Contagious Diseases, together with branches of the Street Cleaning Department. The first floor is occupied by one Court of Oyer and Terminer and the Judge's room, annexed there to, by one Court of Special Sessions and by the Police Court, together with some rooms used for the storing of court records. The first mezzanine story is occupied by the Library, the Prisoners' Pen, in which prisoners are confined while awaiting the calling of their cases in the court and by various rooms used as receptacles of records and for other purposes. The second story is occupied by three Courts of General Sessions and the Judge's chambers, jury rooms and other rooms used for purposes appurtenant to the said courts, and also by the office of the Clerk of the Court of General Sessions and the Court of Oyer and Terminer. |