Proceedings of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund at a Meeting held at the Mayor's Office at 12.30 o'clock P. M., on Wednesday, July 31, 1901.

Present-Robert A. Van Wyck, Mayor; Bird S. Coler, Comptroller; Patrick Keenan, Chamberlain, and Randolph Guggenheimer, President of the Council.

The minutes of the meeting held July 17, 1901, were approved as printed.

The Comptroller presented the following report and offered the following resolution relative to a lease of premises in the Temple Bar Building, corner of Court and Joralemon streets, Borough of Brooklyn, for the Board of Elections:

Hon. BIRD S. COLER, Comptroller:

JULY 22, 1901.

SIR-In a communication from the Board of Elections of The City of New York, under date of July 12, 1901, to the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, the following resolutions adopted by said Board July 10, 1901, were transmitted:

"Resolved, That the Board of Elections of The City of New York lease from David G. Leggett, of Brooklyn, through the proper authorities, subject to the approval of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of said city, for the uses and purposes of a branch office of the Board in the Borough of Brooklyn, as provided for and authorized by chapter 95, section II, subdivision 2, paragraph 1, Laws of 1901, for a term of five years from August 1, 1901, at the annual rental of three thousand one hundred and twenty dollars ($3,120), payable in quarterly installments, the following office rooms and spice on the fourth floor of the structure known as the 'Temple Bar Building,' situate on the corner of Court and Joralemon streets, in "the Borough of Brooklyn; said rooms and space fronting about thirty-eight feet six inches on "Court street and eighty-sevea fect seven inches, more or less, on Joralemon street and repre"senting as per diagram of fourth floor of said building seven (7) rooms or offices, containing "two thousand seven hundred and seventy-three square feet floor space.

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"The lessor to cause the said space to be divided by suitable partitions into rooms to correspond with said diagram or in number equal thereto as may be desired by lessee, to "furnish all necessary heat, light, water, toilet, elevator and janitor service at his expense, and keeping the same at all times in a cleanly and tenantable condition for the comfortable use and "occupancy of the said described premises by the lessee and its employees.

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"Resolved, That the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of The City of New York be and hereby are requested to approve of the leasing of said premises for the purposes and on the "terms and conditions above stated."

I find on examination that the rooms selected by the Board of Elections are on the fourth floor of the new fireproof twelve-story structure, corner of Court and Joralemon streets, in the Borough of Brooklyn. The building is the most modern and elegant in the borough. The location and dimensions of the rooms are shown on the accompanying diagram, and numbered from 406 to 410 inclusive.

I have conferred with Mr. John R. Voorhis, President of the Board of Elections, in regard to this matter, as I considered that the renting of large offices in the most expensive building in the Borough of Brooklyn, for a branch office of a Board whose duties are limited to but a portion of the year, was inexpedient.

Mr. Voorhis has informed me that the offices at present occupied by the branch office of the Board, in the Borough of Brooklyn, on the third floor of No. 19 Smith street, a building hired for the use of Police Headquarters, are not adapted to the purposes of the Board, and further that the Board of Elections should be divorced entirely from the Police Department, by occupying quarters separate and apart.

I suggested to Mr. Voorhis that as the active work of the Board would be covered by a period, in my opinion, not exceeding three months, and that the clerical force, excepting at that period, would be small, the office space of 2,773 square feet, proposed to be rented for the entire year, was excessive.

Mr. Voorhis, in reply, stated that I was in error, and that the active work of the Board would cover a period of six months from July 1, when the list of election officers is presented, until January 1, when the work of the November election would be finished; that he considered that provision should be made for offices for the two Brooklyn members of the Board in the Brooklyn branch, and also for a force of twelve (12) Clerks, employed by the year, and who are to be constantly in attendance at that office.

Mr. Voorhis says that of the 2.773 square feet requested to be leased, 700 square feet is to be used for the storage of records, papers and ballots, required by law and the courts to be kept by the Board; that, for this purpose, he deems it absolutely necessary that a perfectly fireproof building be rented, and that the “Temple Bar Building" is the only one of this character in which satisfactory arrangements can be made.

It would appear to me that storage room, sufficient to meet the requirements of the Board, could be provided in one of the City buildings in Brooklyn, where the records would be sufficiently safe, without the cost of hiring rooms in an office building at $1.12 per square foot per

annum.

Mr. Voorhis states that if the whole building is leased for the branch office of the Board, the cost of lighting, heating and the yearly salary of a Janitor and Cleaners will more than amount to the cost of the rental of the offices proposed.

This may be so, but it would seem that smaller quarters in a less expensive building with storage room in a basement, or in a City building, would answer the requirements of the Board.

I am advised that $1.25 per square foot of floor space is the rate upon which rentals, in this building, are uniformly calculated.

As the rental asked, viz.: $3,120 for 2,773 square feet of floor space would give a rate of about $1.12 per square foot, a special concession appears to have been made to the City.

I am of the opinion that the terms proposed are fair for the accommodation afforded in this building, but the other facts are presented for the consideration of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund. Respectfully,

Approved :

BIRD S. COLER, Comptroller.

EUG. E. McLEAN, Engineer.

Resolved, That the Corpora ion Counsel be and is hereby requested to prepare a lease to the City from David G. Leggett, of Rooms Nos. 406 to 410, inclusive, in the Temple Bar Building, corner of Court and Joralemon streets, Borough of Brooklyn, for the use of the Board of Elections, for a term of five years, from August 1, 1901, at an annual rental of three thousard one hundred and twenty dollars ($3,120), payable quarterly, the lessor to put in such partitions as may be required by the Board of Elections; furnish all necessary heat, light, water, toilet, elevator and janitor's service at his own expense-and the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund deeming the said rent fair and reasonable and that it would be for the interests of the City that such lease be made, the Comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to execute the same, when prepared and approved by the Corporation Counsel, as provided by sections 149 and 217 of the Greater New York Charter.

The report was accepted and the resolution unanimously adopted.

The Comptroller presented the following report and offered the following resolution relative to a lease of premises at No. 51 Jackson avenue, Long Island City, for the Board of Elections: JULY 15, 1901.

Hon. BIRD S. COLER, Comptroller:

SIR-In a communication from the Board of Elections of The City of New York, under date of July 5, 1901, to the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, the following resolutions adopted by said Board on July 2, 1901, were submitted:

Resolved, That the Board of Elections of The City of New York lease from William Richensteen, of No. 91 Fourth street, Long Island City, through the proper authorities, subject "to the approval of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of The City of New York, for the "uses and purposes of a branch office in the Borough of Queens, as provided for and authorized by chapter 95, section II, subdivision 2, paragraph 1, Laws of 1901, for a term of five years "from July 1, 1901, at the rental of six hundred dollars ($600) per annum, payable in monthly "or quarterly installments, the front portion (being about twenty-five by fifty-seven feet, “equivalent to about one thousand four hundred square feet) of the third floor of number fifty. "one Jackson avenue, Long Island City, including the exclusive use of the toilet room and • appurtenances now in the central portion of said third floor, together with the use of about eight hundred square feet (floor space) of the front portion of the cellar of said building, with "access thereto from Jackson avenue by stairway from sidewalk. Said front portion of third "floor to be inclosed and separated from the rear portion by a lath and plaster and stud partition "with the necessary doors and windows therein to be constructed by the lessor at his cost and "expense, under the direction and to the satisfaction of the lessee, and the lessor agreeing to

"furnish and supply sufficient heat at all times to make said premises comfortable for use and occupancy and to cause the premises thus described and leased to be cleaned and scrubbed at "his cost and expense at least once each and every week; and

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'Resolved, That the Board of Elections of The City of New York, hereby respectfully make "application to the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of said city for an approval of the lease "of said premises, for the purposes and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the foregoing "resolution."

I have caused an examination to be made of the premises described in the foregoing resolution, and find that all the details in regard thereto are as stated in said resolutions,

The building is heated by steam, piped for gas and wired for electricity.

While I am of the opinion that the rental asked, viz., $600 for 1,400 square feet of floor space, is full, in view of the fact that heat and janitor services are to be furnished, and that the use of about 800 square feet in the cellar of the building are also to be included in the lease, I think that the same may properly receive the approval of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund. As there are some changes to be made before the premises will be ready for occupancy, I would recommend that the term of the lease begin August 1, 1991.

Respectfully,

EUG. E. MCLEAN, Engineer.

P. S.-I am informed by Mr. John R. Voorhis, President of the Board of Elections, that it is intended to keep a permanent force of five employees in this office. At the time of an election, a large force of clerks will be temporarily employed, and other quarters will have to be found to accommodate them for a short space of time.

Approved :

BIRD S. COLER, Comptroller.

Resolved, That the Corporation Counsel be and is hereby requested to prepare a lease to the City, from William Richensteen, of the front portion (about twenty-five feet by fifty-seven feet), of the third floor of No. 51 Jackson avenue, Long Island City, including the exclusive use of the toilet room and appurtenances now in the central portion of said third floor, together with the use of about eight hundred square feet (floor space) of the front portion of the cellar of said building, with access thereto from Jackson avenue by stairway from sidewalk. Said front portion of third floor to be inclosed and separated from the rear portion by a lath and plaster and stud partition with the necessary doors and windows therein to be constructed by the lessor at his cost and expense under the direction and to the satisfaction of the lessee, for the use of the Board of Elections for a term of five years from August 1, 1901, at an annual rental of six hundred dollars ($600), payable quarterly, the lessor to furnish heat and janitor's service—and the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund deeming the said rent fair and reasonable and that it would be for the interests of the City that such lease be made, the Comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to execute the same, when prepared and approved by the Corporation Counsel, as provided by sections 149 and 217 of the Greater New York Charter.

The report was accepted and the resolution unanimously adopted.

The following report and resolution were received from the Board of Education relative to a lease of premises at No. 1895 Flatbush avenue, Borough of Brooklyn :

To the Board of Education:

The Committee on Buildings, to which was referred a resolution adopted by the School Board for the Borough of Brooklyn on July 2, 1901, requesting the Board of Education to Lase for school purposes the store No. 1895 Flatbush avenue, Brooklyn, to accommodate one or two classes of Public School 119, for a term of three years from August 1, 1901, at an annual rental not to exceed $250, respectfully reports as follows:

The store in question has been examined and it is found that after the necessary alterations are made, at an expense of about $150, one class-room will be afforded. The owner is to keep the outside of the building and roof in repair. The annual rental of $250 is considered reasonable, and your committee therefore recommends that the request of the School Board be granted. The following resolution is submitted for adoption :

Resolved, That the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund be and they are hereby requested to authorize the Comptroller to execute a lease of the store No. 1895 Flatbush avenue, Borough of Brooklyn, for a term of two years from August 1, 1901, at an annual rental of $250, the owner to keep the outside of the building and roof in repair; Marcella Furman, No. 1895 Flatbush avenue, Brooklyn, owner.

A true copy of report and resolution adopted by the Board of Education on July 22, 1901. A. E. PALMER, Secretary, Board of Education.

In connection therewith the Comptroller presented the following report and offered the following resolution :

Hon. BIRD S. COLER, Comptroller:

JULY 26, 1901.

SIR-The Board of Education, at a meeting held July 22, 1901, adopted the following reso

lution:

Resolved, That the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund be and they are hereby requested to authorize the Comptroller to execute a lease of the store, No. 1895 Flatbush avenue, Borough of Brooklyn, for a term of two years from August 1, 1901, at the annual rental of $250, the owner to keep the outside of the building and roof in repair. Marcella Furman, No. 1895 Flatbush avenue, Brooklyn, owner.

The report of the Committee on Buildings states that the store in question is needed to accommodate one or two classes for the relief of Public School No. 119, and that the necessary alterations will cost about $150.

The premises consist of a store on the first floor of a three-story frame building situated on the southeast corner of Flatbush avenue and Hubbard place, Borough of Brooklyn, within one block of Public School No. 119.

It has a floor space of 19 feet by 42 feet, giving 798 square feet; has 12-foot ceiling; is lighted by two large windows in the front, and one small one on side; has three entrances; heating must be by stoves; toilet facilities in a closet adjoining are good.

I consider that the rental asked, viz.: $250 per annum, which is at the rate of about 31 cents per square foot, is just and reasonable, and that the lease may properly receive the approval of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund.

Respectfully,

Approved :

BIRD S. COLER, Comptroller.

EUG. E. MCLEAN, Engineer.