SCHEDULE, Showing the quantity, quality and value of lumber measured and inspected by James M. Nelson, one of the inspectors of lumber, in and for the city and county of New-York, from the first day of January, to the 31st day of December, 1830, together with his fees for measuring and inspecting the same. Amount and quality of Lumber inspected. IN ASSEMBLY, January 22, 1831. ANNUAL REPORT Of Peter Conrey, an Inspector of Lumber for the city and county of New-York. To the Honourable the Legislature of the State of New-York, Feet. 551,767 11 inch. mahogany logs, boards and plank, &c. .... Fees. sold from 7 to 30 cents per foot, .... $551 76 507, 131 spruce and pine timber, sold from $10 to 13 per M. 126 78 74,141 pine boards and plank, sold clear from $26 to 28 merchantable at $14 to 16 per thousand, ....... 558 Spanish cedar, sold from 6 to 8 cents per foot, 1,325 sattin wood, 19,605 cedar boards, sold at $20 per M............. 102,340 pine box boards, from $10 to 12 per M......... 27 80 1 87 7 35 1 68 5 28 300 1 85 25 25 58 9,773 sheathing at $10,. 66 3 70 58,203 cypress shingles, from $2 75 to 300 per M. IN ASSEMBLY, January 26, 1831. REPORT Of the committee on grievances, on the petition of E. Simpson. Mr. Birdsall, from the committee on grievances, to whom was referred the petition of E. Simpson, lessee of the Park theatre in the city of New-York, REPORTED The petitioner represents that previous to the 29th day of April, 1829, he became the lessee of the Park theatre in the city of NewYork, for a term of several years, yet unexpired, and covenanted to pay, under heavy penalties, a large sum of money for the use and occupation of the same. That on the 29th day of April, 1829, an act was passed by the Legislature, entitled "An act to create a fund in aid of the society for the reformation of juvenile delinquents in the city of New-York, and for other purposes;" in which act it is provided by the 4th section thereof, "that no theatre or circus, or building for exhibiting theatrical or equestrian performances in the city of New-York, shall be opened for such exhibitions after the first day of May next, unless the manager or proprietor thereof shall annually obtain from the mayor of the said city, a license therefor; which license the said mayor is authorised to grant, to continue until the first day of May ensuing the grant thereof:" and by the 5th section thereof, "that upon granting every license authorised by the preceding section, the mayor shall receive from the person to whom the same shall be granted, the sum of five hundred dollars for each theatre, and the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars for each circus; which sums, [A. No. 85.] 1 when so received shall be paid over to the treasurer of the society for the reformation of juvenile delinquents in the city of New-York, for the use of the said society." The petitioner alleges that the above recited sections are in their operation, partial, unjust, and inevitably ruinous to those, who, at immense expense have erected, leased and fitted up theatrical establishments, and especially to the petitioner, and therefore prays a repeal or modification of the law. 1 How far the assessment upon theatrical licenses may prove ruinous or oppressive to the petitioner, your committee can only judge from the representations of the petitioner himself, as set forth in his petition. These representations are sustained simply by his own signature. He has omitted to sanction them even by his own oath, and no other proof of the injurious operation of the law complained of, has been offered. While your committee are disposed to accord to the assertions of the petitioner the same credit they would to those of any other individual, they submit that in no case however trifling, would it be safe or expedient to repeal a deliberate enactment of the Legislature, imposing an assessment upon a class of individuals, upon the mere complaint of one of those individuals, that the assessment was too high; much less in a case when the assessment is so important, both in reference to the amount, and the object to which it is appropriated. So far therefore as the tax is alleged to be oppressive and ruinous to theatrical establishments in the city, your committee are compelled to say that sufficient proof has not been offered, in their judgment, to justify the allegation. Your committee cannot but remark, that although the sum charged by the law for a theatrical license, is an amount of some magnitude in ordinary business establishments, yet as an item either in the receipts or disbursements of a leading theatre, in a populous city, it sinks into very minor consequence, and they can scarcely persuade themselves that a theatre, which was well sustained before, can be broken down and ruined under the tax referred to. |