14 



I was impressed in reading Judge Pinch's opinion in 



this ease, with a certain portion where he says, in snl (stance, 

 that if certain and adequate payment be not provided, the 

 right of eminent domain is transferred into a legalized 

 plunder of the citizen. Now, I say that if these valuations 

 which have been sworn to by these experts for these land- 

 owners he adopted.it will be a legalized plunder of the 

 City of New York. 



We shall produce our experts, ami they will testify accord- 

 ing to their conscientious judgment. They will nut put 1< »w 

 estimates in order to have the Court strike an average— they 

 will testify to what they think is the full value. Oar posi- 

 tion here is an impartial one: we have no direct personal in- 

 terest such as the land-owners have, and the experts on the 

 other side, and which i> apt to warp the judgment. We 

 are acting here as the representatives of other.-, and 

 being impressed with that fact, we shall deem it our duty 

 t" state what the real, honest compensation should l>e. and 

 not seek to place it below the true value. And in prepar- 

 ing <»ur e.-timates and our evidence, we have intended to 

 give these gentlemen all that their land is really worth. 



We shall ask your Honors to listen to our proofs, 

 and t<> view these lands once more, or a- often again as 

 vou please, and then to make such awards as will leave this 

 Court in honored memory when every root and branch in 

 Pelham Day Park shall have passed away, and lung after 

 the all-embracing mould shall have claimed us for its own. 



The Commission then adjourned to Thursday next, 

 March 11, at two o'clock. 



