Present-Hon. John C. Robinson, Lieutenant-Governor; Hon. Deidrich Willers, Jr., Secretary of State; Hon. Nelson K. Hopkins, Comptroller; Hon. Daniel Pratt, Attorney-General; Hon. Sylvanus H. Sweet, State Engineer and Surveyor.

The Secretary of State presented the following preamble and resolutions:

Whereas, Adam Blake, lessee of the State property in the city of Albany known as Congress Hall, has made no payment into the State Treasury on account of rent of said premises, and there remained due the State on the first day of May, 1874, on account of rent due from him therefor, the sum of $11,364.85, exclusive of interest thereon from time to time; and, whereas, the further sum of $4,375 has accrued for rent of said premises for the period of seven months, from May 1st to December 1st, 1874, making a total amount of $15,739.85, with the further sum of $625 to fall due on the 1st day of January, 1875, subject to deduction for outlays for such necessary repairs as are authorized in the lease (since December, 1871,) as may be approved and audited by this Board; therefore,

Resolved, That the Attorney-General, on behalf of this Board, make a demand upon said Adam Blake for said amounts of rent due, with the interest accrued thereon, and in case the same are not paid, that said Attorney-General bring an action against said Blake for the recovery thereof, and take such steps as may be necessary, if any, to terminate the lease and occupancy of said property by said Adam Blake.

Resolved, That hereafter the rent for said premises be payable to the State Treasurer on the 1st day of each month.

Resolved, That hereafter no repairs or improvements upon said Congress Hall buildings, which would become chargeable against the State, be made, or charge therefor incurred, except upon the order and with the consent of this Board.

The State Engineer and Surveyor moved to lay said preamble and resolution upon the table. Carried.

The Secretary of State voting in the negative.

At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, held at the office of the Secretary of State, on Thursday, the 31st day of December, 1874, at two o'clock, P. M.

Present Hon. John C. Robinson, Lieutenant-Governor; Hon. Diedrich Willers, Jr., Secretary of State; Hon. Nelson K. Hopkins, Comptroller; Hon. Daniel Pratt, Attorney-General; Hon. Sylvanus H. Sweet, State Engineer and Surveyor.

On motion of the State Engineer and Surveyor the preamble and resolutions relative to Congress Hall in the city of Albany, offered by the Secretary of State at the last meeting of this Board were taken from the table.

Whereupon the State Engineer and Surveyor offered the following resolution as a substitute therefor, which was adopted:

Resolved, That the Attorney-General, on behalf of this Board make a demand upon Adam Blake, lessee of Congress Hall, in the city of Albany, for a settlement on account of rent of said property, and for payment of balance found due the State.

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At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, held at the office of the Secretary of State, on Thursday the 11th day of February, 1875, at four o'clock, P. M.

Present Hon. William Dorsheimer, Lieutenant-Governor; Hon. Diedrich Willers, Jr., Secretary of State; Hon. Sylvanus H. Sweet, State Engineer and Surveyor; Hon. Jeremiah McGuire, Speaker of the Assembly.

The Secretary of State presented the following preamble and resolutions of the honorable, the Assembly:

Whereas, It has gone forth through the public print and has been made a subject of remonstrance in the municipal councils of this city, that the lessee or tenant of the premises known as Congress Hall, which premises are the property of the State, has been permitted to the detriment of the work on the New Capitol, to retain possession of them at an almost nominal rent, and even to omit the payment of the same, and whereas, it is publicly asserted that such omission or non-payment has resulted in a loss of many thousand dollars to the State, and that the occupation of the premises under such circumstances is in violation of the spirit and intention with which the property was presented to the State by the city of Albany, therefore

Resolved, That the Land Commissioners be requested to report to this Assembly, as early as possible, the facts and figures bearing on the case, with the reasons for such alleged undue concessions and stated non-payment, and such other circumstances as may serve to indicate a remedy for the loss and grievances publicly alleged. By order. HIRAM CALKINS,

Clerk.

Whereupon the Secretary of State offered the following resolution which was adopted:

Resolved, That it be referred to the Attorney-General, Speaker of the Assembly and Comptroller, to examine the records and proceedings of this Board, in relation to the leasing and maintenance of Congress Hall, in the city of Albany, and to submit to this board, for its consideration, at an adjourned meeting, to be held on Wednesday, the seventeenth inst., at 'four o'clock, P. M., such facts in answer to the resolution of the honorable the Assembly, of the tenth inst., as are called for by said resolution aforesaid.

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At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, held at the office of the Secretary of State, on Wednesday, the 3d day of March, 1875, at four o'clock, P. M.

Present Hon. Diedrich Willers, Jr., Secretary of State; Hon. Nelson K. Hopkins, Comptroller; Hon. Thomas Raines, Treasurer; Hon. Sylvanus H. Sweet, State Engineer and Surveyor; Hon. Jeremiah McGuire, Speaker of the Assembly.

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The Attorney-General transmitted the following report:

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The Attorney-General would respectfully report, that in obedience to your resolution of December 31, 1874, he presented to Adam Blake, an account of rent of Congress Hall, up to February 1, 1875 – said account is herewith transmitted, and amounts to $17,570.11; that subsequently Adam Blake presented an account to the AttorneyGeneral of rent due from him, and of certain deductions which he claims should be made from said rent for repairs and damages, rebate of rent, etc.; also certain bills against the judges of the Court of Appeals, Commissioners of the New Capitol and Regents of the University, for rent of rooms in Congress Hall; also certain vouchers, all of which are herewith transmitted. The balance due the State as shown by the account of said Adam Blake, exclusive of said bills for rent, is $2,641.72; said bills for rent, amount to $2,903.90, leaving a balance due from the State to said Adam Blake, of $262.18; as the resolution of December 31, 1874, did not apparently contemplate such a balance, the Attorney-General has been unable to comply with the terms thereof.

The Attorney-General finds that he has no authority to allow the claims of said Adam Blake for rebate of rent, damages, etc.; he also finds that many of the bills of said Adam Blake for repairs are unaccompanied by vouchers, and are not properly audited by the keeper of the Capitol as contemplated by the resolution of May 27, 1868; that many of the bills which are audited are for repairs not contemplated by said resolution of 1868.

The Attorney-General finds that he has no authority under your resolution of December 31, 1874, to enforce payment of any sum that may be due to the State, and he cannot accept a settlement of the account upon any basis presented by the account of said Adam Blake.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

DANIEL PRATT,
Attorney-General.

On motion of the Comptroller, the report was laid upon the table. The Secretary of State presented the following preamble and resolution:

Whereas, The Attorney-General has presented to Adam Blake, lessee of Congress Hall in the city of Albany, an account for rent due the State to the first day of February, 1875, and remaining unsettled (since the last settlement with said Blake in December, 1871) amounting to $17,570.11, to which amount is to be added the rent of said property for the month of February, 1875, of $625,

making the total amount of rent unsettled on the first day of March, 1875, $18,195.11; and whereas, said Adam Blake has submitted claims as an offset to said rent for expenditures by him for repairs, etc., amounting to $8,285.64, a part of which accrued prior to the settlement with said Blake in December, 1871, together with claims. for certain damages and rebate upon said rent amounting to $4,916.67, with a further claim of $2,903.90 for rent of certain rooms sub-let by said Blake to the Regents of the University, Commissioners of the New Capitol and Judges, the aggregate of said claims amounting to $16,016.21; and whereas, upon an examination of the claims presented for repairs, it is found that some of said claims accrued prior to last settlement with said Blake; some of them are unsupported by vouchers, while still others are unreceipted, and that a large proportion of said claims for gas-fitting, plumbing, paper-hanging, bills of locksmiths and bell-hangers, grate manufacturers, manufacturers of steam machinery, etc., etc., are not properly chargeable to the State as repairs under the terms of the lease, but cover movable. articles not connected with the building, and should not therefore be allowed; therefore,

Resolved, That this board has no right or power to grant or allow any claim for rebate of rent or for alleged damages to furniture; nor can this board allow any reduction for rent of rooms sub-let by said Blake to the New Capitol Commissioners, Regents of the University and Judges, the duty of this board being limited by chapter 715, Laws of 1871, to the renting of the entire building, and being in no way authorized to settle claims for rooms sub-let by the lessee of said building.

Resolved, That this board can only allow, in reduction of said rent, such of the claims as accrued for necessary repairs of the buildings since December 16, 1871, the date of the last settlement with said. Blake; to wit, the sum of $

Resolved, That the Attorney-General make a demand upon said Blake for the sum of $ and that upon payment of said sum into the State Treasury, and the execution of a receipt in full of all demands against the State for all moneys disbursed by said lessee on account of repairs or improvements of said buildings, and the filing of said receipts with the clerk of this board, that the Treasurer be and is thereupon directed to balance the account of said Blake, on account of the rent of Congress Hall, with the State to March 1, 1875. On motion of the Comptroller, said preamble and resolutions were laid upon the table.

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At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, held at the office of the Secretary of State, on Tuesday the 29th day of June, 1875, at four o'clock, P. M.

Present Hon. William Dorsheimer, Lieutenant-Governor; Hon. Diedrich Willers, Jr., Secretary of State; Hon. Nelson K. Hopkins, Comptroller; Hon. Thomas Raines, Treasurer; Hon. Daniel Pratt, Attorney-General; Hon. Sylvanus H. Sweet, State Engineer and Surveyor.

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The Secretary of State offered the following preamble and resolutions.

Whereas, the Attorney-General has presented to Adam Blake, lessee of Congress Hall, in the city of Albany, an account for rent due the State of New York, to the 1st day of February, 1875, and remaining unsettled (since the last settlement with said Blake, in December, 1871), amounting to $17,570.11 to which amount is to be added the rent of said property, for the months of February, March, April and May, 1875, of $2,500, making the total amount of rent unsettled on the 1st day of June, 1875, $20,070.11 with the further sum of $625 to fall due July 1, 1875; and whereas, said Adam Blake has submitted claims as an offset to said rent, for expenditures by him for repairs etc., amounting to $8,285.64, a part of which accrued prior to the settlement with said Blake in December, 1871, together with claims for certain damages, and rebate upon said rent, amounting to $4,916.67, with a further claim of $2,903.90 for rent of certain rooms, sub-let by said Blake to the Regents of the University, Commissioners of the New Capitol and judges, the aggregate of said claims ainounting to $16,000.21; and whereas, upon an examination of the claims presented for repairs it is found that in addition to said claims which accrued prior to last settlement with said Blake, some of them are unsupported by vouchers while still others are unreceipted and that a large proportion of said claims for gas-fitting, plumbing, paper-hanging, bills of locksmiths and bellhangers, grate manufacturers, manufacturers of steam machinery etc., etc., are not properly chargeable to the State as repairs, under the terms of the lease, but cover movable articles, not connected with the building and should not therefore be allowed; therefore,

Resolved, That this board has no right or power to grant or allow any claims for rebate of rent of Congress Hall buildings or for alleged damages to furniture; nor can this board allow any reduction for rent of rooms sub-let by Adam Blake to the New Capitol Commissioners, Regents of the University and Judges, the duty of this board being limited by chapter 715, Laws of 1871, to the renting of the entire building, and being in no way authorized to settle claims for rooms sub-let by the lessee of said building.

Resolved, That this board can only allow, in reduction of said rent, such of the claims as accrued for necessary repairs of the building since December 16, 1871, the date of last settlement with said Adam Blake; to wit, say the sum of $5,071.11.

Resolved, That the Attorney-General make a demand upon Adam Blake for the sum of $15,000, and that upon the payment of said sum into the State treasury and the execution of a receipt in full of all demands against the State for all moneys disbursed by said lessee on account of repairs or improvements of said buildings, and the filing of said receipts with the clerk of this board, that the Treasurer be and is thereupon directed to balance the account of said Blake, on account of the rent of Congress Hall, with the State to June 1, 1875. Resolved, That in case the rent of the Congress Hall property reinaining due and unpaid be not settled and paid by the lessce into the State treasury on or before July 20, 1875, that the occupancy of [Assembly, No. 41.]

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