Document: Advice of Fiscal Van Tienhoven on the survey of New Amsterdam

Recommendation of the lord fiscal Cornelis van Tienhoven.

Cornelis van Tienhoven recommends that the street survey of this city, done this year 1656, shall be considered as firm and permanent according to the plan thereof, as it is now established, and whereas some request to improve lots, it shall be necessary to have commissioners examine and inspect what each person shall lose by the street survey where streets have to go through their gardens, and to present the entire sum at the session. This being done, it shall then be calculated how many lots can be included therein, which shall be assessed by impartial commissioners at a value according to their size and circumstance, and if lots are taken possession of before they are built upon or a patent is obtained, as much cash payment as shall be designated by the commissioners shall be made to those appointed thereto, which monies shall be applied to the losses that shall be suffered by this new survey according to estimate; also, to obviate any inconvenience and damage to the burghers, the first arrivals, or those who are inclined to build, are to be directed to build on a street where all the lots are still empty. This being fully built upon, to begin on another street; until there are not any more empty lots except for the gardens.