[ 154 ] IAN R> STEWART Immediately after the report became public, strong opposition again emerged. A large number of property owners began opposing confirmation, claiming that the amounts of money they would either be offered or assessed were grossly unfair. Indignant over the estimates, they boldly declared that there was no judge in the city who would dare give the necessary approval. Judge Roosevelt, who would normally sit in the district, effectively eliminated himself from the case by publicly announcing his agreement with some of the opposition's claims.58 Only after the governor reassigned Judge Harris of Albany to help cover the district workload was the matter able to receive a hearing. More than forty lawyers appeared in opposition to the matter representing various parties who felt aggrieved by the proposed payments that had been listed. The hearings dragged on for days while each presented his case. The hopes of Robert Dillon, the corporation counsel who presented the report for confirmation, dwindled before this well- organized legal onslaught. On the last day, all he could urge in his closing remarks to the judge was, "Sign this report, and old age and prattling childhood will thank you!'59 On July 5, 1856, Judge Harris signed the report of the commissioners, noting that he had considered all of the major objections presented, but had found them all to be without essential merit. Since less than three percent of the owners of the 7,500 lots in question had appeared to oppose the appraisal, it was the court's feeling that justice had been done and that the city might now proceed with acquiring and constructing the park.60 Accordingly, the comptroller submitted a resolution to the common council for the payment of $5,073,433, of which $1,658,395 was to be paid by owners of the land adjacent to the park in view of the prospective benefit which the park's presence would yield to them. The remainder was underwritten by a bond issue of the city at a rate of interest not to exceed seven percent.61 .Thus, in the summer of 1856, New York was in possession of its park, 68 Hall, "Central Park in the City of New York)' 460-61; Nevins and Thomas, Diary of George Templeton Strong, II, 251. 59 Hall, "Central Park in the City of New York" 461. 60 Board of Commissioners of Central Park, First Annual Report, 103-11. 81 Durand, The Finances of the City of New York, 100. For a general history of the city's use of the benefit assessment as a means of paying for public improvements, see ibid., 58-59; Board of Commissioners of Central Park, First Annual Report, 112-13.