The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-03-02

NEW YORK, MONDAY \
NEW YORK, HARLEM AND ALBANY RAILROAD
The annexed statement OF facts, made by the Chief
Engineer Of the Harlem Railroad Company, in reply
to assertions made that the company have for many
years enjoyed the privilege Of extending their road
to Albany, and that they have disappointed public
hopes and expectations shows that the company have
not been idle, but have determined to finish the road
through as possible. This charter. authorz-
ing the extension to Albany, was only received at
the last session Of the Legislature. company, un-
der the name Of the New York and Albany Railroad
Company, chartered in 1882, had actually com.
menced work on the interior route and may by some
be COMPOUNDED with the Harlem Company Such
should not be the case, as they are in no way con.
nected.
1.-THE original charter of the Harlem Railroad Compa
ny authorized the construction Of q road Harlem
subsequently the privilege Of crossing the Harlem river
was granted but it was not until the 18th Of May isA5
that the charter under which they now acting was
carry out it. provisions and Obligations surveys
were commenced two weeks after the act
and 20 miles Of the road put under contract
Tho sum actually expended by the company on &C.
count Of the extension OF the road for surveys right
the late printed report Of the Engineer the liabilities
the company under existing contracts, are $4sa 900
90 lbs per yard which has been ordered from England
through the house Of Davis, Brooks Co.. Of New York
the first Of April next Assurances are now given that
may be expected even at earlier day. This it,m
alone is estimated at $.ao ooo or $50 ton the
in order to comply with one ofIhe obligations Of their
charter requiring the expenditure Of half million dol
"Itis we'll known b all who are familiar with the
construction Of public works that in their incipent sta
ges the expenditure is necessarily limited to a small
amount consequence of the requisite preliminary
rangements, such as surveys negotiation for right Of
other agents of the company can be employed
This has been the case in the present instance. A
the passage Of the charter has been Consumed n
the work grading, so far, has been carried prnc
paly through the winter months when the progress
necessarily slow, and yet than onehaf Of the %
miles Is graded. The between the LIST March
and the 4th June, the expiration of the year, will be
done. Within that time the iron will be received and
! timber for the superstructure delivered.
additional miles viii probably 30 put under contract
and work commenced thereon within the next month
New 81 miles to 'c% ns
an road s made to Albany and but so miles
to unite with the Albany and West stockbridge road
Virginia Pilots.
Memorial Of the Licensed Pilots of the State of Vir-
gina, f'rdying for the Repeal Of the Act Of Con-
gress Concsr's,ng Pilots, Passed March 2, 1887.
To THE SENATE AND HoUsK OF RErREsENrArrrs
The undersigned, licensed pilots Of the state Of vir
gin's especially but earnestly pray Of your honors
O Oo .ne o. the act Of concerning
| they assign the following reasons
The States as independent sovereignties have, from
1887, exercised the privilege enacng the pilot laws
Of the country The withdrawal new without the jus
ege thus long enjoyed by the States and for more than
half century acquesced in by the federal government
ma saa WI Dc regarded as being want
irritation and discussion.
But still more serious evil of the act Of 1897 Is found
IN the almost certain collision which invites between
the several states affected by its operation 1t constantly
provokes conflict Of Jurisdiction between the States
offer no better proof Of this objection than the irr
tatiOn and excitsmsnt already existing between the
Louisiana and Mssissppi and ell growing out or the
tween the federal and State authorities, and between
state and state recommend the repeal
On other high grounds of expectancy the law Of 1897
ought as your memorialiss think, to be repealed
There is surely, vocation important than that
Of the pot-no service more requiring the fostering
care Of government and the support udicous legs
stion. To his hands is conaied the whole commerce. Of
ports his skill and that give safety to
the incoming and outgoing ship Millions Of property
ana hundreds and thousands OF lives are necessarily
Now the interests and character of the pilot SERVICE
rass are far safer in he hands Of the separate States
than of any other depository. In the nature of things
the State legislatures must be Ear better fitted devise
GOOD system OF pilot regulations than Congress be,
for the manifest that the former within their
immediate reach all that local information which
principle q the Division Of labor" and by means
which is attanabe except BY proximity each state
will have as i has hitherto uniformly had complete
m
But your memoriasts need not argue this point to
your honorable bodies Congress has, ITSELF admitted
enforcing By the act Of August, 1882 the whole sub
ect Of the pilot laws was turned to the States
exception be found but act OF March O. 1887
which, your memorialsts will presently show, was
hastily enacted under a falacy which has been long
Again, when, in ls42, Congress was memorialzsd for
the adoption Of pilot code tor the Mississippi river the
COMMITTEE on Commerce Of the House OF Representa-
tives to whom the subject referred, declining to
take Jurisdiction the subject made the following re-
The subject pilot laws. should Ss left a. i. always
been to the legislatures Of the states powers
cess to that local information which indispensable TO
enlightened leg.lation upon matter involving the
rights and interests OF several classes Of citizens"
To say nothing therefore, Of the position apparent to
ALL that divided jurisdiction 10 unriendy to all sound
op Ss 10 bs np
Pery belongs the enactment OF pilot rules and regua-
tons Tor the country.
But the law of 1887 highly deleerious to the pilot
service It invites not sound and salutary, but runous
composition. States having little commerce, but
adjoining those that have extensive one tempted
Tor the mere sake Of the emoument to be derived to their
citizens to license large numbers Of pilots to operate in
neighboring Jurisdictions Endowment for class, not
the general safety Of commerce. becomes the motive Of
their pilot legslaton The consequences are short ap
prenticeshipl the licensing of the unskifu injustice TO
the we'll qualified and pilot depreciation of the
service and insecurity Of life and property embarked
upon the ocean For the truth Of this oning, your
memoriasts refer to the unusual number of pilots
missoned by the State Of New jersey and TO the
that the State Of Mississippi taking advantage of the
Of 1897 actually commissioned In $780, batch of forty
pilots TO act at the mouths and passes Of the Msssapp
The law OF 1881 your memoralists therefore believe
will be fraught with consequences the disastrous
to the pilot service Of the country Nor there any
Just OCCASION your memoraiists think for the law Of
1897 II 10 said 10 have grown OF the loss OF ships
Bristol and Mexico, in the harbor Of New York. the
latter part Of the year 1886 early In 1897 But grand
Jury Of the city OF New York. and the officers Of those