The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-09

ing the ferry lease at five thousand dollars less
than the Common Council could have got for it.
am merely stating that this not the first time
the Common Council disseminated in this way; and
said before, this is not the only particular in
stance in which they have 80 Disseminated but that
IT is almost invariably the case. They even carry
their discrimination far that they have stricken out
the names OF one set OF grantees and replaced them
by another One railroad grant passed in the Board
and when the parties thought they had the bird in
the hand, presto cbange-and out went the names
OF the original grantees and in went don't
know what induced this Discrimination yet it was
discrimination consistent with all their acts. agree
with the gentleman the other side that the Com
mon Council have displayed extraordinary dscrim-
nation a discrimination which do not expect from
this honorable committee.
Now the gentleman alluded to the Second avenue
case and'stated something about it which believe
to be strictly tree He stated that the Second ave-
was graded some two or three years ago, and those
who knew the ropes, all knew it was being graded
for railroad 1t is generally understood that the
sections and plans were all ready, and those who
gees railroad" That is the way they do business in
New York. They always prepare the road at the
expense OF the people and then they give the grant
and lay down railroad. 1t was only the other day
they put up safety wall to keep the stones and dirt
from rolling on the track, for these railroad people;
for if it not put up at the expense Of the city, it
would have to have been put at the expense Of the
company who had the grant at the time it was put
up.
Now, the gentleman says that, inasmuch as these
lots on Second avenue were comparatively worthless
before the road graded, it WAS necessary TO do
something for these gentlemen who owned these
worthless lots. Now in this matter you will also see
how discriminating body that Common Council is.
They knew that majority Of persons having
an interest in the lots could stop this
road, and if they had graded that avenae
without putting in this provision, " that no
lot on that line should be assessed to a greater
amount than one half the value, they never could
have had the road prepared for that track. Now,
what 10 they do in this c.aset First they apply for
law that the balance OF the expense Of grading
shall come out Vi the city at large. Every other
otter streets, who had paid to grade The street in
front OF his lots called on TO contribute to these
two hundred thousand dollars which the gentleman
speaks OF, TO lay the grade, and prepare it to lay
down tie track Of the Second Avenue Railroad.
( That ls another Instance of the discrimla-
alton OF the Common Council or the city .of
I New York. Aud | shall endeavor to show yau
gentlemen, before get through, that probably this
has been the most discriminating Common Council
which We have had for great many years and
trust we shall never have another like them. Now
let zee about tie Broadway Railroad We will
cone down there. admit all that the gen leman has
SAID in respect 10 the Broadway Railroad. admit,
for arguments sale, that it is going to per
then, am still opposed to the Broadway Railroad;
not that am personally opposed to tie track going
down FOR assuTe you have not paid attention enough
TO it t. care anything about it, Aud however strange
that may appear to the gentleman, and however it
may excite smile upon his countenance, can
account FOR il Ivy tie moral Of the aSe because, if
you tell anybody in this age that you acted by any
other motive than that of tie almighty dollar, he
/ viii smile at tse statement | have interest
in the grant though have in property in Broadway.
Now, suppose that this read is going to perform all
they claim for it, still am opposed to it; and why
, The grantees admit they have very rich men among
them, men, indeed, who should think have mo-
ney enough without having themselves appointed
.ol-satherers On Broadway. If understand this
! BILL and the application of the gentlemen
against the grant, correctly, that application was
merely TO strike ont the names Of the grantees and
insert their own and the only other alteration which
they required to be made, was to strike ont the five
cents a. the fare for passengers, and insert in its
place three cent? Now, the &c ntleman on the other
side very ingenuousy says, what il the difference
between the five cents fare and the three cents
fare r. The only difference is in favor of the men
who make the money. The geHteman-ra ther dit
fsrent from Lawyers III general-talks OF outside
understanding about transverse lines Of onnibnses
as binding instead Of having it in the written en-
gagement or contract. Nov, say that that outside
and say that he a, lawyer, would hesitate to
stand up heie and assert that it had There is no
man Of common who will before this
/ committee and tell you the outside arrangements
! ale binding in contract | would discharge any or
dnaIy clerk who did not know more of b1slne IS
I thar that. Q.agghter) As lar as that is concern
cd, we lot bound to look it at all. 1t IS OF
those plausible assertions brought often before e-
gsatIve bode ard used for binding the eyes co-
sing the OF their constituents 1heysay theirs is
much cheaper 10 the passengers because they wiz have
omnibus lines IN connection with the railroad on which
passengers will be conveyed Tor the same fire, live
cents. 1t does not at all follow from that If there
were a map OF the city of New York in the room,
could show that from the railroads already estab
lished or IN contemplation, in the city, passenger
ride within any block on the island from Four
teeLth str q ". defy them, after passenger gets
up above Fourteenth street, TO show me how be
would require to ride than block to get to his
vel prlu
going to have omnibus lines run1ing across
the city. do not like to impugn the motives Of any
paIties-no, not even OF the Common Council--but
the gentleman the other side is not charitable
TO this side of the house. He stated that they
intended TO run this stage line il they had got
their names substituted In the grant. Now, have
heard il thousand times said that these grantees
never intended to run theirs Their only object in
purchasing them was TO buy off the opposition OF the
omnibus nterest-and in that they have succeeded
to perfection. There Is not one Of these gentlemen
opposed to the grant and desiring the passage OF the
bill, who knows the first principles governing the
third house daughter. and as have told them, iii
you ever gain this canse, it will be by the merit OF
IT, and not by any action or Judgment your part"
4 Now, as have said before. these omnibus men have
q very powerful influence in New York, particularly
about the time Of primary elections They arc meo
who hold the reins and use the whip, and whose
muscles and well exercised: and when
they come to the primary elections their power is
stUpendOus. They have more influence Ia Of
their shoulder hits than could be exercised by the
greatest state@m3nthan even Daniel chester, with
al his powers Of eoquence could have used Uaugh-
ter) Many Of these men "shoulder-htters," as
/ they are called in New York, and thus they carry
the primary elections. If yA want 70 know how
primary elections carried on all you have ~ do is
70 20 TO Tamrnany Hall or the Broadway House and
there you will the system in its perfection. These
railroad men know every move on the political
board, and know that the omnibus men are great
at elections, and the result was that they saw
it was indispensabIy necessary TO buy them of.
The Aldermen were afraid Of them. They Knew thst
II ever they wanted 70 go to the Common Council
again it was necessary for them to have the influence
OF these men, and the result was they sue
ceeded by buying them eff in neutralzing the
them. Now, what strike. me as a very extr,
ordinary thing in this republican government and
people is this-I have always understood, and
the world has always understood, the principle oil