The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-10

been 400 bales at prices ranging from rye 80 The
market is dull with declining tendency MiddIing fair
ana iar are quoted ut 10c and 1o4c
Hunnans of Locomotives Below ssxGoth
Street.
Shortly after two o'clock yesterday afternoon the
citizens who have petitioncd the Common Council
against the running Of locomotives below Sxteth
street assembled in great force in the library of the
City Hail. for the purpose Of hearing the reply Of the
officials OF the Hudson River Railroad to the allega
tions that had been put forward.
Tho committee Of the Board of Aldermen consisted
of Alderman Tweed, Chairman Dohcrty, and Den
man.
DIR. NORTH the secretary of the railroad company,
made the first address. He reviewed the various
points put forward by the petitioners and with the
threat held out that the people might take the law
into their own hands and tear up the rails he would
do nothing than deprecate it. The favor which
hey had asked the committee to grant ought not to
be accorded, for great many reasons. In the first
place, it was unjust, for it was boon which the
Council could not in honor accord, for they had
granted license; and in that grant faith had been
placed by the railroad company, and money had con-
sequently been expended After dwelling upon this
point, MIR. North went over the history of the rail-
road with view OF showing that il was peculiarly
the property Of mechanics and tradesmen and there
fore anything affecting its interests would affect the
interests OF the city generally, and, in commercial
sense most nurtfuy. The railway interest represent
ed $ll 900, and the property which it was alleged
was declining in value was certainly not worth more
than 81 000 and therefore he considered ii would be
unjust to sacrifice the greater for the less With re-
gard to the regulations of other cities railways had
greater facilities accorded than in this city, and in
Troy still greater faciitieswere being accorded AS to
the dangers said to arise from the of locomotives
the records Of the company show that three times as
yyith fhn hor cor, hn.
low Thrtythi street with the engine trains above
that street. The running of at slow rate had
an evil effect upon people. for they rendered
careless and often jumped off and on the cars s they
moved. In order to show the desire of the company
to attend to the interests Of the citizeus the engines
were now run at ten miles an hour only; and to still
further reduce annoyances, the steam whistle was
now but seldom sounded To prove that the interestc
of many citizens would be materially affected by the
stoppage Of locomotives he handed in petition,
signed by some hundreds Of the most respectable
men in New York: and followed this up by a few re-
marks relative to the injury that would accrue to the
city by changing the prescut regulation, as neigh
boring States were ready to take advantage of
such opportunities to increase their own Importance
at the expense Of New York. In conclusion, he ex-
pressed his opinion that to grant the prayer OF the
petitioners would be illegal and unjust.
Alderman DoHERTY-What makes you say Illegal?
What is your reason for saying that2
corolary to what had said with regard to the con-
tract between the railway and the Common Coun-
Gil.
Some other questions were put to Mr.. North, by
Alderman DoHERTY and others, but
Alderman TWEED observed, that he decidedly OBJ
jected to Mr.. North being 80 crossquestioned. The
petitioners would have ample opportunities hereafter
to make comments on the declarations made by the
company.
Alderman GETTY then came forward on behalf Of
the company, and commenced his observations
by denying that the Hudson River Railroad
Company was monopoly. As had been shown,
it had not been got up by capitalists but by working
men, and had too much competition to contend
against ever to become monopoly 1t was peculiarly
safeguard against Boston; and therefore at the pre-
sent time it beloved New York to be careful how It
injured that railway which had contributed so much
to its prosperity. He referred sarcastically to the
demagogism of the declaration about the people TAX
ing the law into their own hands, and in answer to
Alderman Doherty, said he not interested In the
Hudson River railroad one cent but on the contrary,
had come out of it loser As for the evils Of which
the citizens OF the Eleventh avenue complained, he
considered that they were themselves the authors for
they rushed into the place and built up houses reck
lessy and now laid all their misortunes at the door
Of the railroad
Alderman DoHERTy here cast his eye over the
petition handed in by Mr.. North and remarked that
the signatures were not those of people who lived in
the Eleventh avenue.
Mr.. M. Fl. GRrNNELL stepped forward on behalf Of
the railroad. After showing the many interests that
were bound up in ~ Hudson River Railroad, he en-
deavored to eucdate the fact that merchandise would
cost more transported slowly ana TO avoid this loss
of time commerce might find another channel. That
part OF the city where the railroad was now declared
to be a nuisance was at one time complete wilder
ness, and had become gradually improved, and in.
creased in value till builders began to run up more
houses than needed. In conclusion he hoped the
committee would deeply consider the matter before
determining on o plan that would injure the CITY,
Mr.. MILES and kir. THOMPSON then followed. The
latter gentleman favored tho railroad, because it was
advantageous to Che city in general and he strongly
suspected that the petitioners now quarrelling
with their best friend and il the locomotives were re-
moved higher up, they would be the first to petition
for their return He suggested in any new regu.
lation was determined on, that it should be applied
to all the city railroads, so as TO put all an equa-
lity. 1t was matter of justice.
Tho CHAIRMAN now announced that the commit
tee had determined to adjourn to the afternoon Of
Friday the 18th inst.