New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-20

beyA not prospered by any cor'e9po"''"o
from their virtual masters ,, r.it, n coni.
lie Manhattan Company was OF ai ,ou IL
raj az Eve hundred thousand dollars I's eap'"'
ao No., tbinS mt the people ere prepared to nave
,hi, taycs ircreased unnecessarily to sven ts s,io
nj stucA holders AZ gas COMPANIES. bIt lh's 20
of The 8, hioct with which Lave nothing 10 W. AN
nm the stockholders in this colnpan! uIe ToDg
oar most respectable citizens, nDd tue MEo'' holder
orc tbe leaders and chiefs Ia movements III municipal
REFORM and doubtless ny acl,escs , wi "onr
might secure their public praise as iaitlui onieer-
hrt shonld do so wold feel that dd not deserve
the comm endetion have long since concluded tnn'
the hest praised are pot alWe!s Tue mort u
have arhuc,ed m,sef TO rely, for my recompense as
nnblic officer on the couscousess OF doing rght now
ever much temporary and Interested clamor may De IN
censed and cry out. ,,,, r. ., ~,
II is required by law that all bids for contracts sha
he oucred IN The presence of the Comptroller.
/ shall not attend he present nj any opening ioi
bids for the proposed substituted contracts, ana sha III
| 10 manner recognize theln 1900.
oea' nst tic action Of tie Common Council
The r,t contract made by the Corporation To lish'
the streets OF our city was e'ecuted WIN G 60 e,
recites that IN consideration OF The covenants 10 .,
performed BIZ tho Company the Corporation granted
d,msed and 70 farm l to the comp ny ,nc ,s a, ~
layng or asing under ground pipes in all and every
Of the public streets and parts Of streets lng South o
line running diagoyaily from The Last RIVER AZ w,
4 OF If Grand street to the Noth RIVER at 'he 10Y ~
| =,
lanps IN me and parts Of strait soHh o. said H
and he houses and buildings JroHtihg or toyoM or /"
bounded By, the straits paris Of siTes s0ath o. "a
u then provided for numerous Conditions ana re,
sricions under which the grant was 10 continue hh
Il was ex rcssy Iulated that II the Company ala hol
fait ry perform It's contract and all tie covenants
.nl conditions therein contained tle premises there
by demised should be reyested in the Corporation NJ
fully and completely MS II this indeniure nad not oeeh
ex cured" This coatract continued unti the I'm gay
Of MAY 1882 and eXp ed on that day by ts own hmIia
ton hold that, by the provisions al mat cohunct
the exclusive right OF the ci to control tie pune
Tor the purpose OF laying pas pic ara irhis
ING gas wa, tIctly reccgui2 aud establisbe1-in
deVendcntly Of all other cousidcratonsad that the
contract amounted only 10 a lease OF tho use 81 the
for tie purposes OF the Company during the CON
FINANCE of the contract TIC contract having expired
bv its own limitation tho exclusive oHneishpoi tle
streets reverted the CorpnrriiOn Al me contracts
made with The Manhattan Gus Company and mat WIN
lie Harlem Company contain the same provisions ID
this respect-wuId for word. -, -
This recognition of right and ownership by the Cor.
pora,lon in Tue Streets IN connection WIN gas com
mes Is an DpC aud valuable property ana may Ue
turned TO very Profitable recount In charging these
cola plnes in the future on annual rent or othei ace
nu,fA consideration for their future Of the streets
oh they have turned e. such Useful private ad'hn
tace without Gny compensation heretofore 10 the
people. The resolutions Of the Common .ouheh 90
not take this ownership into account ana naAe no pro
vision for its reservation or protection, ont 'iftnay
surreudor H. The resolutions direct the making OF
new contract. without any stipulations
Tie New-York and harlem Companies are ~ ths
pos,on with reference - tho street, of tenants hold.
iu over after the expiration OF tie term. aud have no
light to the streets for their pi es single DAY WIN
out tie authority of the Common CouHeil, ana are
necessarily dependent the Cooperation Tor TIER very
existence. .
There arc no contracts outstanding with either the
Newly ok HARLEM Companies, the former DelnR palu
g. - per lamp per aDnum, under demand Tor that
amount and toe latter coLtbung 10 receive s2S 60 per
lamp the amount stipulated 20 be paid under their
act which expired on the 9th day oil December
issr.
Tot in addition 10 all this IN all the contracts here
tofore made with these companies. ns have before
stated. carefully considered provision Is unde io lhe
protection OF the public interest AZ every point where u
needed gulrdlg with tie exception 81 the changes Oe
tween the first and second contracts with the MANHATTAN
Company To which lave adyerted. ny ihe resolutions
uf The Common Council 10 provision fuT luDhc prVtec
ton j. % he equred This would b. IN Itself an III
suyefabc objection.
Ihcre are lii other objections equally strong TO my
attending the opcning Of tie bids r the neg Contracs
ot tai ing any e. give them validity The ir'i
ton Of ae Street Comm sioner, Issued IA pursuance oi
uc1cd divides the city into iDur districts, beng prne
tleaib tnc d.ifc's ~ winch ue NeN.I Crk, the Man
~ ttGu the Metropolitan and tie Harlem have ehc,nshe
plsscs,ou not and any authority for this division
anil formation Il districts the fcsoiuti"ns th"nsr'e-
Abe preoioni effect Oft Will be, IL nether company
cunr,tBg with the others. each VIII be Ht merry va
rIurr whatever n it owl dlsitlc no lnatl'f
how cxhurb.taui and there " ~ be no relief Whereas.
II thr lyfatOn inc.uaed the whole cy there might De
cnmpeton. each bcng az liberty u over ride The oihcr
AID ssGry there would b" ttrugglc LOT TIE al
vantage. IL Is fnc InconYt ntenco might he suffered
xhile the pipes being laid by company not not"
in possession Of certain DISTRICTS but do not see Low
this Inconvenience can be- Ultimately avoided without
absolute surrender Of the city TO lie gas mouopoes
yn ihciE own terms.
Ia order that proper estimate may he formed Of the
extent TO which the burdens OF the Gig Do increased
under the proposed contracts, woald state that
the bills r lighting the public lamps for the !ear eoi.
according TO tLe exciting Arrangements amounted 10
about four hundred aud forty thousand dollars.
All which IL respectfully submitted.
MATTHEW 4. BRENNAN. Comptroller.