New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-06
THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE.

ous consequence; and it is the province OF
public journal to comment on the various I'M
portant projects of the day, and to advise as
to any seeming Oversights. With firm con-
yction that the projecs which we have named
commends itself, as means of communication
with Brooklyn, to the earnest attention OF our
citizens, it is very clear to us that true re-
gard for the unity of interests of tie two great
cities, and the ultimate success OF This proJect,
dictate n careful scrutiny into all its prelml-
nary stages, and the exercise OF impartial care
as to all its principles of operation. In the IN
corporation of this project, in 1867, - lncorpo-
rators were named, of whom New York is rep
resented by about ten, the balance being cltl-
zens of Brooklyn; the same act also provides
that the Board of Directors, who are to control
the corporation shall be not less than 10 nor
more than 81 in number. 1t appears that IN
the last week in December, and during the
closing hours of the Common Councils OF New
York and Brooklyn, advantage was taken OF
the clause which permits city subscriptions,
and our city became q conditional stakeholder
to the amount of $1,5OO,OOO, and Brooklyn
S3,OOO,OOO, the joint sum being bnt S5OOOOO
less than the capital stock of the Company.
bill is now pending in the Legislature which
amends the act of incorporation to make these
subscriptions available, giving New-lork three
permanent Directors in the Board (the Mayor,
Controller, and President of the Board OF Al
dermen), and three city officers of Brooklyn
are also permanent Directors, the six repre-
sentlng $4,5O00O0 of capital OF S5,OOo,OOo IN
a Board which may number 81. The amend
ment then goes on TO provide that - the other
"members of said Board of Directors shall be
elected by the other stockholders OF said Com
"pany," which virtually places nine-tenths OF
the investment under the absolute control OF
but one tenth. Here is manifest injustice to
the interests of our City which should be cor
rected at Albany.
In connection with this subject, the tone OF
the Brooklyn papers is not indicative OF dis
position to favor the interests or the rights OF
New-York. The Eagle, in commenting on the
Board of Directors to be formed, says:
"If Brooklyn is to furnish subsidy which is to form
nearly or quite half the capital Of the undertaking. ~
Is clear that few Il any NewYorkers will be entitled to
seats in the Board These considerations render it de,
among the corporators should get together form their
Board OF Direction. elect their President Treasurer and
ceve such subsidy as the Legislature has empowered
the Common Council by a twothird vote TO grant"
Subsequently. it is announced that the Hon.
Henry c. Murphy is elected Chairman of the
lncorporators.
1t appears also that the -alAaEastar-ssC Tia
project has not been properly apprehended by
the parties who procured the charter, and who
have matured the plan and location of this
structure. While the capital is named at
s5,OOO,OOO it is evident, from the statements of
the Brooklyn editorials, that the actual cost is
now assumed mt about $S,0O00OO; to which
must be added the enormous item OF land
damages, for right of way, of approaches and
main structure from our City Hall Park to the
corner of Sands-st. and FultOn-ave., Brooklyn,
or about 42GO feet, exclusive of the 1000 feet
rivcr-span; and it is publicly rumOred that
prominent Brooklyn firm have secured the
eventual contract on this basis. On the other
hand, the published estimate of a more difficult
and expensive structure of the same general
character at the Highlands is given at about
S3,7j0,0OO and the cost of this Bridge, rs
stated by Col. Adams in The brooklyn Union
of Oct. Z, 1867, is S4,75O,COO.
1t appears, also, that the plan of Mr.. Roe.
bling, to which the Brooklyn interest In this
matter is committed, is considered by compe-
tent engineers, and has been so publicly re-
viewed as Objectionable in various principles
and details of plan, as to its location, its
superstructure, its pier foundations. These
criticisms have been made with great careful
ness, and go to show that it is, after all,
matter of serious consideration whether the
structure can be safely held, without a central
pier, while the project of disturbing all the
crowded railway termini of the City Hall
square. and destroying a great part of the
business property thence in a line to the river,
when the approaches might better be located
nearer the river, makes it very clear
that our Brooklyn friends have not paid much
regard to our interests in their own specula-
tons.
Under these circumstances, it is by
all means important TO the interests of
New York-and we expect our represent
atves ut Albany to bear this in mind
that the legislation for this Bridge should not
be consummated until provision is inserted
in the law authorizing proper representation
of the stock and thorough scientific examin-
alton of the various questions of location and
construction which are at issue, and which GER
tainly should not be decided for us in Kings
County, and also protecting the interests of
our subscription from an inscriptions con-
tractors raid, by making it Indispensable that
all the contracts should he placed at public com
petition, and awarded to the lowest competent
and responsible bidder. To this suggestion no
man among the Brooklyn incorporators can OBJ
ject, without convicting himself of intentions
and principles unfortunately too common in
this day of reckless and inordinate bargain and
SALE What we ask in these respects, in fact,
should have been conceded without our