New-York tribune., 1870-01-31
albany.
CANAL BUsINESs-THE GREAT GAS JOB-RE-
TRENCHiENT--THE BROOKLYN CHARTER.


TRENCHMENT--THE BROOKLYN CHARTER.
ALBANY, Jan. 2S.-The Senatorial session was
brlef-only an and quarter The chief point OF in
the resolution offered by Senator
Hardenburg concerning contracts aud expenditures on
the canals This resolution emphacay declares that
"The Canal Board the Contracting Board and the Canal
Commissioners. should not let any new work, now or
hereafter authorized by law to be done, any Of the
canals until tho Legislature shall by law appropriate
aud raise money to for the prosecution and compile
ton Of the same" The only wonder Is that such reso
luton should be necessary for restraining the operations
OF the canal authorities, In this year OF our Lord But
the loose practice Of former years meets with resoute
hostility from Senator H. who said that he did not mean
10 conne the doctrine TO the Canal oficers lis appl-
cation was required elsewheTemand ne pointed TO tne
and using in advance OF legislation, as case de-
ent resolution specially stimulated by tho move
ments FOR letting contracts on the Chenango Canal extern
The subject was made the special order for Tuesday
Tho movements In Assembly most directly important
Mr. Field IS eSeneerne With customary skill Move
ments were made by two OF his city colleagues to save
something for the public In this gigantic operation. Mr.
Mitchell oved that tho bin be referred TO tho Judiciary
Committee with instructions to insert clauses providing
parison with the quality and cost OF gasght IN yarou;
New York are aGcted with poorest gas and highest
pIice that anywhere be found He re-
ty,sou Sas COMPANIES. Whch thus shamefuly NAL.
treat the people. He said that one little company-the
Harlem-Wth only 5000 consumers declared 81 per cent
dividends and retained large surplus, while other gas
divide 100 to l30 cent? lie thought
that IL such bill must pass 1t should be restricted 80
that light Of good quality far better than now given IN
Der 900 feet Mr. White eOncurred with Mr. M. In send
ing the bill back TO committee but for additional
reasons After referring TO the immense power given TO
tins gas company, covering all Manhattan Island
above Seyentyninthst, and Including all tho central
Park down TO Ffy-ninthst he mentioned the glaring
Park without at least providing that the work shall
The bill finally referred back TO the Judiciary Com
mitee but without instructions for amending as pro
viurf fha "A
discretion Of the Committee When 1t Is considered that
the Company thus proposed to be chartered TO possess
the power Of lighting and charging the greater part OF
NewYork with its future millions OF inhabitants. for oil
meas the charter ia perpetualit may shortly be seen
whether Gov. HOffmans professions or hostility To
monopoes worth than waste paper or city gas
M I6STea s o ~ Sa Of tSe
retrenchng process the appropriation FOR printing Is
prisons from 100000 100000 The resolution before
the Committee for paying tho ante-War Debt IN coin
occasions much talk, with doubtful result.
In the way OF preparation for the good time coming in
reyolutiOnizDg municipal affairs, we learn that the
MgS Ma4ph SOIs jacobs ana Cullen % for revising
aud democratzing the charter OF Brooklyn. A.,
Brooklyn election frauds, commenced to-day. Mr..
Thomas T.. Pearsall appearing as counsel before the
appropriate Committee, claiming for Mr. Goodrich the
seat now filled by Mr. Jones, his Democratic competitor
Tie case will be heard early next week. Aspecmen
from one OF the election districts IN the Twentieth Ward
Indicates how the work done In other dstricts-6O
having voted for Goodrich though only $50 were
majority OF 10 i'm a district where he clearly beaten.
In the Fifth District Of the Seventh Ward there are
sImilar disclosures The seems clear enough but
the weight OF possession may kick the beam In s favor
The acquired CohOes lmastodon, whose ggan-
tic skeleton forms OF the principal attractions for
visitors generally In the State Geological Museum at
Albany will not DO viewed with higher interest by
scentss and other thoughtful persons than the spec
mans of fossil trees which will be added on Monday or
Tuesday 10 that Invaluable collection OF curosites from
our state Geological Survey On hearing OF some SIN
euiar appearances In outcroppng OF rocks where
workmen are blasting for the foundation OF new pier
In schohare Creek Gilboa SchOharie County, PrOl
lanes Hall volumes OF reports on our State Geo
logical survey quoted by geologists and pae0ntolo
gists through the world, Immediately went thlthcr ana
personay collected tho relics las far as dscoyered
OF formations illustrating tho pllmeyal condition
OF vegetable llfo our globe. These consist OF
stumps OF four trees found IN place "-ap-
narently in their original position In the
rocks The large tree bases three In number Prot
Hall said to the writer may belong to the genus sage
maria aud the smaller one TO Cordaesnd are quite new
as species and perhaps genera the rocks wherein they
were found belonging to the Hamilton Group, Ring "
10 600 feet below the Coal Measuresthe lowest depth a
which fossil have ever been found Mheh we re-
member tho discoveries and the genius whereby Cner
from few bones found in the plaster qnarres al Paris
constructed his wonderful exhibition OF extinct aha
and when we further recoect tho recent discoveries OF
existing animal life in the recent soundlngs OF ocean
depths where 1t had been supposed That animal ne couu
NOT exist We may be better prepared for revelations con
pected with and consequent on the discoveries OF recs
Of fossil trees thus rescued from rocks wherein such
relies OF prmeva creation were never before discovered