The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-26


dangerous to life and has so seriously deprecated
The value Of contiguous property but thu expenses
~ accomplish this result have to be Dor ne
BY THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS CITY
and onehaf by the corporation for whose interests
The nuisance was brought into existence. Section
10 OF the same act says:-"Wben Completed, the
said railroad company are authorized and directed
TO run by steam perpetualy rnree trains {and such
trains OF other railways as shall have obtained the
Company over the said improvement. and route
O. or said railroad and "a and upon their depot at
turnouts and sdipgs authorized by law north
OF said street," while that section
1t cures any defect that exists in the title OF the
railroad company, and gives them an equivalent to
a fee simple without any reservation whatever.
My objection to the bin is principally in these two
sectons-to the section which compeIs taxpayers
TO pay half the expense OF sinking the track, ana
giving away street without any reserved right in
the local authorities
TO REGULATE ITS USE.
Besides these railroad schemes I'm the interest Of
the Vanderbilt combination there are quite a num-
Der OF others, which have passed the Assembly and
Senate without any serious consideration or Opposi
tlon which give away to private incorporators
FRANCHISES OF GREAT VALUE,
Tor which the city will probably never receive one
cents advantage. In 1869 the Legislature passed
Rings authorizing the laying down Of two tracks
the whole length Of Twenty third street. The fran
chise was sold ut auction and bid In by
MAN NAMED YEOMANS.
He could not comply with the condition OF sale,
and the Comptroller refused to consunmate the
large proportion of the property holders along the
line, he has succeeded IN getting an act passed
compelling the Comptroller to complete the sale;
What is known the Swain Three-Tier Railroad
bin, which gives the corporator the right
TO GO THROUGH STREETS, CHURCHES,
and interiors OF blocks or any other place they may
choose-a very extraordinary bill, in every partcu-
larwas passed without even the first section being
read. The Beach Pneumatic, the Central Under
ground, and the Gilbert Eevated-three other bills
for quick transit were also passed, in about the
same way. My objections to all of these railroad
schemes have BEEN first. that the route should be
agreed upon between the local authorities and cor
porators in the bill, and that the surface roads
sKna of oa r tho to pay tSs to s
agreed upon and paid before the railroad is CON-
able and pay large profits to the stockholders, and
ought to be made to contribute towards the support
the funded debt. There are another set of bills
very much In vogue which are In direct contraven-
tion OF public, policy. ! refer to private financial
companies They are generally OF irresponsible and
unknown parties, who place themselves together
as incorporators in bin which gives
deposit to guarantee bonds and mortgages, to loan
money on bond and mortgage and upon personal
property, after the manner of pawnbrokers to sell
the property when 1t becomes forfeited and to buy
In at their own sales The most OF these bills also
confer numerous other extraordinary privileges
which have heretofore been unknown and unau-
thorized by any law Many Of this class Of bills are
introduced without the clause which holds the
stockholders liable for the debts Of the company.
Heretofore the object of the law has been
to surround every. kind OF a corporation
with every possible safeguard and restriction which
would insure honest administration of its affairs
ana guarantee perfect safety to outside parties
who were brought in business relations with them
Now, the rule inaugurated by the Legislature OF this
State permits corporations to embark In business
without any considerable amount of capital being
paid, and no particular liability of any kind attach
ing to stockholders or olllceholders who have neg
lgently or dishonesty managed their affairs. These
results, In my opinion come from want of proper
duties are and carelessness on the part of those
who make the laws. In many instances, no doubt,
measures affecting the city OF New York "are
OUT AND OUT JoBs
put through the Legislature by brides in the way OF
fluenccs. SO far as the present Legislature is
cerned IT is probably not much worse or much bet
ter than some OF Its immediate predecessors. IT Is
evident to great many people that we have only
changed masters. Heretofore it was Tweed, Gould
and Company, and now 1t Is
VANDERBILT ALONE.
There is no kind OF SO difficult to prove as
that OF corruption on the part OF legislator The
rule is that men who pay brides and those
conceal their acts. Hence 1t Is almost i'm
possible to prove case Of bribery. The truth
"outside" mean to include the allpowerful Third
House, as well as those who have been In the habit
OF coming to Albany upon matters connected with
present Is not a reform Legislature
IT'S SUSCEPTIBILITY OF BEING PURCHASED
body Joins and no one disputes have no positive
OF any specific payments to particular
psssed some of Which we're deeated
about which 1t was generally believed money
was paid for votes. Colonel Howkils mentioned
the Williamsburg Ferry bill and the central Under
ground Railroad bill. He sad:-Then bill which
permitted the directors OF the Pacific Mail Steam
stocks This b went to third reading by an over
vote, only seven votes being cast against
g. II was then engrossed and brought up for third
reading In the Senate, and was defeated by larger
number Of votes than those who had previously
voted for it, The bill
and ought to have been defeated, In relation to
the Vanderbilt interests, as represented at Albany
1t is very difficult to tell the exact method by
which they are managed One set OF people believe
that there is large amount OF money In the hands
Of A. d. Barber which will be paid out at the end OF
stanch friends to the Vanderbilt schemes for the
despoaton OF the city OF New York. This is called
THE VANDERBILT PoOI.
There Is another belief, founded upon rumOr, that
the special lobby in charge OF Vanderbts interests
pay as they go for each vote. One gentleman told
me that he had been coming to Albany for thirty
and that he believed this to be the most corrupt lie,
gisature that had ever assembled there. Another
stated to me that he believed vote to be just as
much an article OF merchandise
AS A BARREL or FLOUR
and for the benefit OF the lobby he thought that
there should be daily quotation Of prices so that
anybody having business with the Legislature
would be able to count the cost before embarking
In any enterprise The great contest which is upon
whether the people own the railroads or the rail-
roads own the people. Fit Is fact settled beyond
burg and dictate legislation there, and thence 20
to Trenton and do the same thing, and II Cor
nens vanderbilt can pass or defeat any act Of the
New York Legislature that he 1T then It seems
to me that the question Is settled, and that our
form OF government to certain extent Is a failure
wish to have It distinctly understood that there
and high character, who feel and think ms do in re-
lation to the present condition OF affairs at Albany
and for these gentlemen have the highest esteem
and consideration.