The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-06
"SINK THE TRACK"
Mass Meeting Of the Twelfth and Nineteenth
Wards Railroad and Reform Associations.
Speeches, Resolutions, and Com
mittees Appointed.

mittees Appointed.
Commodore Vanderbilt To Be Interviewed and
the Legislature To Be Importuned
on tho Subject
The spacious East Side Association Hall, in their
new building corner Of Elghty.sixth street and
Third avenue, was well filed last evening respon-
sive to call for united meeting OF the railroad
reform associations In the Twelfth and Nineteenth
wards for the purpose OF taking into consideration
the proposed plan Of sinking the Fourth avenue
tracks above FOrty-second street and arching the
road over.
Mr.. CHARLES CRARY was chosen President Of the
meeting On taxing the chair he made brief
speech, saying that the object OF their assem-
bling was to get rid OF the intolerabe nuisance the
Fourth Avenue Railroad tracks, as now laid at its
terminus In this city. Since the building OF the
Grand Central Depot the matter had become more
Of o nuisance tnan ever. The public attention
had become aroused on the subject 1t
was time something was DONE and done at
once. The nuisance should not De allowed to
continue. He proceeded to describe the various
his view that suficed for the purpose was TO sink
plan could be tolerated. 1t was necessary the re-
should be unity OF action, and for this reason Met
present meeting was called. 1t was necessar 4 to-
give expression to the united views OF the Aopye
living above Forty second street. Interview n nnd
been had with Commodore Vanderbilt, and Ae con.
fessed that there was ground for compile int, and
only waited for some favorable renee ~ tD be
pointed out, when the same would nobably be
adopted. One thing was certain. tnatj all other
measures falling they coad appeal to the Legisla-
ture.
The following gentlemen were chosRn vice pres,-
dents and SECRETARIES
Vice Presidents william A. WnAtlock, Horatio
p. Allen. Thomas Rutter, J. O'IIOnohue, Henry
Waterman, william b. Colwel William r. Martin,
Willis Edward fitzpatrick, Stephen Roberts, James
M. Boyd, l. I. Hopkins Wheeler II. Peckham.
SeCretlrieS-J. u. Austen, sSher Barnett, Jacob T.,
Miller, Adolph Kesser, Henry O. Boyd.
Mr.. ASHER BARRETT submittedsthe following reso-
lutions:-
Resolved That in relation the Fourth and its &C.
a. I'm
PROVISION FOR the use oy tue public OF the portion said
and also Of The portion Of the Streets ia
with danserand INCONVENIENCE
the absolute cessation Of the present ntoerabe
s q: the
and ana din
Harlem das a sunken track arcned and
street. including the sinking Of the Present an
% anS s i % y
giving TO the companies the exclusive possession Of her
Ss ao Ta tn meeting
Ss sn & y. Of ssss s each
be appointed BY the Chair whose duty shall DO
them sa'; Of w ons
% ana mo- e Be- s TO the
e. .nH name OF .ne people OF New York city
proprse legislation upon The OF the foregoing rsso
MIR. WHEELER W. PECKHAM spoke upon the resolu.
tlon. The railroad was In possession OF Fourth
avenue. Any one crossing the road has had an on.
portunlty TO see that 1t Is exclusive possession
la consequence OF the many meetings. on the sum.
ject the railroad authorities are opening their
the endurance OF the people OF New YORK
will not submit, ana willingness has been ex-
plan it Is only necessary 10 satisfy them thai 1--WE we
are In earnest. They must succumb.
VOlCE-HOw can you tame llonr
Mr.. PECKutM--l never tanned lion but
Andrew Jackson swept down the United STATES STATES
This lion can be tanned. tApplause.) He Is already
submitting to the power OF public opinion He says
shall be adopted. What more do we want : In the
first place we want the consent OF the Legislature,
tica plan. Ii he must then adopt orr plan then we
Will fight the lion. prolonged cheers. l am not
taS e e ms Sas ny or oyss s
well to do anything hostile to It's interest He Is
iar.seeing man, and has thorough knowledge OF
human nature. III he Will not consent 10 this plan
lev the committee waiting on MIN turn their heels
or shake the dust from their feet ana proceed at
once TO Albany. (Appause.l In the continuation
of ms remarks ne drew contrast between the Law
ing OF rairoa tracks and their arrangement in Lon
don and this city, In conclusion he insisted tnat the
foremost consideration IN this matter was o regard
Tor human lie. Not only were people In constant
dong OF railroad bells and confused CHATTER of NOV
ing trains was grievous drawback to those unfOr-
tunate enough to be sick within hearing OF them
He wondered at the patience of the people, He
wondered that they had not taken the power
In their own hands and abated the nuisance
so, glad that the people glad that
they were determined to abate the nuisance by only
son. that they ask the railroad people to Cooperate
with tnem not as beggars, but as having right 10
Judge fHoMPsoN insisted that they had to contend
more with law than with Commodore Vanderbilt.
The streets OF the city belong to the State. This
railroad corporation was created by the people OF
the state Of New YORK. TO them was given certain
franchises; they had vested rights, and these could
not be disregarded There was no doubt of the |
thing being an unmitgated nuisance. Their en-. |
gines were death; but It was all Important, he
process Of compromise.
Mr.. PECKHAM, IN answer TO the last gentleman |
said that the railroad authorities were backed mn |
by the law, ana that was the diiculty. The remedy
was 10 get the law changed. He insisted that t was
mistake stating that the streets OF the city belonged
to the state. They belong 10 the city, but this made
no material difference. The remedy lay IN going to
Albany.
Dr. KIssLER was the next speaker The streets
he claimed, belonged to the people. He went on to |
show that the people resident IN the upper part OF
the city were more specially interested in
having the tracks OF the Fourth Avenue
Eallroad sunk above Forty second slfeGG. |
But the Interest," he. urged, did not
Stop here. Every citizen in New YORK had an in
terest in the proposed scheme He was q German,
and as German he could pledge his word That All
German citizens OF the city, true 10 their instincts
m
sure.
Mr. FITZPATRICK next addressed the meeting He
would not Insult them with long speech Within
the next month The track could be sunk from Forty.
second TO Nlney-fourth street. This could be done