The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-19
RAPID TRANSIT.
Meeting at the Cooper Institute Last Night
to Promote the Passing of Bill for
Cheap Rapid Transit for the City.
A RAILROAD FOR THE PEOPLE.
From One End of the Island to tho Other for
Three Cents-speeches by Judge Sutherland,
DelaHsld Smith, Abram s. Hewitt and Gem
eral sigel-The Delegation to Albany.


eral Sigel-The Delegation to Albany
A n4cetinr that in accordance with the call, was
anticipated to be "mass meeting" OF the citzens,
for the purpose OF urging the passage OF pi" ior
rapid transit in the city, was held last neht In the
crypt OF the Cooper Institute The attendance was
not large the seats being only rather more than
half occupied. The attendance, however. asvery
intiuent and comprised large number oil the
heading men OF the city. With the exception OF
few outbursus OF enthusiasm there was nothing to
Indicate. that the audience was very much In ear
nest; the speeches, with one or two exceptions,
were very dscursive and at the close there was |
strongly expressed sentiment by the auditors that |
the meeting had failed in the element OF practica-
bilty
The audience was called to order by Mr.. r. A.
Wttthaus Chairman OF the Association. who said
that all the pledges given by the Legislature to
rapid transit had been broken and for the purpose
OF cOunteracting that Rapid Transit Association
had been formed, and that association had intro
duced an act into the Legislature for the city OF
New York to build quick transit line for the
people. (Checrs.J 1t was to favor this that THO
mass meeting was called He then introduced the
Chairman.
SPEECH OF JUDGE SUTHERLAND
Judge SUTHERLAND said that the purpose OF the
now before the Legislature. The purpose OF the
bill was to promote the construction of q railway
from the Battery to the Harlem River, to be owped
and operated by the city for the benefit OF the PEG
pie at large. This was new as regarded railroads.
but the city did the same as to the Cr0ton water
The CrotOn Aqueduct was the property OF the CITY,
and the idea doubt, suggested itself to the pro-
motors Of the scheme OF rapid transit that
II there were any profits on this rail
NJ fha
CITY instead Of the pockets OF the monopoists.
The pill proposed that the Governor should
appoint six Commissioners, including the Mayor,
the President OF the Board OF Aldermen ana the
President OF the Department OF works The rail-
road is have Jour tracks, the commissioners are
to appoint five engineers and majority Oh them Is
to present u report, which the commissioners are
to adopt The act puts limit to the lares that to
and from Seventy-sec0nd street IL snail not exceed
II a tha tSe rom reS
gers and postal service shall cover the interest on
the bends OF the road 1t also proyides Tor snk
Anything done under and on the road Is to be sub
united to the people at charter election, and only
then by majority. 1t was greatly TO be regretted
that this city, with its charters. should have to so
80 the Legislature to ask for power to make rail-
road The effect OF Judge stuart's decision many
years ago was to throw this city and oil other cities
At the feet Of the Legislature and they were COM
the island OF the city. He did hope that the Legis
lature wonid amend the constitution, so as to pro-
charter rights Of this city. tCheers.I He would
guarantee that New York city would govern
Who had i'I @oney W enough could go to the
Legislature and purchase the means either
tS ss5Ul le. Of TO 1Ss Of
would come when this matter would be talked
over July than tn There must 1sto be
be invaded by any Legislature. yCheers2
After the reading OF the list OF Vice Presidents,
Mr.. BEENY, from the audience, suggested that rep.
resentatives OF the workingmen should be added
to the list OF Vice Presidents.
SPEECH OF pELAFIELD SMITH.
Mr. DELAFIELD SMITH said that he was at loss
to conceive how work like the Croton Aqueduct
mental aid, and he had the same opinion III refer
snce to rapid transit IN TINS c ay:rest e saa ra peT
transit above Fortieth street; and more, he owned
farm IN New Jersey, and therefore he was dis.
interested speaker and perhaps the oniy one VINO
why should not New York city DO this rapid tfanstY
they had Judge Sutherland, WHO would sentence
asn Sg S Ss rsea 9 FSR "S aee ss
- o sIss BY I ID :sS
Sassrs|. who had made I lie SePsgsmens Of
IaugSter.l they had also the good, stern, honest
ola bucnan as B
the time to get this Rapid Transit bill loud
cheers.) He thought the people were more inter
-'Credit Mobilier'' or In the new charter" which
people were tired Of reading because they change
met in Cooper Institute to try to get the blacks the
right to ride In the cars but that very night they
were met to get the whites the right to ride on the
cars That very night he had seen three women
left behind on the sidewalk because they could not
I've taken on the cars This ought to be remedied.
The American mind was peculiar and 1t was prac
teal. and would bring about those practical
results which were necessary for the hap
piness, the comfort and the convenience
Of the people. Mr.. Smith described at length
the corruption in Albany and the corruption
In New York, In the Initiation OF mi-privaIe en-
terprses, but admitted that despite the faults of
the late corrupt Ring 1t had initiated great public
works and these works must go on. tCheers.)
New Workers ought to be able TO call themselves
New Workers with the same pride as Romans called
themselves Romans. loud cheers)
SPEECH OF ADRIAN s. HEWITT.
Mr.. ADRIAN s. HEWITT said that, as a business
man very largely Interested In the commerce
OF this city. he was certain that unless more rapid
transit could be obtained this city could not Keep
the preemnence 1t had attained. The coffee
trade has already gone to Baltimore and as "a mer-
chant he had .0Iders to send freight over the
western eas rEaus or Shipment al other ports. trade
important, but 1t not the most important.
All the common decencies OF life were outraged on
our city travel, and he had long given orders
that no child OF his should enter those cars
(Cheers.) The anthracite coal OF this country,
which was smokeless, was greatly in favor OF this
enterprise. The Erie Canal was constructed alter
this manner, and II Is the most profitable enter
prise in the world. Private capitalists did not see
1t then, and yet the Erie Canal was the parent of
the enterprise and developed commerce OF this
country. 1t was much TO be regretted that the
city had not manufactured Its own gas; II would
have had gas much cheaper. FJheers.) In this
as the omnibus came In and the street rail
roads came In as their successor, so must
the steam railroad succeed the street cars.
loud cheers) lie (Mr. Hewitp then alluded TO
the Viaduct road, former project OF "the ring"
and said that IL commended itself greatly to his
attention, because IT required that a million OF
AAl tVnn n IN ha