The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-24
The RAILROAD POWER OF BUFFALO.
Property Owners Denied the Right OF
Petition and q Common Council Who
ignore Them-Is the Buffalo Press
Muzzleds


Petition and = Common Council Who
ignore Them-Is the Buffalo Press
Muzzleds
BUFFALO, March 20, 1873.
| To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Having been a merchant here for the last thirty
i've years and during that time q constant
reader Of your Independent and valuable journal,
and knowing at the same time that 1t was free
from all chques and an advocate Of the rights OF
the people, in behalf Of the taxpayers here
make an appeal to you to publish a communication
and remonstrance. The communication was
written for the Buffalo Courier, and after consul.
tatisn OF twenty -four hours they came to the cen
cluson they could not publish 1t. They said we had
got into the wrong shop they should advocate the
other side Of the question. We then went to the
Offical paper Of the city, the Commercial Adres.
nSer. They also desired time to consider its bear
ing and tendency of the grievance complained of,
and when called upon for their decision they re.
fused, on the ground that II they did publish 1t all
Of the Aldermen would be after them and the
street railroad folks besides. The Buffalo Express
and the Buffalo Erenfng Post also refused L. 5.
Stephenson one OF the signers, Is the largest tax
payer in the city; then Z. G. Spaulding and the
Messrs Sideways, all Of them large taxpayers.
corporation that will not allow the voice OF the
people to be heard is now asking, at the hands Of
the people, through the Legislature, another fran
chise for street railroad that will completely belt
this city, Now, sir, thereisa principle involved here
that stretches out further than the mere act OF
which we complain appears, Tor it is actually de-
nying the right OF petition, one Of the most sacred
rights OF the people. 1t this right which old
John quincy Adams contended for SO long in the
House Of Representatives and finally succeeded.
Just for moment look at the state OF things that
exists here-a Common Council that viii not allow
the right OF petition to be heard and the entire press
OF the city Of Buffalo completely subsidized. There
New York Committee Of SEVENTY IS peeded
here as well as ether places. We should like TO
directed as 1t IL TO the Buffalo Courier, and the
remonstrance in full and the minutes OF the Coun.
ola TO- 'Sow ns of a
p. S.-You are at liberty to publish this If you
choose.
shsSsr he city have any
tseems to me that Slow not only at Seif consttuonai
a. shST Ss ~e
.s' ND ss 81
an Alderman rom Tenth ward assuming 70 repre-.
o. ss e GSd s Bat or he %
a as ws LSS d;S the s Nn, Of the
their vote ,s in rsatC to the Of Main street
signed BY The owners ., nearly three.
Council ON Monday March 3 and all of these Aldermen
voted against entertaining the remonsrance. The
payers were granted the high privilege Of withdrawing
their remonstrance Tor the simple reason as think,
schemes OF Messrs Watson and Churchyard but II the
remonstrance should be entertained by the Council
would also break the slate OF Mr.. Holloway.
Then. again, look at the treatment the other
Mariner Street presented by A. b. Ellsworth and others
from T. Smith and others against opening Elmwood
avenue, and one from John Stuttwagen and Others,
against opening Blume street. All OF these remon.
strances were natly repudated, and now I wish 20
call your particular attention to the vote,
10 who these The general law OF 1854
is applicable to all street railroads, from which the
Common Council received general powers which at the
time protected the people, because II required the
streets before the Council could act at an Therefore
under this provision, the power to order work
gardless OF circumstances was not granted but alter
wards, in the charter enacted, In 1870 pto tx,
lourths of all the members elected to the Common Coun
Gil and after notice OF the intention TO order il shall
have been published three times week weeks
the Official paper, the work mentioned In section
of said act may be ordered" Consequently, in this way,
against the united opposition Of all the taxpayers unless
ures may be carried forward as the magnates
OF the railroad company may dictate. The writer of
this article member of the Council for six years
and participated largely in the proceedings that gave
considered That lac was acting honestly towards the
people and the company But little did he think at that
time that he was creating monopoly TO take away the
rights OF the taxpayers neither did he think that
could be foun 20 trample the peoples rights
they have done in these The remoustrances in
question against repaving Of Main street was sub
United TO Of the members OF the Council for his views
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