The New York herald., 1875-08-27
FIERCE WAR OF WORDS
The Rapid Transit Question in an
Aldermanic Tangle.
THE CROTON WATER SUPPLY
General Porter's Reply to Alder
man Vance's Resolutions.

those who were present managed 10 make the meeting
quite lively one The indications before the hour for
the sitting had arrived pointed 10 bitter fight between
the democrats and republicans over the Croton main
ordnance but when the Board was called TO order and
It was discovered that there not seventeen men,
bers in their seats the general order not called up
The subject Of Croton water however, the enter
Ing wedge TO the general proceedings and ii came up in
the shape of numerousy signed petition which Alder
man Mccarthy presented from uptown residents pray
ing the Common Council to pass ordinance author
izng the employment Of additional means 10 increase
the supply Of water.
RAPID TRANSIT.
Alderman Gross offered the following which, he said
he had drawn up without comforting consulting with
anybody
Resolved That the Counsel Of the Corporation be- he
b herewith and directed to inform this Board
its next regular meeting as to his interpretation OF the fol-
FsThe constitution of the State in article 3 section ls
providing That legislative act shau authorize the
operation railroad the
condition that the of the Of onehelf value
thores having the control OF that portion OF street high
na Be- h @ II % % or Rsser e
an M ne hS the S Ss se4S o
q the railway or railways should be located t before the
charge the duty imposed on them by the constitution is
Seco-Artice g. section 1s of the constitution, being
virtually injunction the State Legislature TO be dis
sSs directions therein conained the further question arises
created By act Of the egaare the location
TSsrd-Whether the Commissioners Of Rapid Transit
use Of the fun Sxed them 70 deter
ns and Ak the @ as We'll S i o1 an o.
psvious the strict compliance with the aforesaid prov
which the act chapter s Laws Of 1873 would be rendered
and the o % @ authority
Fo~rA-Whether this Common Council would not com
pf constitutional provision provisions created by the
s sSsy would ise SEs the view The
apparent from their preamble and resolutions pre-
placed on them a-Legislature Commission Common
Council-by the constitution Of the Statei
F-whether the wording article 3, section le, Of the
.onstituton THAT the consent cons Of the owners and
does not imply that not only the streets and
should Be bmitted to the Common Council in asking their
the Of said streets and highways for although
tion Council Is reality the constitution
vson in premises precede all other action
on the of the Legislature to such an act "a
SizzSff the Common Council adopt the preamble and
do they not thereby fSrecO right objections ezcep
Gons 20 and rom the prospective aeenons o. saa I0nm
posed the Common Council by the constitution and the
A LITTLE PLAIN TALK
MI Blessing at the close OF the reading Of the
utons said that the question at issue a very plain
one and he did not the necessity Of asking the Cor
poraon Counsel for his opinion concerning the powers
OF the Rapid Transit Commissioners when they
clearly defined by the act which brought them into
being. Common sense, he said, was common law, and
be did why the Commissioners could not apply
little sense to their Interpretation OF the law.
The Law distinctly sad that the route must be estab
hshed within sixty days ater the Commissioners had
organized an a board After they got the consent Of
The property holders they would then have to to
he Board Of Aldermen to obtain its approval Of the
route They had already consumed nearly two months
n delberating the subject and he believed that they
could have accomplished all the work required of them
In couple Of weeks at least When the Board had
approved Of the route they could and build
the road without hindrance and take much time
1t they liked, as there provision Of law
that compelled them TO have 1t completed within
given time
MT Purroy moved to amend the resolution 30 that Il
could be considered at an adjourned meeting TO be held
Saturday He said the question OF rapid
such an important and the time short
within which the commission had to complete their
work that 1t would not do TO postpone acton the
resolution for q whole week
Mr. Blessing said he hoped the amendment would
prevail SO that the rapid transit mystery, far the
Board concerned would be definitely settled.
Mr. Purroy's amendment was accepted and ii was re-
poved that the Board should meet Saturday to-
morrow 70 take action upon the resolution
THE ''RYRICIRSCY" oP THE POLICE BOARD.
Alderman Blessing offered the following
Whereas General William Smith the newly appointed
York has manifested such marked executive ability has
sdse Of The Sanss and Of that and
now infested that earned for himself the respect and
should receive some mark Of APPRECIATION from this Common
Resolved That Common Council does hereby applaud
and commend she efforts made by Police Commissioner VIII
that pervades the Department Of Police Increase
prevention detection and punhm e1 Of crime IN this ty
The undertaking ia the face Of the difficulties thai environ
him 20 encouragement and support from well disposed
Of our se sn s H1 h 1s al
ton and praise and be it further
duly suthentcsed and transmitted to General %S
s sSS ae S % 6 Ss 5 pSo
partment Of the city Of New York
A PLUM PoR ''BALDY"
The reading Of the resolution created quite sepsa
ton and the republicans while was being read moved
uneasly in their chairs and nterchanged inquiring
gances If each was anxious TO know what other
thought best to be done under the circumstances in
order not 10 be placed on record for or against the
luton the passage OF which would be deadly blow 10
General Smiths three associates However, learn
ing that the democrats divided the proprety
OF tho resolutions being offered at all they assumed
confident air as much as to say, "Whos afraid2" Mr.
Blessing when the Clerk had finished reading said that
he had offered the resolution believing that General
Smith had deserved well Of the people for the stand he
had taken against the Infamous clique that he had found
In the Board He was the only in the Board
who seemed to know what his duty was, and who
knowing IT, dared to perform il. He hoped the Mayor
would not hesitate much longer about what should be
done with the balance OF the commission but that he
would speedily clear them out, they a disgrace
70 the CITY, These remarks caused the spectators in
the LOBBY 70 give way 70 loud applause which President
Lewis promptly checked.
DIsBEcKER AS AN EXCLAMATION POINT.
Mr. SnOnson asked IL the resolution was proper one
thought 1t not
President Lewis ruled that 1t could be considered By
the Board. -
Mr. Gon said that, while he agreed with Mr. Bless
ing in everything that he had said euogstlc OF the
ability OF General smith, be thought there was another
member OF the Police Board who deserved commenda.
tion, Recommendation to be awarded by the Board
90 any one OF the Commissioners He referred he said
70 Commissioner Voorhis. Mr Simonson ENCOURAGED
by this stand Of leading democratic member OF the
Board moved 10 amend tho resolution So that II would
include in the general commentator the names OF
Commissioners voorhs and DLsbecker. The mention
of tho name OF Dsbecker seemed 70 afford considerable
amusement 10 tho democrats, who exclaimed in a
chorus tOhln t.OhlD "Oh ~ which considerably de
concerted poor Mr.. SimOnson who had evidently
not expected any demonstration Of tho kind and made
the audience laugh heartily. At this stage Mr. Morris
rose with great dignity and looking serious as an
owl said that the whole subject ought 10 be laid on
the table II General Smith had done all that was
aodi innih hn 1ndd In hah l.