The New York herald., 1876-03-07
THE ALDERMEN AND THE CARS.
THE CORPORATION coUSsEL's OPINION Ayx-
IoUsLY LOOKED FoR-LIGHT WANTED FOR

THE CORPORATION coUssELs OPINION AEx-
IoUsLY LOOKED FoR-LIGHT WANTED FOR
THE LEGISLATURE
There is something remarkable in the length OF time
that has elapsed since the Board Of Aldermen passed
resolution calling upon the Corporation Counsel for hia
opinion as TO their legal power 10 obge the city horse
car companies TO provide passengers who pay their
fares with seats within their vehicles without any
reply being given to the request by tue legal adviser
Of the Common Council. The question does not in
vove any intricate points OF law and few hours
animation Of the statutes and ordinances ought to bG
sufficient TO enable Mr. Whitney 10 get Al
a CONCLUSION He will find. by sparing the
time mentioned that the principal railroad
lines bound under the terms of the grants madG
10 them by the Common Council TO comply with
certain specified conditions and that failure they
are liable under heavy bonds given by them and ap-
proved by former Corporate Counsel, and TO tha
further penalty Of having their rails taken up and
moved from the Streets In this connection, 10 may ID
considered not little strange that the Assembly COM
mittee, OF which Mr. West, OF Saratoga county, ID
chairman, and Messrs. Nicnolas Muller and G. Y.
Whitscn, OF New York city, MEMBERS have not yct
reported back TO the House the bill introduced by Mr..
Aillan some ume ago, touching proper ac-
commodatlon Tor passengers street
sand TO suppress overcrowding. The legisla-l
tive committee may be abo 10 give
OF plausible excuse for continued non action
but Mr. whitney VIII ma u dinicult satisfactorily
explain a neglect concerning subject in which tho
health, comfort and morals OF the entire community
deeply concerned. II Is not too much to re-
mark that lar prompter attention would have been
gwen 10 matters OF much less Importance.
An authoritative exposition OF the relations OF the car
companies the city authorities would be of consider
able value and probably ths the object pro-
poser of the resolution the Board OF Aldermen had
in view Legislators would be thus afforded oppOry
tuny of secing how far these corporations have dsre-
garded their and 10 what extent the pubd
Is imposed upon. II AIR. whitney does pay some
tho request aud states the acts IL Will ho
that several years the companies in question
appealed 20 the Common Council for permission run
operate railways the city, the motive power ia
DO horses They promised be all respects obcdi<
cnt such regulations the Common Council should
prcscrbe particularly they promised that euch passent
gor should ho provided with seat that they would
keep the streets accrain extent in repair and pay
Tor each such license fee should bt
designated Furthermore, tho horse railroad com
panies agreed to cars as often public
convenience required aud 10 charge only such faro az
might be deemed reasonable which faro was TO be
fixed upon aud determined BY the Common Councils
AS stated before, heavy bonds given 10 secure
faithful performance OF these obligallons aud which
stl remain In binding force II rs clear, then that tho
Aldermen have very complete control the manage
mcnt of the roads aud the Legs has on every
occasion that dealt with city companies taken special
pains 10 guarantee and confirm IN the most unmstak-
ablc language the power Of tie city authorities
these methods OF urban ocomoton Let hear
from tho Corporation Counsel lie has remained en-
tirey too long silent.