The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-26
UNION SQUARE ENLIVENED.
A HORSE RAILROd OUICKLY MADE
And rs OJICKLY UNMIDE.
Jacob fharpe's Use of mn old Charter The
Police stopping the Work, mud the Hoard
Of Public Works nesIOrinR lie Pm xemcni.

Jacob sharpc's Use Of mn old Charter The
Police stamping the Work, mud the Hoard
Of Public Works restoring the Pm vement.
A large company OF workmen began
tearing 10 the pavement along the south side Of
Union square early on Friday morning. They
were so numerous and worked so fast that
within a few hours strip about twenty feet
wide, and extending from University place to
Fourth avenue, excepting only passage way at
the head Of lower Broadway, had been denuded
Of Belgian blocks. Wagon loads Of timbers and
rlils for car tracks were then brought, and the
wondering throngs saw that n street railroad
was being hurricdly built. The timbefs were
expeditiously sunk to the proper level, and late
IN the afternoon all was ready for the rails to be
nailed on. This proceeding was n marvel TO
the officers OF Mr.. Carey's ctoss-town railroad,
the tracks Of which run through a part OF West
Fourteenth street and into Broadway at the
point where the new work began. Naturally
they deemed 1t the movement of a rival. and,
although the foreman In charge Of the work
would net say who was his employer, they soon
learned that Mr. Jacob Sharp was at the he ad Of
It. Inquiry was made OF the Board Of Public
Works, under whose supervision, the law says.
laying OF tracks In the public streets can alone
be done. No permission in this instance had
heen asked for. and the department had no
knowledge OF the projectors or the object OF the
enterprise. The aid of the police was asked,
and Superintendent walnR ordered force
from he Mercer street police to stop the work.
All night, therefore, officers were on guard to
trevent the completion of the tracks. Other
wiee the pavements would have been relaid by
Yesterday morning.
Early YESTERDAY morning. Inspector Dilks took
command OF the police on duty Ia Union square,
and At 3 O'clock he arrested four men who per
sisted in resuming work. These prisoners were
=. hsequentY discharged. Ihroughou the day
mere was thtong at the lower side Of the
no hal l. Auta l.nA
railroad. aud questioning the officers who were
kept on duty tnere. The wofknen assembled
10 the morning. but were not allowed TO resume
their labor Early In the forenoon Mr.. jacob
sharpe President Of the Iwenty-tnird street
IL iiroad. called at the Police Central ONCE and
showed charter Inted 10y the Legislature IN
1913. Tor an extension Of the Beecker street line
through Fourteenth street. Consequently Su.
utIniehuehl Nalilng, deetntng that authority
suhcient ordered his officers to retire from
Union square. soon afterward Commissioner
Campbell, Of the Board OF Pubiic Works called
nnd explained the situation to Police President
smith, who theroupon ordered the police OH
GERS IN the square 10 continue to prevent re-
sumption OF work. Mr.. Campbell said that the
law gave his department the right to supervise
all alteration of streets, and that such a pruyis-
ION was especially necessary ns to the laying OF
car tracks, 40 that companies might not en-
b d no onirial knowledge rs T. who the builders
oi TINS rond were. and lie knew Of no charter
that authorized L. President Smith thefeupon
ordered the work 10 he again stopped by the
police. and N wa done.
me next active movement was made soon
gagged ~ the work mere banging about, mo
mentarily expecting orders to resume. II was
said that Mr.. sharpe would obtain an Injunction
restraining opposition; aud n rumor cur
rent that he would RE physical nght with the
Iolice, IN order u make n case for the courts.
Neither Of these things came to pass. Instead.
tue aggressive was taken 10y the other side. At
the time mentioned a ,qgad ~ police. headed
aftefward about hunutt Of the Board OF Pub.
lic otks laborers arrived. Tue policemen
hustled Mr. Sharpe's men out 81 the way, and
made one rrest--ihat Of amHn who turned out
10 bc IN employee 81 the city. and was suisse
gu ntly released Nv Justice Is xby in the Wash
tngton Place Police Court. The laburers went
Immediately to work taking no the tlmbers
that had been made req1y for the rails
A. dark calcium lights were fixed. and
ito inb Of putting the square into its usual con-
diuon progressed pdly Superintendent WILL
ing subsequently, took command Of the police
anu several Il thc Comm siDners of Public
Works looked on. The uirt WAS thrown back
Into the excavations, the pavement was re-
~ ced, ma before milni .ht no vestige OF the
railroad was left. multitude watched the
proceedings interestedly. Mr.. Sharpe did not
snow himself there late In the daN. and could
not he found. An employee In his once said
tnat lawsuit Tor damage would be commenced
against the city, and that the charter was amply
sum lent "a warrant the LAYING ~ the tracks.
. Inc new iilruRd l. Intended for a cross-tOwn
linn. ana would hc iu Dtrnsiti 10 to Mr. Cary's
route. Uhich begins ~ the Chrstouher street
ltuN uu the Tth riNer and runs through West
-uI ictuth ,tf,e i, liioAdway, l. ist Seventeenth
ana East EieNf"cnth streets. second avenue
ana - 60 The i"eutN-thtrd street ferry on the
East tiYtr TIE new route would be Fl, IN the
Ere ferry nj the foot of West lwenty-third
street. on the q cks ct the Blrecke street line,
u l our ctuth nd Hudson streets. thence ON
new rails In Fourteenth street and seventh
avenue, thence 60 broadway, on the rails II the
l mon square. on new IL. and thence TO the
t.Ner cart tlde lririe-, CA the tracks of the