The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-29
FEC. or passing through this tunnel. Whore is tho

shut of from light, except gssiighl You shut Oh
from The good arr because these people arc con,n
for u 10 escape. That Is not all. There must
be vast amount OF impurities N ne
New York. IL may DO said that this Will DO excluded
by the walls but these walls have TO be perforated as
bad water are contnualiy passing Dr. Harris suggests
that you are not only excluded from the hgn':
Inc noise and JAR Of S11 the nervous system
Is very bad ] anticipate that wc snail
short time DR. Haves Of New York who has
charge OF this bill He win show us the great need
Of rapid transit. and undertake 70 say 'has sne I
IS the ' QUESTION: pos ne viii HN make an elaborate
ground railroad, but apprshend that when no comes
To this matter Of health he VIII be puzzled 10 hnd now
to exclude bad air IRON this continuous tunnel. ana
jectionablc elements which necessarily enter into Il
Is IT A LIVE coRpoRAroSS
Now. these tho three reasons when now oHer
against the passage OF this bill Gentlemen, have no
faith IN the projectors OF this tunnel; have no iai,n
l. thing that ought to meet its death tho very
earliest possible moment therefore hope the enact,
ins clause Of the bill viii bo stricken Out so that ~ VIII
REMARKS or MR.. EccLEsiSE.
| suppose will DO conceded without very much
elaborate argument that am IN favor OF my decent
honorable ana reputable scheme that VIII facilitate
rapid transit IN the cry OF New YORK, ana
bin created for the purpose OF defeating
aud GRIPPING rapid transit In that city would not
opposc IL here What Is this bill 1t Is not 10 create
system OF under ground railroads in The city OF New
York. II Is not contest between elevated and UNDER
ground railroads IN that metropolis but y is to take
charter which has been forfeited by nop-user,
which has been forfeited by not complying
with the original terms which the Legislature imposed
upon the ncorporators and TO breathe some KIND OF
life into this galvanlc corpse and sivo Il oppor.u
nty 10 further annoy the community instead Of de-
Gently burying II out OF slsht--burying u under
ground. Now, then, this corporation comes here
Ing tor an extension OF their charter, not having
complied with the terms OF tho original charter: not
having built quarter OF n mile OF their road; not
having been able 10 induce any capitalists TO put
cents worth into the construction OF the road not DO
Ing able 10 accomplish that purpose now; not
honestly intending 10 accomplish that purpose
now. This corporation had tho mpudence,
tho city OF New York one dav last week and serve
notice upon them that they would hold any person IN
damages Us ircspnssng upon their chartered privi-
lcgcs Who attempted 10 build any other system OF
foreground railroad in the city Of New York II this
bill became law you would have tins condition OF
AFFAIRS; you would have charter which no capitalist
would touch, and II any capitalist did touch
it II would BIO 10 his own ruin you
has been proven TO be an imprncticnbe scheme; you
would have charter IN the possession and control oil
mon whose interests identified being adverse 10
that OF any system Of rapid transit IN the city % New
York, aud you would have charter which claims cx-
elusive privileges and would exclude all other people
from building an underground railroad IN that city, Tor
Is what they claim In their notice that they have
served upon Tho Board OF Aldermen OF the city Of
New York.
Does anybody this floor believe that the charter,
cmanating from The It docs, Is advocated hero
IN the interest OF rapid transitS Does anybody who
remembers the vote that was taken here little while
ago. aud knows who y was that opposed ,nas psopos,
that oppostion-does any ono credit that th5
is bill in tho interest OF rapid transi,r
II is only device OF tho enemy. IL Is only Trojan
far to behold, but raught nste with
destruction 10 the peace Of the city II fear tho
Greeks bearing offerings 1 recognize IN this
merely u Tor tho secret enemies OF
rapid transit Bring II once within The limits
o. inc cy anu o yUs nc or,1ea s oogSt
nave boon passed IN tue first place. because u
impractcabc II there was amy question as To It's
practcabity mat question has been amply decided by
their unsuccessful Efforts 10 obtain capital 90 put
into the road II their honesty Of intention was ever
questioned has been ut by their fall
ure TO comply with the terms which the Lcgisia.
ture imposed upon thcm-vlz. that thoy should
flo certain bond. And at this
city or New York by attempting 10 budoze' the alder
men from giving tho privilege TO build any other I'M
dcrground railroad, l think II ~ pretty plan and
manifest to this House that they DO not intend 10
build any railroad. and only seek TO have ehar.,r
that they faunt In the eyes OF anybody else who
does attempt TO build n railroad.
HAYES SPEECH.
The House will bear me witness that have not
hitherto trcspasscd largely upon their patience. ask.
however to-day that time inay be given me beyond
the established rule OF i've minutes unani.
consent being given for Unlimited time,
Dr. Hayes proceeded as folows:-fhe bill
boiore the House Is one Of great importance
TO the city OF New York 1t IS ono involving various
interests is one in which to greater or lcss extent
one in that city, rcn and poor alike directly
or indirectly concerned. II is which great
deal has been said avorably and unfavoraby. great
deal has 0ecn written about II in the same spirit IL -
tho never ending subject Of rapid Transit" Now,
what rapid transit that We should hear
much about IT, l have heard II said on the noor OF
this House. have heard II Oh the street. have road
u in the newspapers that In rapid transit Is involved
tho future prosperity, tho growth, nay, even the very
existence OF the metropolis OF the Empire State, and
opinion about It; every body has theory about Il,
and every body has plan Tor lis consummaton II 10
well we should inquire little into H.
PECULIAR CfRcUMsTANCES
The city OF New York is peculiar city. Its harbor
Is the fines; in the world Tho city is surrounded on
every sdc by navigable water. Tho nncst river OF
the continent drains TO IL tho agricultural wealth OF
the State, and by the arm which Il throws out TO the
Vest through tho Erie Canal II draws to u the vast
treasures OF the Far West. To the East Long Island
Sound invites coasting trade unequaliod by that
which il stands, Is not above three miles ia width
at any point and whiic averaging less than two miles
in width, seventeen miles long II not needui 10
recount It's early history and growth until II has Al
length obtained the proud place OF being tho CON-
mercial metropolis OF this Continent, and ono
OF tho famed financial cities OF the world
1t IS less than century since prac-
tcaly began 10 takc rs IN that direction
years ago when 1t was determined TO lay out the whole
surface OF the island which this city stands IN
streets and highways. At that time the traffic was
almost wholly across the island, from river TO river
Trade TO the city wholly by watcr-by The East
River, the North RIVER or from the sea.
With the country beyond The island there was but
ono prncipal Inc OF commandments one great
highway, that great monument OF early engineering
skill which, beginning at tho Battery as "Broadway,'
extended through forest and dale, Though ieriIic
and waste places, through rocky businesses
and meadow swaups 10 tho town OF Albany
The surveyors who laid out the city never once i'm
agned that any considerable trade would ever come 10
II by land The pack horse and wagon were then the
only means OF land transportation Tho Eric Canal
was hardly dreamed OF. Steam as motive power had
not b, on invented Inland commerce wholly con-
Quoted in clumsy and slow sailing sIoops which could
barely stem tho tide And thus 1t came about that
they LAID out the city with many streets running cast
and aud with but few streets running north and
south.
TiMk's GREAT CHANGE.
Little did they imagine the great revolution that
to take place tho OF trade. Little did they
think that au iron road would sun parallel with and
tuppant The turnpike road to Albany, or that, with
others following, there would pour INTO the upper
OF the island vast amount OF trat-
dc. when would make com unication between tho
upper and lower ends OF the island matter OF business
aud not Of mere convenience or OF pleasure 10 in
dyiduals Then II was that tho m multiplicity of streets
atai.u m ha I ~,