The New York herald., 1877-10-31
THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE.

ACTION OF TIE COUNCIL OF INFORM AGAINST
THE coMPANY-ALLEGED ExrRAvAoANT
WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEYS AND VIOLATION
OF THn cHARTBR.
"The Council OF Reform,n OF which William H.
Webb is president, Henry N Beers secretary and
| Philip Bissingor treasurer organized ABOUT seven
years ago Tor purpose Of saving the waste OF pub
/ lie moneys, and which exceedingly active during
the Havcmeyer administration OF public Affairs, mas
recently been busy engaged In watching the opera
tlons OF the Brooklyn Bridge Company. For the pur-
pose OF asceranng the legal status Of the CON-
| pany and its work tho council some time since ap-
pointed committee composed OF o. B. Potter, WILL
lam q. Webb and O. f. Wood to confer with William
| Il. Arnoux counsel in the OF Miller vs. The
Brooklyn Bridge Company, and obtain all particulars
regard to tho progress OF said case preparatory to
further action against the company In tho State
courts.
This subcommittee after holding conference with
Mr. Arnoux on Monday, has reported to the General
Council that In accordance with the best legal opinion
obtainablo the subject the Brooklyn Bridge Com.
pany have not complied with the conditions OF their
chartor In far that nothing should obstruct naviga-
ton, whereas they have constructed bridge which
does afcct IL; that q very large proportion OF sea.
gong vessels cannot sail under and great majority
cannot even bc towcd under Il; that the abutmenis
near tho edge OF the river lessen the height OF the
bridge still moro. and with the guys this height will
still be further decreased that aside from the ordinary
CITIES, where there always strong current OF wind,
| rs extremely hazardous and dangerous
THE wHAkP PROPERTY ALONG THE EAST RIVER.
The damage to commerce includes also great dam
wharf property along the East River The piers
along the North River being exclusively occupied
| ~ steamers and Loats, most OF the East RIVER
frontage from pier to IL being occupied BY canal
boats, the ocean vessels now lying between pier
| \ EaCf Dtuor kn far will hnVA N
90 to Brooklyn, they cannot go under the bridge,
and hence not TO the piers beyond IT, The exhibition
recently made OF The United states steamer Swatara
| with immense crew board could not be
sdercd criterion. and merchant vessels would never.
had settled Tor forty years tho United States
courts that wherever Uridge was constructed intCr
fering with navigation American law always decided
IN favor Of seafaring men, Tor whom navgabe wnter
was necessary element the pursuit OF their busi
ness When the bridge at Wheeling was constructed,
and it appeared that out OF the tive to six hundred
vessels going down tho Ohio River only seven vessels
could 20 under the bridge, the United States
Court decided that the bridge had 10 be altered in
accordance with The demands of commerce On the
same theory, when the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany sued vessel tor damaging the cable lying
IN the North River, the Western Union lost the suit
ON the same ground also were shadpoles considered
| Illegal English law always held the and tho
sacred to and all scaiaring classes II
was no doubt the presumption OF the Bridge Company
that the United States courts would not interfere with
| structure which had already cost much money,
bat counsel in the case OF Miller had informed tho
committee that all procedens In law and practice
against the Bridge Company.
INTERVIEW WITH SECRETARY BEERs-THE viADUcr
Tne object OF the Council Of Reform in obtain this
Information" SAID Secretary Beers yesterday "is to
whether this Bridge Company IS right going ahead
whether It's legal status correct before moro money
is spent When that question Is settled to our salts
faction Will aid Mr. Henry Burr, at the OF
Cliff ana Frankfort Streets who is resisting the Bridge
Company in the State courts or taking his property
under the law passed last year. Our object Is
that the Bridge Company are wasting the peoples
money In building the viaduc along the route laid out
by their engineers, while several millions OF doars
could be saved by taking the route just little further
north, laid out by our engineers. The incidental
damages to property that must result from follow.
ing the present route will almost be incalculable;
the ground there through tho swamp being of QUICK
sand they will actually undermine the foundations OF
many buildings in Vandcwatcr, Rose aud William
Streets Bcsdcs the viaduct will be, unnecessarily,
500 longer than the route The latter
Mr.. Beers continued 'ollows natural ridge aud Is
all on high and dry ground Hence the expense would
be considerably less by going about one hundred and
fifty feet more to the northward The property on
the southern route is worth $500 900 than that
the northern route and still they persist in taking
that course, against the best Judgment oil the very
best engineers Now as to the end Of the viaducI,
they persist in bringing II in right in front OF the
Hall oil Records where hundreds Of horse cars at
ali hours of the day. rignt the midst Of the great
junction of Streets whore th greatest OF travel already
Will only stall add TO the crowded state OF this
plaza They have foreseen the effect OF this blunder
on their par' continued Mr.. Beers, sand now makca
cool proposition to Gus of tho poron OF the City Hall
Park containing the Hall Of Records, whine our city
government IS already paying some $4,000 annual
rcnt for temporary Offices 10 accommodate the various
municipal bureaus. Aside from the injustice TO
poorer class, they want still more infringe upon the
only green spot they possess the lower part ol the
city. The route proposed TO the Bridge Company by
the Council OF Reform as viaduct COOS through rook-
eries only. and does not injure valuable properly.
What Is more by extending Dover streeta street paral
lei with Fulton would bc created thereby produc
ing the double benefit of relieving that ovcrcrowded
street. and tho end OF the vaduct would reach the
where New Chambers street, Chatham Reade, Ccntro,
Duane and William streets all concentrate now, with
plenty OF room The expense would be several mill.
ions less than the route being laid out Tor their
viaduct.'
Mr. Beers stated that there every Likelihood OF
Mr. Miller and others succeeding In establishing in
the tie illegally oil this structure and that the
Council oil Reform would leave stone unturned to
legal status OF the Bridge Company had been
tanned. They had succeeded last year in compelling
the reorganization Of the Dock Department by simple
perseverance, and he saw no reason why the council
should not DO successful IN keeping this great cntcr
prise within economical bounds
BRIDGE.
The workmcn employed by the contractor are
stead making their way along the line OF the bridge
approach toward Chatham street, opposite the new
Court House, tearing down the buildings as they
On Monday, on account OF the strong winds, which
prevented tor hours the proper regulation oil tho In
dlvidual wires, but five hours work done. The
sixth pair down strands will not, therefore,
be finished until Friday.
The final regulation OF tho NTH pair OF upstream
strands completed yesterday by the insertion OF
segments the Brooklyn anchorage of 32s inches on
the northcrnmost strand and one-o CHIN OF lncn
tho southcrnmostthe New YORK side. The strands In
this regulation always moved toward New York.
but for the first time The norhernmost strand OF this
pair was regulated over toward Brooklyn.
MUNICIPAL NOTES.