The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-19
THAT VERY SINGULAR GIFT.
WHY DID THE ALDERMEN so ri yOR
MIX. CONNOTER's sCHEMEs
Voting Him the Franchise 60 Buiid n Railroad
Through aed street. Although Another
Company Onered $50. 900 for tho Privilege.

second street opposed to tho building OF tho
street railroad rocontly authorized by tho Com
mon Council to tho Forty-socond Street. st.
Nicholas Avenue and Manhattanvillc Railroad
Company was held In tho rooms OF the Young
Mems Hebrew Association. in West Forty Sec
ond street. near Sixth avonue. last evening. At
lcast thirty indignant property holders were
presont. and Warren Ferris. who was chosen
Chairman. rccited his personal efforts In pro-
curing signatures to tho opposing petition. his
Intellectual remonstranco to tho Common Coun-
ell. his conviction that the scheme was corrupt
and Illegal and his hopes that his fellow prop
erty owners would organize TO mako what re-
sistancc they could to what no believed 10 DO an
outrage.
Adoph l.. Sanger informed the meeting that
he had examined the law. and no was OF the
firm opinion that the Common Council had no
warrant for their action that the constitutional
provisions for the passage Of general railroad
act and for obtaining the consent OF tho major
ity Of tho property holders had been dlsre-
Garded. He advised that Immediate steps be
taken to procure temporary Injunction. which
he had no doubt tho Supreme Court would
grant and afterward that Injunction could be
made permanent. He could not see how any
corporation could undertake to lay tracks in
Forty second street without fragrant violation
OF the law.
In reply TO an inquiry as to whether there had
been any pretencc OF obtaining tho control OF
majority OF the property holders. the Chairman
said that he was convinced that no such major
ity had been obtained. He had procured the
names OF those who represented N.7SO.000
worth OF property on tho demonstrating petition
that he had presented to the Common Council.
He had not gone to the expense OF taking of the
assessment lists OF tho entire street. but he
thought no gentleman familiar with property
could doubt that tho majority were opposed to
the now railroad.
Ex-senator Bixby called attention TO the fact
that one Of tho promoters OF the road. Daniel d.
Connover. was present To would like to know
whether Mr.. Connover had been invited t. come.
and ayded: Perhaps Mr.. Connovcr will give US
some inIormation in regard to this propoTed
GgIonS OF the GP ny ct s city & OF na n'r nights
All cycs wore therrupon turned toward Mr..
Connoyer. who had taken scat In tho hark
part Of the room. Ho arose In his place aud
said he had inquired at the door and was In
formed that the meeting wnS pubic. lie SAW
that reporters were present. had no desire Ia
intruic. and II they did not wish him 10 remain
he woul retire. He announced himself rs ono
TIM M rmRion about Il tha, any ono could
have. hnd was willing 70 impnr; any9i II that
might hc desired. He know OF nothing sefret
about his company. He did not care 10 speak.
hut to li-tan, 10 what could be said In opposi-
ton. He admitted that II hc could not nle
mnIpriiy ~ the properly holders In favor Of tho
road. the vote 81 the Common Council would bs
Of no enNt. But ho was sure that he could < '.
Rd RWESg Edp q, q, ,ne sor1 M not SeIaIs"
there was An owner who had not been solic-
ted: certainly nearly every person bctwe"n
Fourth avenue and East River no was
sure was In favor OF ~ scheme; lie
been asked. but that WAS because he thought
the law required the consent OF the majority OF
the people since last September year. The
company was acting under n railroad grant OBJ
tanned from the Legislature IL 1873 It was
Fought 10y the Forty second Street. st. Nicholas
Avenue. and Manhnttanvillo Company. A first
4 started from Thir,y-iourh street. North
River. through Forty-socoud street. Tenth ave-
nue.. Manhattanyllle, and Harlem. TO the lar,
| lem -trambont landing. The constitutional
resolutions spoken Of did not touch the grant
| The com pany wns u It Incorporated until II was
ready u build. Probably they would not under
| take To build this winter on account of the un-
favorable weather. The grant did not re-
quiro them, to build until Tenth avenue,
| for disusr. The company that bought the grant
had gone through the street and asked people
10 consent to IL and believed thcy Ind mnlority
| The petition was in the Common Council. certi.
fled To by the Tax Comm lssloner office. and ot
the list made. and would not file them until he
! got his maps ready He warned the property
owners Of Forty-second street that in opposing
the street railroad they woro going against their
Henry n Beers asked Mr. Connoyer whether
he could ask him a few questions Mr. Con-
Mr. Beers then inquired whether the lists OF
,cYonsentine, property owners had formed part Of
Mr. Connoyer replied NJ. sir;
las the Mayor seen the list =
=" The Mayor told me to-day that he had not"
| Mr. Beers said.
Tho Mayor did see them in my presence and
| in the presence Of bis, private secretary. Mr.;
| Cunnover replied. lie looked them over half
an hour with mo"
this petition arc accessible ?" Mr Beers asked.
:" / will show them to any gentleman who
sxsmine wlaG 81 them her himself" Mr.. Connoyer said '
| In what way was Forty-second street got in
to this schemet. 1t was not included under tho
| original grant"
no. ar. il ia an extension Of IT,"
How il the constitutional prohibition ahatcd.
| that requires the consent OF onc-hali OF the
| property owners p
| " 1t IL not nbated."
"I understood from the Mayor md members
! Of the Common Council that they had not seen
these names Of conrentng owners - 49,
But they are within reach. at my onlro. Dir
The Chairman informed the meeting that he
had not attempted to obtain signatures opuosed
| t. the scheme beyond seventh avenue. few
| came voluntarily from the neighborhood of
| Eighth avenue. whose signaturrs Were attached
! to the romonstrhncG. Tho petition for the rOai
| wa. never presented to him for signature, and
| be never heard TINT il was preAeniel at all cA-
| copt IN an underhand way. He verify believed
posed a. tho grant than Mr.. ConnoYcr could
show In favor of IT, aud he did not know OF any
| lcascholders on his list. He did not have time
| to 10 beyond Madison avenue on the eHrt and
| broadway on the west 10 obtain signmurcS, hut
| had not the slightest doubt that the majority Of
| the owners were against the road.
Mr.. j. ii. Chapman, n property owner on tho
! wcst side said tho petition for the road had not
boon shown TO HIM, and he was roady to sign a
| rrlnOnsiranc'.
Mr. Hewitt nskcd the Chairman H. when look
| iug up signatures, he had found any ono on the
| block in iHVOr OF the scheme.
No, Sin not one" MIR. Ferris replied.
Mr. BlXby said that II was not customary 70
discuss such matters in the presence Of their
opponents. and no moved a committee OF iiVe tu
report some plan of action to stop the OutrH
upon the property owners OF this street. There
could be no question about II TINT II was tho
most Infamous scheme that had boon carried
out in tho most Infamous manner, II tho rond
could be built in tho manner indicated. the
company could build road through every
street and park and private dwelling. He con
time to nsoertain whether the people Of Now
York have any rights Of property. nnd whether
we have got To 20 to law with the sehumers.'
VIM H. Webb said 1t would bo best. perhaps
first 10 nsrertnin who OF those present were op-
posed 10 the scheme. ana upon his suggestion
II rising vote was mkcn. Those who dld NOD
vote in opposition were requested 10 reurr MI
Connoycr went ont prompts, begging tho par
dpt, "A tht, pipptluV for hi lutruAlyu.