The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-13
BRIDGE
Over Six Hundred WOrkmen Thrown
Out of Employment.
FUNDS RUNNING SHORT.
The Corporation Counsel Declares the Comp
troller Bonnd to Issue Bonds.

Considerable assonishment was expressed ana felt
yesterday when II was learned thar work the ap-
Droaches Of the hast River Suspe nsion Bridge was
not going on as usual. and that some six hundred
verkmsn employed that important part Of the great
work had boon discharged, or moro properly, LAID on
bn Saturday evening, and were Being paid on they
salisd for the money At the bridge comp nys once in
Brooklyn In last saturdays HERALD, IN she de-
scription Of the effect OF the payment Of funds
BY this city on the bridge work. the poesby Of such
m event a. has now occurred iorsshadowsd, and
II was stated that that slime tho force had already
undergone considerable reduction On the cables the
work still going steadily and the force OF
hundrsd nsn employed In laying and lowering tho
strands In the drum department ON The sheds On the
Brooklyn anchorage, or in tho oing shop and yards
below are still on the payrolls.
Hhf TIE srorrAaE OF WORK.
On Saturday afternoon four o'clock It was not
known that work to DO suspended Al six o'clock,
however, tho workmeu were Informed By the snsin-
GERS and the foremen that President Murphy had
issnsd an order stopping the work, that the pay
rolls were ready. The announcement caused dis
turbanee among the workmsn and they understood,
though they we're not told so. that want OF money
was ths cause Of their being .laid ever' until funds
we're available. a-ga
The Cause OF this lack Of funds, though stated In
formss issue, may be briefly summed up ~ folows:-
Since last March. when call was made on Brooklyn
for 81, 000,0 900 and New York for $500 600, tho
latter city has paid money. Brooklyn has,
however, paid her share up date. After the Iass
meeting on the 9th inst. New York ana Brooklyn
were made subject 20 a second call, in accordance
With resolution passed by the Board If Trustees for
$500, 900 and ST. 600 900 respectively. AS New YORK
again declined 20 pay, ana the trustees could not
again ask Brooklyn to pay when this city did mot.
md Ahnpa ..
treasury 10 continue the whole iorce at work, the
major part Of It was ted to suspend operations
y THE CHANGE STATE OF AFFAIRS.
Tho news OF the favorable opinion OF Corporation
Counsel Whitney to the liability of the city printed
below, with the which led to IT, being given
have out an entirely new complexion upon Affairs,
and the approach work will, said b. very shortly
resumed.
When tho writer reached the bridge company's
Office yesterday afternoon President Murphy had just
received copy OF Corporation Counsel whitney's
opinion. He stated, TO several questions,
that the direct cause OF the soppage OF the approach
work the want OF funds and that tho only
Of mat want was the failure OF New York pay up.
to stand on sad Mr Murphy as he hold tho opinion.
hen asked about real cause OF the failure OF New
spposiOg ne payment the president SAID be .dan's
care TO rake up the matter. II revival In part
opposition nanos.ed in the Miller suit brought
about BY William H. Webb and others" Re said the
matter was now decided, and that 1--WE going
to 80 on and spend moro money, after having spent
Now snas this 10 settled the work will probably 60
right IL would have been very prudent to have
page Of the work was my personal act as
Tor the trustees Az TO Brooklyn, would not call
sgain ON Brooklyn for funds until New York had
paid"
Secretary Quntard said they thought they mad Dot
ter pay Inc men while they had tho money, aud not
wait until the regular bi.monshly pay day comes
around, whom they might not have Il; ne did
were laid on as had been done before; this occurred
once for some time In 1875, whom the bridge company
was being changed from private e public corpora-
they wore short OF material; the Same men will DO
taken on again; the men were bong paid tho eight
days psy that was duo them on Saturday; from six
to seven hundred vere lard of, and tnors were
some Ito men now at wors on tho strands. aud pre-
esng and gaivanzing tho joas Tho wire; the pay.
roll q. tho last pay day ws:n the whole force were
5000; the men came as they wanted IT..
On inquiry Of Colonel Paine 70 how the cable lay
chat all the men were ~ WORK; that they then
regulating the strands. Work would be commenced
to-day on the nnetsenth and last pair Of strands OF
Mr. Martin, the nrst assistant engineer, stated that
tho had msdo trouble whes t announced
that work would DO stopped on tho approaches
TIE two principal contracts which will soon be given
on, are those for the iron work Of tho
and the other 70 about $4,000. $3.50,
CORPORATION COUNSEL wHIrNEY's OPINION
AS TO THE CrrY's LIABILITY IN ISSUING
BONDS.
Arguments wore recently brought 70 bear upon the
Board OF Apportionment various sessions of that
body TO prevent the members from passing the
sary resolution directing Comptroller Kelly to Issue
bonds for part OF New York's proportion of the
msnsy 10 complete the Brooklyn Bridge. The whole
subject was referred TO Corporation Counsel Whit
ncy ana hts opinion has just boon sens the Finance
department II reads as foltows:-
the OPINION
To THE PRESIDENT OF The BOARD OF Estimate AND
sIsrns communication dated July 10, 1875, trans
hitting the written argument Of John u. sIrahan,
ESQ, ior U. Potter, ESQ, wi,Iiam II. Webb, Esq,
ana othors agaiast the iurtAsr issue of bonds for
the New York and Brooklyn Bridge was duly
N. CulioD, Esq, OF counsel tor the Bridge Company,
forwarded 10 mo by the Comptroller the 9th day OF
July. The laws relating 20 tho Brookyn Bridge re-
ccivcd careful consideration az my hands former
occasion aud resulted . ncation TO the Conn.,
mon Council on the 10th day oil September, 1875 In
visions OF chapser 300 Of the Laws OF 1875
doubt that u 10 the duty Of city Of New York
raise BY the issue Of bonds aud pay to the trus
tees OF tho Bridge Company nehird OF eight million
dollars
full consideration OF shem 1 see cause 10 change
the opinion on the subject heretofore gwen.
THE piRsT OBJECTION.
The hrst objection made 10 that the law 10 uncons-
tuona being In violation OF the ibition con-
tanned IN the eleventh section Of eighth article Of
the consttution TO the eject that CITY shall DO al
lowed any Ddebiednoss except for city pur-
posss II 10 urged that this bridge 10 not being built
Tor the exclusive purpose Of the city OF New York.
Of New York aud Brooklyn, And that In recognition
fact tho act Of 1875, which authorizes ths
OF the bonds prescrbes that tho two shall con-
Htitute A consolidated district
mansg smen thus recognizing the expe nurture be
for the purposes OF the consolidated district and
oi the city Of New YORK sxcugiveiy.
Tho object OF the consitut onal provision referred
10 was TO prevent the diversion Of public money 70
objects other than the legitimate public pur poses
public works Of the city. The text oil tho smcnd-
nent shows its purpose :--"No county city, town
village shall hereafter give any money or properly or
loan its money or credit 70 or In and OF any individual
association cor raton, or become directly In.
directly the owner OF any stock or bonds OF any
citation or corporston nor snail any such city, town
or village be allowed 10 incur any fndebte dncss ex-
cept for county, city, Town or village purposes"
1t 10 quite true that n the construction OF this bridge
u NJ lSstt ~.