The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-23
SPINOL.I'S SCHEME OPPOSED.
Protest. Made Bcrorc the Mayor-Pr,v,,eoc.
thRt should he Paid F.r.

The Council Of Political Reform and tho
Taxpayers Association are opposed TO the nc-
ton 81 the Aldermen in granting to- Gen. Spi-
nola and others the right to lay steam piuos
through th" streets of Now York A committees
composed Of Mossrs. James T. Foster. William
ii. Webb Willy Walnch, q. N. Williams. and H.
y. Beers called ON Mayor Ely Yesterday with
reference to II. James p. Fostor, who il n law
yer. was their spokesman. lie said he had no
objection To Gen. Spinola. his friends or the
Holly system, which il WIS propo sod 10 cstab.
fish, but that the bond ts50OO0l required by tho
resolutions was inadequate to guarantee tho
city against loss Ivy explosions or for damage
done in tearing up the streets. Tho grant was
evidently exceedingly valuable. and should
have been sold by auction to tho hil.hest bidder.
with al ursrt price at 5000 600 The hii,h vnluc
~ IN" franchise was shown IN tho orr Of tho
company to- lignt the public buildings ut n cost
33S less than that ~ lighting them 10y tho
means now employed. No supervision by tho
city had been provided for II was well rcmrrn-
h"rcd how much malaral tcv"r had hrcn pro-
duccd Ivy III. tearing M VI the streets hy tho
elevated railroad companies last spring, and II
" WIS necessary tn have thcm torn up again,
the people ought ut least to have the sat sfnc.
ton Of knowing that the company was paying
Tor IT, European cities derived large sums
from the grants ~ franchises. hut Now Work
while sho ought o be- in rrcript ot $4,000. 600
rom tbs S9ur,c. IN fact received only about
sl5OOOO II harkmqn paid for his privilege
Of using the streets. why should not a wealthy
corpurntnu pas for using them.
Mr. ". y Doors sad that the granting If the
franchise WAS urar tiraliv taking money from
tho poor to give 1t tu the rich.
Gen. Suinnla. who had boon an attentive
| listener. said that Mr.. Foster ns lawyer ought
to know that tho company would necessarily ir'
rrsponsihlr Tor all the damage II caused. The
! bond. from this point OF view. WIS not worth
| the paper II WIS written on. IL would not
/ lessen or Increase the responsibility. Never
/ thclcss IL WIS q larger bond than had eyer hc-
! lorc been given To- guarantee against damage
| from opening the streets. The company u~kcl
! Tor NO franchise. no special privilege. There
waS not a mine Oi wealth In the proposed IN
yrSincnt ol capital. The people would have to
/ l' educated "a u.s. strnm iu their houses. The
! h"atin. OF IN" publ" buildings would hH done
| AT a reduced Tri'r. hut IL WIS not certain that
| tho company would not lose money hy such u
| cuufrn't The permission % lay st'an pipes
/ could not Do sold with an upset price % 5000
| 600 ON" reason 'vas that steam could NOT %"
/ delivered OYER POO feet from It's generating
source hy any other method than that di-coN-
cred ty Holly. and iiolly's invention hal boon
bought hy iAe cVniany which Gen. Spinula
represented.
Mr. Foster replied TINT n tho process wn-
| merely an experiment New York WAS not Tie
city to try ii ON. Tho city diduot want it- over.
/ crowded -trnrts further iut"rarcd with pipps
only To- ind them Intellectual in the heating o. It's
I houses.
Mr. William II. Webb suggested that tho cit,
| To- r'pHid for flt priv logo granted hy a rcrfgir
/ proportion 90 the profits. and that q urthul b
devised 10y which they could be accurately AS ~
Mayor Ely promised to give the matter his
close attention brior" the clos" Of this week.