The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-30
RAILROADS IN BROADWAY.
SCHIMES That HITE HJUNTED CIPI-
TALISTS SINCE 7HE YEAR 1852.

Under Consideration Bid- fnr the Fran
chise-wm Legislative Ala he Invokedt
1t was in 1852 that the first proposal
10 put a street railway In Broadway was
broachcd Horse cars were then novelty
There were probably less than six companies
in that business throughout the country. Cap
itaists did not have much faith in their money
making possibilities. 1t was about this time
that Heron A. Johnson undertook TO build and
run the Sixth avenue street railway. hecnuse
nobody else dared take hold OF 1t. The Harlem
Railroad Company were drawing their passen-
ger cars into the city first from Twenty-sev-
enth. then from Forty-second street 10y horses
Twenty years ago Rcxt July Jacob sharp
Peter B. Sweeny nnd others went to the Board
OF Aldermen and Assistent Aldermen and pc
titioned for an ordinance which would permit
the construction and operation OF a surface
railway from the Battery to Fourteenth street.
and thence. nj such subsequent times rs the
growth Of the city made It eXpedient. the con-
tinuation OF such road out on the Bloomingdale
road to Manhauanvllc.
There followed thr presentation Of this peti-
ton storm which had not been anticipated.
The property owners said that such schemc
would ruin Broadway at least for retail husi-
ness. They protested held meetings. passed
resolutions and did some very energetic work
In trying to prevent the city Government from
acting favorahly upon the petition. They wero
powerful enough to cause action 10 be- delayed
for nearly six months. II was in December.
1852. that the ordinance suggested was passed
and sent To the Mayor. who vetoed it, This
merely began the fight 1t WIS thought by tho
opponents Of the scheme that the Common
Council would pass the ordinance over the
Mayors veto. To prevent this Courtandt
Parker and Thomas T.. Davis began an action
In the Superior Court ut once. and in day or
two obtained an injunction from Judge William
W. Campbell restraining the Common Council
from passing the ordinance over the Mayors
veto. In their complaint the plaintiffs then
alleged that 10y reason OF the corrupt aud Illegal
acts OF the mombeTs OF the legislative part OF the
city Government the taxes were being danger
ously increased. II railroad was going to be
constructed In Broadway. the plaintiffs and
property holders thought that the city ought to
get some benefit thereirom. and 1t was then
known that whereas the city would get nothing
II the ordinance passed. there were offers from
Trustworthy persons for such a franchise that
would have yielded handsome revenues to the
city.
There followed the granting oftbis Injunction
aconfiict Of authority. The Common Council
Insisted that its rights were equal to those Of
The courts. Oscar W. Sturtevant n lawyer. who
wns member OF the Board nj once offered a
preamble and resolution. The preamble set
but that Judge Campbell had acted without any
authority IN assuming control OF the municipal
legisption of New York city and the resolu-
lion set gu, us the opinion Of the Bonrd that II
would insist upon the exercise Of its rights. in
spite Of injunctions. Thereupon the Aldermen
Dassed the ordinance over the veto. by an almost
unanimous vote.
Al once nm application was made FOR an at
tachment against the Common Council for con-
Tempt. for disregarding the INJUNCTION, Such
rounscllors a. David Dudley Field and Charles
areR jar rsrd ,re aSd
argued for the attachment. In an opinion writ;
len 10y Judges Dner and Bosworth It was hcld
Aldermen at once ms strd that the court
had no mrsdic'isen; nnt II was r,ir,Ii'} 9i no
10 imprisonment in the City. Prison tor
niteen days and to pny q fine Of s45o, sT45o;,
Assistant Aldermen were nu"d 5000, Upon ap-
peal. the Court Of Appeals affirmed the action
Of the superior Court. and IN 20 doing settled n
II bryoud tn" power ol the Common Council to
grant any franchise Of This nature that will be
Sood unless other conditions are mot.
proadSny ,ras foiled. The Sycit ,mrnt tim the
e"nt,..t "eus.d Is sin rrnrrnberod MS being
yery grrat and tim > people the time thought
hmight lead " s"rious, us,cons,lnthrrs., I'LL,
Railroad appeared before IN" Common Council
lsking permission, 20 extend IL track from
Broadway The railroad company claimed
That IL had the right und"r ihr charter Of 1882
Harlem road. to extend IT'S tracks wherever il
WIS deemed hest. subject 10 III" consent OF the
hornlen that they might make handsome sum
by quietly granting the request nnd then hur-
rying To- Mnll street and having Harlem stock.
The bait is said to have been tempting one.
At all events. the resolution was pHssed at such
time as would give plenty OF opportunity Tor
getting to Wall street and operating before il
Became generally known. Can't Twomey. nt
present Deputy Clerk Of the Common Council,
rememb"rs very w.ll the sudden departure OF
The Aldermen to Wall street on the passage Of
the resolution. and that many OF them put all
the cash they could control INTO Harlem stock.
Capt Twomry also remembers that few days
after there were lamentations AZ IN" City Hall.
Tho Aldermen found that they md fallen into n
pretty trap set hy the old Commodore. Some Of
Lhem wer, badly bitten: some almost ruined.
II WAS at this time that the late A. T. Stewart
offered 10 give million dollars for the fran
chise, intending. II Is said, 70 pocket H.
However rail-; wer' laid by virtue of the Eeso-
luton thus Olthiued from Fourteenth to Thlr-
leenth street. on Broadway. Then the property
holders heated by A. 4. Stewart, procured an
stopped The rails were subsequently removed.
Soon after this the cry i9r speedy transit
had begun. The street railroads had developed
the upper part Of the city, and their slowness
and discomfort were making II apparent that
adopted. Rapid transit talk began IN earnest
about 1866, and b'twrcn that year and 1870 three
plans which Involved Broadway were SO lar per
iedrd hs 10 he urged before the Legislature.
Work on ono OF them WIS actually begun. The
Beach Pneumatic Tunnel was one. the Arcade
underground road WAS another. and Inc tlree-
tier road the third. A section 81 the Beach Pneu-
patic, Tunnel was built 1t exlrnded from
Broadway and Warren street one hundred fect.
A car WAS operated in this section, IN which Gu
rious people were allowed 10 ride after paying a
small fee.
The arcade plan contemplated the tunnel ling
Of Broadway from Bowling Green TO Four
teonth staect. with widtl equal a. the space
from building line to building line Melville
Smith urged the proiect before the legislature,
but It did not secure favorable n tion.
othree tier road was commonly known ms
James B. SWANS road. /, was 10 consist Of an
underground, a surfncc and an elevated road.
one to be used tor freight. one for way and one
for through travel. THIS road never got beyond
the paper pl9ns. There WAS also at one time a
report that Vanderbilt contemplated extending
the Fourth avonue.tunn rs far down as the
City Hall
The surface railroad project for Broadway
has however. not agan b,en revived since 1868
until within a fvw weeks. Now. apparently. " II
organized and systematic rffurts hre b"lng
made TO secure the franchise by several dii-
ferent combinations OF capitalists;
At meeting OF tho Board of Aldermen, held
In February. President Jordan /. Mott laid DO;
fore the BOard the following. which was signed
by Theodore l.. TOmiinsun:
We respectfully petition your honorable body 70 eanse
surface rair, "a 10 be- cnnStrucied on BROADWAY 20 DC
run b., under the supervision t the CORPORATE nuoTl
ties 40 that they derive the benent ui the lrahrhse
The matter was referred 20 the Railroad Com
mittoo II WAS vague but the politicians were