The New York herald., 1879-03-17
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
The First Agitation of a Broadway
Surface Road.
MAYOR KINGSLAND'S VETO,
Opinions Then Expressed Compared with
Those of To-Day.

Tho offer of gentleman in this city. behalf Of
himself and associates pay to tho city 900.
for the franchise to horse railroad on
broadway from the Battery to Central Park, brings
to mind the large number of propositions of
similar nature which were made to the Common
Council nearly thirty years ago. The people had
become tired of the omnibus lines and eagerly
welcomed the new system of travel With the aid of
the railroads both OF the avenues above named had
become prosperous. The price of property hadri
in value and large number of property owners on
Broadway had apparently been convinced that rail-
road was the only way to enhance the value of resi
estate the thorougnfare. Some of the richest
property owners, however, took different view of
the subject They argued that instead OF benefit
ing their property railroad would ruin it; but,
notwithstanding the opposition to the project no
less than petitions presented to the Board
of Aldermen from persons desiring to secure the
franchise
THE OFFERS.
Thomas A. Davies agreed to give 100000 per an
mum for ten years, and to pay $1,000 license fees
petition presented. signed by John La Fargo and
Others in which they agreed TO charge only three
cents fare One cent for each passenger carried
the price which Watts Sherman was willing to pay
for the franchise William McaIurray and Henry
Hilton offered to give bonus of 100000 per annum
to the city. Henry Belts did not agree to anything
in particular but his application was sent in. last
petition was received from the late Alexander T.
Stewart. who willing to pay $1,000 license fee
aud to into the city treasury cent for each
passenger. All these petitions were referred to
special committee. but action taken the
subject until resolution was introduced i'll the
Board giving the franchise to Jacob Sharp, Peter
B. Sweeny, James W. Foshay Freeman Campbell
William B. Reynolds. Joseph Gaunt. I. Newton
Squire William A. Mead, David Woods, John L..
OSullivan. William l.. Pulls Jonathan Roe, John W.
Hawkes., James W. Faulkner, Henry Du Bois, John j.
Hollster. Preston Sheldon. John Anderson, John II.
Flanagan, Sersent V. Bagey. Charles B. White Robert
f. Ring. Thomas Ladd, Conklin Sharp, Samuel L.
Titus, Alfred Martin D. R. Martin William Menzies,
Charles H. Glover. Gershon Cohen and such persons
us might associate themselves with these gentle
men." The Board of Aldermen numbered among its
members the of the introduction of the above
petitions the late William NJ Tweed, Thomas j Barr,
John Boyce, Dudley Haley and Others All the City
Fathers but two--Aldermen Ward and Pearsall-wcre
friendly to Mr.. Peter b. Sweenys petition, and the
special committee, after holding several sessions.
agreed to make report the subject in 1882 Four
OF the committee decided to support Swecny's pro-
ject. but Alderman Ward, who ono Of the men,
bers refused to concur.
THE MAJORITY REPORT.
exhaustive and long. making forty pages of the
printed proceedings. After giving short history
Of the various applications that had been made to
the Board the franchise the report says that the
result upon the minds of the committee has been
decided conviction in favor of the projected improve
nnnt in the system Of passenger travel our great
central thcroughfare. They satisfied that rail-
road il Indispensable alike tor the relief of Broad
way for the convenience of the vast increasing pas
eelger travel and the accommodation of the other
classes of vehicles which resort, which want to
resort that noble street. justly the pride and de-
light of city, The report then refers in
tended argument TO the success that had at that tmc
attended the railroad experiment on Eighth ave-
nue. and states that car travel lis much better than
riding in an omnbus. large amount OF space in
the report ia devoted to scientific discussion of tho
relative speed of ounibuscs. More than
one-quartcr OF the report is taken up in account
the 'advantages to be gained by having railroad
Oh Broadway.
THE MINORITY nEponr.
The minority report was signed by but one of the
special committee, Alderman s. IL. i. Ward. This
gentleman in his document which, unlike that of his
colleagues. has the merit of being short and to the
point ercely combats the project for the construc
ton of the proposed railroad. and in some
alleges that iacts given in the majority report have
Ward contains no argument Whatever against the
building of railroad broadway. tine objection
being mainly TO giving the franchise for compare
lively nothing to tho petitioners favored by Mr..
Wards colleagues on the committee The adoption
OF the following resolution was recommended by the
Alderman
Resolved Tue Comptroller advertise for two wccks
In the Corporation newspapers for proposals for laying
railway nsndcd The Kind ears 70 ss run berson the
BE- Sa nto Tie ts trpy sn snn"m fo1 the nrsrs
syHs "a; "a iissn:s G
wthont paving any bonus and that tho Ccnptroor
may S i s SSasp
character and conditions substantially rccommcndcd
The question to which Of the reports TO adopt
came before the Aldermen November 10, 1852.
The minority report was. after long and somcwhat
spicy debate, laid on the table. motion was tben
to che<l
10 the report OF the majority OF the connmit.ce. and
Il coDcurrcd in the vote standing iG TO = AL.
aermen Pcarsall and Ward being In the negative.
During tho debate the adoption Of tho resolutions
some very exciting scenes occurred. Charges OF
bribery and corruption we're openly made against
certain of the City Fathers, and order not re.
stored until some time.
CONDITIONS or THE GRANT.
The matter az it came before Mayor Kingsinnd,
embraced fifteen specific ations in which the DUTIES
OF the grantees to the city clearly defined. The
tracks were 90 he laid under the direction of the
Street Commissioner and the kind of rails 10 DO used
was to bc approved by that official well by tho
Common Council. The space between the rails and
one foot each side, 10 be kept in good repair
ana no motive power excepting horses to be
nsed below fifty-ninth street. New cars, with all
She modern improvements. were to be placed upon
the road and no more passengers 10 lie carried
Shan there seating capacity for in the cars 1t
also provided that the company should keep an
attendant, distinguishable by some conspicuous
mark or badge" at every stopping place IN all parts
OF the streets usually much crowded with vehicles
whose duty II would be, with attention and
specs t. TO help IN ana out OF tho cars oil
and general TO watch over the safety
passengers from all dangers Of passing vehicles.
By the ninth condition the company was required
ITO keep cause to be kept in rvsiincss number
Of sleighs adequate TO tho public accommodation,
when the travel of the cars may b. obstructed by
snow" Broadway, below Fourteenth street. to
bo swept every morning, and the swecpings carried
away. That part of the thoroughfare above Four
techth street was to be cleaned twice week. No
higher rate OF fare than ive cents was to bo charged
for single trip. fer any trip tnst might be mado
by transfer 20 any ornnibus other hnc connected
with tie proposed road The directors were author
lied TO incorporate themselves into association
whenever tvo-thirs OF them desired 30 to do.
INK MAYOR PnoJrcr.
Tho veto OF Mayor Kngssnd embraced a review of
the recommendations contained IN tho majority
port IL bore tho date of December 1s 1852. and
tanned synopsis of all the various plans that had
been submitted TO the Common Council anterior to
the passage OF the vetoed resolution The
IS the concluding portion OF the vcto.- -