New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-23

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by number of prominent citizens to oppose
the new scheme. Several Aldermen declare
that they dlsapproye it.
OWNERS OF PROPERTY ALARMED.
/ GROUNDS or THEIR HOSTILITY TO THF PlAN-THE
AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH THE RAPID TRANSIT
| COMMISSIONERS ACTED.
The fact that the proposed rapid transit road down
Fourth-ave. will iniurioasly affect many Of tho
finest churches hotels and public buildings. well
rs practically destroy of the best avenues for
residences, has aroused widespread opposition to tho
scheme. Union Square and City Hall PARK the
most valuable and the most needed Of the small
parks of the city, would DO practically ruined by
the proposed road Thousands of persons would DO
injured in this way who do not reside on the pro-
jeced route and who do not any property In It's
immediate vicinity. Tie opposition to the plan is
manifested at the City Hail. whore hundreds Of per-
sons have called to express their Indignation at tho
action Of the Rapid Transit Commissioner. Mayor
Cooper has received many of these callers and tho
! Aldermen many more Whenit becomes better known
! that tho approval OF the Common Council is Indis-
pensabe to the success of Mr. Vander6lfs plan, tho
numbero Of callers at the City Hall will probably in
crease. There Is danger, however, that tho ap-
prevail of the Board Of Aldermen may be obtained
before public opinion sufficiently aroused to pre-
vent 1t. 1t is we'll known that agent Of Mr.. Van
derbilt has been spending a great deal Of time
about the rooms Of the Board Of Aldermen, and that
he has been unusually free in giving passes aud
other favors from Mr.. Vanderbilt TO members Of the
board
The Rev. DR.. Howard Crosby, Samuel Willets.
Frederick Sturges, Orlando b. Potter, Wyls Black
stone, L. Suydam, J. i. Suydam, Will
lam Radde, Richard Mortimer. DIR. willard
Parker, Oswald 0ttendorfer, Joseph r. Skidmore,
Charles E. ouackcnbush, Edwin Mead, George For
rester w. Ii. Brockway, William l.. Skidmore. and
a number of Others called Oh Mayor Cooper SAT-
urday and earnestly protested against the proposed
road In remonstrance which they filed with tho
Mayor, they gave among other reasons the follow
ing why the scheme should be defeated: The road,
if buit would destroy private property worth SlO.-
100000 without any compensation to the owners.
and would, in many instances, impoverish them.
Ii would annihilate this immense amount, upoa
which the city leyies and collects taxes. No city
can long prosper which permits injustice to its cit
zens, and the public sanction to the proposed
| scheme would not only be rank injustice
but tho most cruel wrong No public
necessity exists for such acts. Rapid transit
is no longer experiment, and no excuse exists
for not compelling justice to be done to private
property and rights q condition of all future
grants The Rapid Transit act, 1t argued. under
which this scheme Is attempted, contemplates that
the stock of railroads organized under It be open 10
subscription by all who may desire 70 subscribe,
upon equal terms This railroad and its branches
are so laid out as to defeat and this intent of
the act, inasmuch as they so laid out and con-
nected with the Now-Yor6 Central and Harlem
Railroads that thoy necessarily become part and par
Gel of the roads, which substantially oweud 10y
one corporation and cannot be used by any other
party. If this scheme il carried out many millions
of property are TO be stripped from the present
ers and destroyed without compensation TO them,
TO increase the vast wealth of combined corpo-
ration. and one man, who certainly has no greater
clam As taxpayer than scores and hundreds OF
citizens that are to be Impoverished.
Mayor CooDer promised TO consider the matter
fully in all its bearings. Soon after thi. depua-
ton of prOperty-Owners headed by ChlefJustice
Charles Z. DAILY, of the Court of Common
| Pleas, who was accompanied by Charles III. hltche
Elial L. Hall and j. Lorimer Graham:
called on the Mayor 10 protest against the proposed
elevated road Oh Fifty nnt-st., between sixth and
! Ninth-aycs, new connection OF the metropolitan
and New-York Elevated Roads. The delegation
represented that the road would be great dciri-
! ment TO Central Park; that 1t would span nearly
| all the entrances 10 the park which most re-
| sorted tO, and winch alone are convenient OF access
| to most of the people who frequent II; that the
| annoyance caused by the operation Of the road
would be most .eit III one OF the most ircquented
localities of the park, ana could only be escaped bv
those seeking pleasure and quiet going altogether
! beyond the SIGHT and hearing of such ROAD, thus
practically abandoning that portion OF the park Tor
| the purposes OF pleasure ground; that 40 Deces-
sIty for the proposed road exists, the only pur-
J nose II could seryo-that of "A connection between
the two existing elevated roads-ls ALREADY suilci-
entity answered by the road passing through West
Flfty-thrd-st. by 1t public as well as private M
terests and convenience would be sacrificed solely
| fog some possible advantage to the corporations
operating the existing elevated railways. Inc
petitioners asked the Mayor 10 withhold ilis
sent 10 the projected route.
POSITION OF THE MAYOR
| Mayor Cooper said yesterday that nc was opposed
TO any elevated railway in Fiftynnth-st, aud that
he was opposed to the granting of any franchise II
this character without proper remuneration TO tho
city and to private property-owneTs. He had taken
this position III his first message 10 the Board Of
! Aldermen and he unchanged III his opinion.
Il do think that the elevated railroads should be
permitted eXtenN ther tracks,, lie said. or mat
any more franchlses should be granted without lust
| compensation 10 the property-owners who would be
injured thereby. / think all franchises should DO
nut up at auction and sold 10 the highest bidders,
and the city should be guaranteed just proportion
| oil the gross receipts
| IBID you anticipate the action OF the Rapid
| Transit Commission III laying out a road 10 the
| City Hall
II knew nothing of it, nor was the subject
| broaehed until the r. port Of the Commis slon Was
| laid before me. The law makes II mandatory on mo
| To appoint Commission tor this purpose when
| ever fifty taxpayers shall apply Ia the le-
! gal manner. There was some question II the law
had not been made void. so far as this county Is
concerned after the appointment of the first Com
mission. but the Corpora ON Counsel decided other
wise. Another point Is set under ADJUSTMENT as 10
| whether the acts OF tue existing Commission are
not VOID because the petition asked forts appoint
ment Tor SPECIAL purpose-layIng out rapid transit
routes for the Twenty-third and Twenty fourth
! Wards / had no expectation that Commission
| appointed for special purpose would exceed that
purpose. When the legal points are decided Will
| lake action OH the report"
| The law provides that the consent If the owners
of oue-hai III value OF the property along the pro-
posed routes shall be first obtained. and also the
| of ne local clsgf
| v-tyvters cannot sfcurel