New-York tribune., 1881-12-26

| speciGed route from Fulton Ferry to East New
York, and which has built its road oVeI q COIL
siderable portion Of the line, the right 10 run
| in three of the principal streets OF Brookiyh-
| Fulton ST., Myrtle-aye. and Broadway--Wlthout
asking the consent of the property Owners anu
without providing means for compensating
them for any damage that might ensue. Inc
charter of this company WAS obtained petore
the General Railroad Act was passed. After
naming the route to be buhJ upon 1t added
| a. Or upon such streets and avenues rs may Dc
named bv the Mayor and Common Council"
The meaning of this clause evidently is that
slight changes in the route might be made II
necessary by the Joint action of the authorities
named. 1t is equally apparent that 1t dld not
mean that streets far away from the route
designated might be contscated whenever
majority of the Board of Aldermen could be IN
duced to consent to such wholesale proceed
ing. No protence of consulting the Mayor OF
obtaining his consent was made before the ac-
ton of the Aldermen was taken.
We do not see how Mr.. Howell could have
done otherwise than 10 veto this monstr0us
scheme. The city of Brooklyn, is sorey IN
need of rapid transit roads but its people viii
not submit to have such AN enterprise as this
fosted upon them. They cannot afford to give
ND their principal business streets for this pur-
pose-lcast of all to company which has had
the right for seven years to build road upon
a certain route, and which has done little, II
anvthing, to command the respect and cOnil-
dence of the public. Who is behind this com
pauy at the present time we do not know but
its affairs have been badly managed hitherto
They arc bound up III the cOurts-several re-
ccivcrs having had them in hand at the same
time-and probably no capitalist OF standing
would invest a dollar in the enterprise. This
last attempt to seize upon three of the chief
| ,horoughfares of the city has aroused much in
dignaton and has properly been irowned upon
by Mayor Howell 1t is almost certain, how
ever. that before the official life of the present
Common Council expires in attempt will be
made TO pass the resolution over the veto II
that is successful, IN appeal will doubtless be
made to the cOurts to check this high handed
proceeding; and we do not believe that any
Judge or judges can be found who Will fan to
construe this company5 charter according to
the meaning which 1t plainly bears.
At the same time that Mayor Howell has
vetoed this scheme he has, by refusing his veto,
given his official consent to what Is known rs
.hc Culver road. which proposes to run from the
bridge terminus through streets mainly Occu-
Died by residences OF the middle class to the
Long Island Railroad Depot, and thence
through Fifth-ave. and other streets and by
tunnel to connect with one of the Concy Island
railroads. This rcceiyed tho approval of the
Aldermen after having first been fa"Orably re-
ported upon by n commission of the supreme
Court appointed under provision of the Cen
cral Railroad Law. Such commission is
asked l1r when majority of the property
owners along Il proposed road refuse to give
their consent To its construction and the con-
sent OF the commission is taken in lieu of that
of the owners Of property. Tnc report OF the
commis sion in this case. however, has yet -
receive the approval Of the General Term ot
the Supreme Court before it becomes valid.
This road has much to commend it. The men
behind it are wcl-known capitalists; the route
il one to which few objections can be made;
and the district which the road will traverse
viii be greatly benefited thereby. We think
that the Common Council was a little too hasty
in its action. This plan wa3 approved by the
same seventeen votes which carried through
the uniu-tifarlc change OF route os the other
company and this fact OF course ia drawback
to an otherwise commcudabe and pr0mis-
ing undertaking Besides this, no hearing was
granted to the owners of property along the
line some of whom had expressed a desire to
make known their objections 10 the proposed
road. But on the whole brooklyn probably
cannot do better than to allow tins road to be
built as speedily - possible.