Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1883-06-08
The Hartford and Harlem.

Concluding Arguments OF the Attorneys
The Legality of the Corporation Com
sidered.
The railroad commission ers met in the
bar library room yesterday forenoon to hear
the concluding arguments as to the legality
of the organization known as the Hartford
gal talent was present representing the va
ried interests in favor and in opposition to
the proposed road.
@. s. Hamilton opened for the property
owners in the western part of this city. He
paid particular attention to alleged defects
in the engineers report, claiming that the
description of cuts and curves was so far
out of the way that the map and description
failed to meet the legal requirements
A few miles below here there
cut described as being only fourteen feet
deep at the lowest point. In reality the lay
out called for cut of about forty feet. eff
the survey is so defective on some portions
of the line,'' said Mr.. Hamilton, sit is not
likely to be accurate at places where the con-
sequences might be to the serious disadvan-
tage of private and public property interests.
AS laid out the road would ruin many pri-
vate residences in the western part of the
city. It would also cause the tearing up of
the streets to an extent that would greatly
damage the water, gas and sewerage pipes"
Other arguments against the legality of the
company's organization were made by Mr..
Doolittle, Mr.. Hyde and Ex-Governor Hub
bard. The latter asked the commissioners
to construe the statute regarding subscrip-
tions to the stock of railroad corporation
according to its apparent intent. "The law
MEANS" said he, that each subscriber shall
individually pay in ten per cent. of the
1. t. l.
mean that one individual can give his check
for the amount of subscriptions called for in
lump. The law was not framed with the
intent of giving control of the franchise
either to Boston broker or a New York
/ miner who may be getting mp bogus railroads
in order to sell them out.
"This company" continued Governor
Hubbard, speaking very deliberately, docs
not bear in its physiognomy the impress of
honesty. Even my brother Baldwin, who
has grown rich with the spoils of his profess
| sional triumphs in the railroad line, did not
| despoil his pockets of cent on account of
his subscriptions to the stock of the Hart
| ford and Harlem. He is in the same posi-
/ ton as most of the other subscribers. They
| all put their names down for certain
| amount of the stock, but when the question
| of payment arises one man draws his check
| for the whole sum-"
/ Regarding the question of the alleged ir-
L
| ernor Hubbard said the business was one of
| the most curious and unaccountable features
I of the entire history of the Hartford and Har-
l lem organization. The meeting was held al
Prof. Baldwin's Office this morning, it being
| given perhaps by Geographic notice or spirit
| rapping communication. cat any rate,
| went on Mr.. Hubbard, ''the notice was in
| sufficient judged by the usual business
| standards and at the present meeting 8
board of directors is put in by virtue of
| the power of attorney or of proxy
exercised by Lewis N. Brown. It is admitted
that the power of attorney was not signed
| It is also claimed that the manifest and ad
| mitted regularities in the manner of choosing
directors were atoned for and made legal by
ratification of all these doings on the par
of the individuals Interested claim that the
| verbal authority asserted to have been dele
gated by these stockholders is insufficient II
| law and Of itself constitutes fatal defect il
the company's organization"
| Prof. S. E. Baldwin made the closing ar
| gument, speaking from o'clock in the after
noon until 3. He combatted all the argu.
ments urged against the validity of the Hart
| ford and Harlem's organization and quoted
large number of authorities in support oil
| his position. The commissioners said they
! would probably be prepared to render a de
cision next Tuesday when they hold an ad.
iourned meeting in Bridgeport to consider
| the layout of the Olmstead parallel