New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-29
PAPID TRANSIT TROUBLES.
RESIGNATION OF TWO COMMISSIONERS.
GIVING THEIR REASONS TO THE MAYoR-wIrT
THEIR FELLOW MEMBERS SAY.

GIVING THEIR REASONS TO THE NhfoE-"HAr
THEIR FELLOW MEMBERS SAY.
President Daniel Drake Smith and Commits
soner George Byrd OF the Rapid Transit Commission,
have sent their rcsgnaons TO the Mayor. In their mi
nority report which accompanied their designations they
said that they could find only single route which, at the
outset seemed clearly TO Justify affirmative decision
Thereafter the Board OF Commissioners located twenty
nine separate for steam railways covering neery
seventy miles OF the public streets Many tire routes
not legally open tho construction Of railways The retr
ingCOmmissioners quotecertan statutes and say with
full knowledge OF statutes the majority OF the Com
missoners have located certain routes, designated "a
routes Nos g. g. T. g. o, TO- II, H. 10, H. 90 ~ and
25 and every of which the statutes quoted de
clare shall not be lawful for the Commissioners to To-
cate" They say that the law prohibits the consc-
ton ola steam railway on the bOulevards yet majority
of the Commissioners have located Route No 10 on the
boulevard from Fify-ninthst to One-hundredandsXty-
second ST. and have taken steps TO authorize company
10 be known as the New-York Cable Company TO con-
struct a railway the boulevard The routes below
Twenty-thirl-st they believed Of doubtful utility,
and would be detrimental to business traffic They say
first that It would be well for the authorities to pass upon
the twentynne routes located by the Commission separ-
ately and recommend that Ave per cent OF the gross re-
cepts for each year b. paid by the railway companies
into the city treasury, and that the franchises he
not given In perpetuty, but for perod OF
not exceeding thirty years At tie expiration Oh
that tune they could he renewed such terms ana con
dtions the public sts might thdn dictate ana Fe-
quire
MI Smith said TO reporter or TIE TRIBUNE yesterday
We have thought ofresignng for couple OF moIths.
We did not tell the other Commissioners tnst We were
going to- hut sent designations to the Mayor yester-
day afternoon. There were many points on Wleh We
disagreed with the other Commissioners the most npol
tant OF which stated in tho minority report when we
sent to the Mayor with our resignations Inc minority
the Commissioners thought that no track should 90 u
,fbf , oil foot from
street This not agreed 10. We Thought also lDat
company shonld be compelled to remove the snow
Mr. Byrd expressed views in regard to the resignation
to the same effect. other views as follows:
Mr. Iivermore-I think the resignation Of the minority
Of the Board very T b b does NOT eem SO
don't know why they should take such ACTON ldoht
know why the minority h .ng Teoon because the
majority took some action that displeased them We
b Minority reporf was not offered in the Board before
the Commissioners resigned nor was iner d. "a
several times in the Board. 1t was finally DECIDED that
the grant should be for ninety-nne years - -, 4.
Mfr stewart-I don't know what 20 say with regard 10
the resignaons OF Commissioners Smith and Byrd There
was intimation given by them TO the other Somns
soners of their Intention resgn and objection was
which the other Commissioners could even Iei ivy
"Reminiscences are empowered TO proceed with the bus
mes the Commission The Mayor has thirty DAYS alter
the resignation OF Commissioner 10 appoint another In
his place. / do not know whom he Will appoint
or whether he will Ill the vacancies
Mr. Earle do not wish TO criticse Mr. Smith or Mr..
Byrd neither does It make any difference to me wnat
they may say with regard 10 our actions nave acteu
for what thought the interests Of the city and am
nor 10 be deferred from doing what think Is right by any
criticisms on their part the part OF any one else
think the facilities that we have abored to provide lor
the people OF cwYOrk needed We shal go right Oh
with our work We have thought that we ought TO give
the opportunity these roads to he built # the people
want them. Everybody does want roads built on any
street but their own. II the consent h not gwen TOT
building the roads they cannot be built
Mayor Edison said that he had not considered the ques
ton Of appointing the SUCCESSORS OF Messrs smh ana
Byrd.
Mr. Liyernore was elected president pro tenn at the
meeting of the Commissioners. Opinions were received
from Wheeler IT. Peckham and Frank LOOMS, special
counsel declaring the Board has power 70 escind
its action In regard any OF the routes that have been
laid out.