New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-26
ILLn hLOSh HrLiENE.

with ~ ii4 faults the city Government has
generally acted in bchnlf of the poor men OF
his civ. The dtnymcn. the w0lkngmeh ana
small doilriH ana merchants, against tho cor
polplons aud men 81 lnigo cntiinl, whenever u
auosiion has arisen holWoon the tNo, IN o.
nottuniiy Is now Afforded them to lrp'nlnt"
ppnin ~ the same direction,
Three hrle aud powerful companies have
asked for the night to build klosks IN the
streets, Tor the sale Of newspapers and iol other
mncl, more important purposes, A resolution
uncoycrng the most Formidable of these en-
bryo monOpOics, was introduced III the Board
of Aldermen on October 20, as follows;
Re- lrcd That permission and license are hereby given
o the American Kiosk Company. incorporated under The
law. II the state Of New York. to erect on my ana al
sr,,ts arc,s ai,d piqces between Fifty n!ntht AMI the
BATTERY and between the Last and North RIVERS mum
hcr ~ kiosks to be used for the public dement, ana
convenience In lighting and ornamenting the SAID
streets and places. AMI vending ana heilhE
books pamphlets, newspapers periodicals AMI ohT
rs therein, and 10 connect the said hiosks SO erected
with "a, other means OF gaslieht or electric
Hgh or ruth tscgrdh TtrS "a sud Streets avenues ana
places upon such terms may be agreed upon Win the
said gas companies, clecnc-llght companies or tcie
er,ph companies ko.k to be more than ten rect III
lt nor more than six feet diameter; this permission
and license of years t'on his dote and
the said licensees before this permission and license are
available to give satisfactory bonds for the pas nent INTO
the city treasury Of the annual sum of ten thousand dol
lars rs compensation to the city for the privilege anu IL
cense hereby granted
The resolution was referred to the Committee
on Streets
The pecuiar features Of this proposition are
morc or less obvious to those in the newspaper
business. but probably would not be understood
by the public without explanation.
/. Under tue resolution from LOCO to 1000
new patcnt ncws-stands can be erected III the
city. one of them being placed IN front OF every
existing stand, and in front of every ferry,
bridge, church., theatre and newspaper Office IN
the city, There is no restriction as to location
or number In other words, the scheme Is one
to drive out of business all the retail newsdeal-
crs of this city, and gather up their trade into
the hands of one corporation. DO the Alder
men want to sanction the scheme 7
2. The resolution permits the sale of " other
wares The term is sufficiently general to
cover cigars, soda water, fruit and, indeed,
every variety of merchandise 1t appears,
therefore, that the Aldermen are asked to
create from 1000 to 1900 small retail stores
in the city paying almost no rent at all, to run
i'm competition with other retail merchants, who
are each obliged to pay from 500 to $1,000
rent per year What do the Aldermen think OF
tins What do the small retail merchants OF
the city think of this
3. The plan also cOntemplates the use OF
the kosks as telegraph offices. Now, the prln-
cipal stockholders of the proposed American
Kiosk Company are the owners OF the new At
lantc cable, which has just been landed at
Concy Island. Their kios<s therefore would he
branch Offices for the reception of cable tele-
grams and it must be remembered that these
Offices could be placed without limit as to loca-
ton or number iii every part OF the city, SUD-
stantaly rent free. The ingenuity OF the
scheme is apparent.
4. There is fourth point though not such an
! important one. The projectors and owners OF
the American Kiosk Company are also owners
and managers of two of the newspapers of the
city. The kiosks could be used, therefore, as
SO many branch Offices for the receipt OF adver-
tisements and subscriptions. The objection IS
that the scheme would give great facilities,
almost free of rent. to special newspapers, to
the disadvantage of the press of the city IN
general
| There is probably good deal in this matter
| that requires the careful attention of both the
Government and the public of this city.
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!, OCEAN CONSERV1NCY.