New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-17
FRANCHISES OF RAILWAYS.
A HEATED DEBATE IN THE ASSEMBLY.
lie BILL RELATING TO THE SURFACE Fo"D'


ORDERED TO THIRD REAplNd'
frRoM THE RralIAg CORRESPONDENT or THE tHihuNL'l
ALBANY, April 1G.-Tho General Street hni""
bill held the attention of the Assembly, 10 'ne VA
cluson of all other bills at the morning session oi
that bodv to-day and then. its consideration not
HAVING hcen finished was debated at the evening
session. As before when this bill has been uhu,r
consideration lobbyists filled the corrluors oulSu"
of the Assembly Chamber. senator Es'9 may nav
encountered some of the members Oh tnis .hions
ubile ON a visit to the Assembly. for while the
60. - =, sossion he offered a resolution proyd-
inc f,r tho annoiutmcnt of join. committee oil INC
ca,o,o ord Assembly TO investigate " the truth OF
fosit of the leading editorial in Inc 3todhB HTg"
of this morning rejecting upon the INTEGRITY VI 'n'
,,o,Iers of their respective bodies The article
,cferred 20 made indefinite charges. alleging tnat
,hc Ieoislature was surrounded with disrcPutaoIo
men and that measures were beng pasScu colruPtIN'
Senator Esty's resolution was tabled uhdef the
lc that reoures resolutions to he laid over Tor one
day after tbeir introduction.
The men who are pushing the street Railway Dlh
Acknowledged through Mr. House. of Ncw-io rk'
that tie criticisms concerning the obectlonaDio
features were 20 we'll founded that they dared not
noes II in the shape in which IT came from the
senate The Governor o., is SAID. had stated that lie
would not sign the bill l these features were left in
II in the Assembly.
Mr. Honse moved that all bills then on the order
of third reading should bo laid aside in order that
the Street Railway bill might lie considered. 1t re-
ruired an affirmative majority of two-thirds to
carry The motion: but il was adopted by vote OF
rs to "a. Mr.. House then informed the Assembly
that an exact copy of the bill would be found III
No. 60 of the Assembly file OF bills.
at is not an exact copy of the bill roared out
Mr.. Littleohn. and then with flaming eyes. loud
voice and vehement gesture he said Il am pre-
pared for wrongdong in regard TO this bill from
tbe beginning to the end | shall fight it to the
end
MR. HOUSE IN An ANGRY MOOD.
II am prepared to say that the only fraud is the
man over yonder," said Mr. House angrily pointing
at Mr.. Littleiohn. In cooler manner he said that
the friends of the bill had prepared amendments to
if which they thought would make it acceptable to
all persons He read the proposed amdenGments,
which were all in the direction of restoring the
bill TO the shape in which it came from the Rail
road Commissioners
FOUR AMENDMENTS ADOPTED.
One of. the amendments prohibits the uso OF
steam rs motor by any of the street railways or
ranized unler the act a second extends the limit OF
track of one company that may be used by another
from go to 900 feet; third provides for transfer
tickets and fourth that no road shall be leased 10
another without the consent oil q majority OF lhc
stockholders of the road that il Is proposed to
lease. All these amendments were adopted. They
= lcssencd the hostility Of many members TO the bill
MIR Hubbei! of Monroe County, offered an amend
upnt which in the opinion of uauN ol the leading
men ought to bee added to the bill making com
pus0ry inSicad of optional the sale Ol The street
railway franchises 20 the highest bidder: Glr. Hup-
bell pointed ont Chat in cities like New York coroi-
atoms would Zee able to obtain from the Boards on
Aldermen franchises at y ght cost which would be
worth hundreds of thousand, OF dollars Mr.. loose
velt supported the amendment, but was defeated,
receiving only - votes.
Nh House hau CuntcudCd that by paying yearly
tax on their gross receipts the railroads would pay
high rate Tor their franchise. Mr. Howe moved
that the tax gross receipts should nc hNc per
cent instead of three per cent. ms amendment
WIS also rejected. Mr.. Roosevelt objected 10 the
provision which permits the majority of the IL
rectors of a road II suspend the operation o por-
toh of their road the whole 'ot II. tie sald iran
ell scs would he obtained Tor nothing ana then no
Use be made of them by the Companies obtaining
them. Dir. Eooscyclts motion 10 exclude tins pro
vision defeated.
The debate on the bin continued all the evening.
II had a curious resemblance to that which lad
taken place during the day. Critics OF the b. al
W1uld offer an amendment. make arguments III us
favor and then sae themselves ana thtlI a!uthu-
Igrnt bswlcd over by large adverse majority.
Tins amendment after amendment was rejected.
LAST OF ?ll MIR. Hunt offered as au amendment the
emf ire origiur bill OF the Railroad commissioners.
This wa, dc.cltcd by close vote. he bll was
tlcu ordered ru third reading. Nj. House moved
tie bill should az once have lis thiId reading MI'
Howe asked low many votes would be required To
mas. the motion. Speaker ShcaId responded: "
majority Of tvo-tlirds" Mr.. House met with 4
severe defeat HIS motion did not even receive
majority of the votes. nor were there sulhcirhi
vote, cast 30 pass it. The vote stood 81 to 81.