New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-06

for his proselyte to the cause of tetotallsm wnoh
teriousv and whispered wait" n.u-,,
lyon have hopes then, OF securing oii'
Fond hopes,n murmured Mr.. Gibbs, fond
hopes. There's something going on, my poy' ahu,
if | should tell you, your eyes would bulge 1sho
And with charitable regard for the reporters
eyes Mr.. Gibbs declined to say anything further'
AN ELEVATED CAR OFF THE TRACK.
THE ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A BROKEN SWITCHING
ONE AT FAULT, Mr.. HAHN SAYS
An accident occurred ON the City Hall branch OF
the Elevated Railway yesterday morning ana
North Willam-st. a switch crosses the main track
and extends uptown. AS a train passed over tnls
switch tie iron point snapped and the wneeis $50
the first car striking the broken piece OF ito' some
thrown from the track and were drawn 1oI sclo
ting it in many places There was % bsS tb nST
persons against the divisions between the seat
against the doors and had broken sevef Sa pWsen
James Donovan. clerk vinei one of the half
onened doors and received q severe scalp woulu.
General Manager Ham told TRIBUNE reporter er
SaS Of fanIt The cause of the breaking OF the
switch he thought was taw In the IRON. Wien ;
ssked If the company did not employ men 70 m 2.
snect the tracks at short intervals, he said that IL
did hut flaw in iron difficult TO detect I'll
required great power to break swltch-pomt ne
switch was dead switch ana was nailcu iili"I.
to the ties in order to prevent any p3ssDility od
using IL. 1.-The accident" added Mr.. Ham, was
entirely unavoidable, but it will be thoroughly III
vestigated nevertheless"
Mr. Hahn said that the published reports Oh lhe
collision between two engines on the Seconu
Avenue line on Monday morning were greatly o SA-
aggerated. 1.-THE two engines left the YARD at SlA-
ty-seyenth he explained, TO join their trains
engine overlook the other and ran INTO II WIN
enough force to disable it, although the engineer
admits that he saw the signal lamps on the engine
ahead of his. The first engine was running al tne
rate of ten or twelve miles ao hour and the engl-
neer of the second one says that he was gong only
at the same speed. | have discharged MN, ,oi
course for am sure that he alone was III fault''
INVESTIGATING THE TAX DEPARTMENT.
The Special Committee Of the Board of Aldermen
composed of Messrs Fullgratf. Waite and Shellsl
which was appointed to investigate the manner IN
which assessments are made on real estate Dy Tue
Board of Assessors and the Tax commissioners net
for the first time yesterday and examined fresdeht
Asten of the Department of Taxes and Assessments
He said that he had attended from courtesy, as ne
was convinced that there was no law WHICH WOuiu
compel him to testify He addedi
court the fullest investigation into the methods ana
business of tho Department If there are any abuses
or defects there should Like to have them exposed ana
will endeavor TO correct them.
Mr.. Asten explained the duties of the Assessors
and the Tax Commissioners. The committee tl i
went TO the Tax Department and saw the DOORS
and maps Mr. Asten explained mat tnere WeTe
eleven deputies employed to assess the Valuation VI
nronerty and on their report being made II was
transferred to O record book which was open iOL Uhe
inspection of the taxpayers Any complaint oy
citizen was referred back 10 the Deputy CoIulhsJ
no authority to direct the Deputy commissioners 10
assess property at certain amount ana coud alteI
no assessment until the deputies mad submitted
their report. Commissioner DOnnelly corroborated
the evidence Of Mr. Asten. The investigation will
begin on Saturday at 9 p. m