New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-10
THE ARCADE RAILWAY.
.pcrMENrs IN OPPOSITION TO THE BILL.
A HEARING BEFORE THE GovERSoR-App"h''A'
FOR AND AGAINST THE MEASURE
rHY TELEGRAPH To TEE rRIBUNEl

oftarnoon The executive chamber was hlled WIN
them The Governor, who sat at his table was
fairly hemmed in by the multitude. In the 'hIons
could be seen the faces of many prominent i"ei-
chants, lawyers and bankers Oh Now -io'N
Albion p Man of Man & Parsons, headed the oeie-
cation as the representatives of the Loriard, the
Wetmores and the Aver estates. Among .he uo4o
cat,on were f. s. Jafray, stephen /. Nash, Lioyu
Asninval F. w, J. Hurst, William d. Sloane, OIL
w & j. Sloane, SVap RensselaerCr Congress
man Orlando B. Potter Amos +. Eno, CharieS a.
Pcabodv. General steinmetz. Senators Robb and
Newbold and Assemblyman Howe There were
present to defend the BILL Melville I. smith, preSi-
dent of the Broadway Underground Rallway-Coin
pany. Ex-Governor Gilbert c. Walker, OF virginia
John l. Davenport Simeon L. Church ana Lawson
n Fuller.
Mr. Man opened the hearing by presenting paper
signed by large proportion OF the properly
owners in Broadway. protesting against the Dill
becoming a law. This paper contained the sigma
lures of Henry Hilton, representative OF MIS- A.
r. Stewart. OF John Jacob Astor, John A. stewart
Pierre Lorillard Jacob LJrillard, l.. l.. Lorlllaru'
James T. Kenochau, William Dowd William L.
Dodge. Amos +. Emo, Elias S. Higgins, F. 5. Win
ston. and Of the representatives of Trinity ana
Grace churches and the prominent banks and In
surance Offices.
STEPHEN p. NAsu's OBJECTIONS.
Stephen +, Nash the representative OF the TRINITY
Church corporation. then argued that the Dill was
unconstitutional. Under the guse OF an amend
ment to the charter of a railroad granted IN lo|o'
il attempted to override the provisions OF the con-
stitutional amendment of 1873, prohibiting the
granting of special charters 1t sought exclusive
privileges. The property the company would Affect
by ts operations between the City Hall and Four
teenth-st., was worth $780, while from
Park Place TO the Battery property worth $5O,-
600 900 would be endangered There was no Sc
curty for the owners of this property in the DILL
An indemnity bond of only 100000 was requ red |
Three eminent engineers had informed the trinity |
Church corporation that the construction OF a rail-
road along Broadway would endanger the tower OF
the church. The property owners Mr. Nash said
had no opportunity before the Legislative COM |
mttee to show the danger to their property that |
would follow the construction of the road, nor was
n chance given them of showing the impractical |
bility of the scheme. The company asked amazing |
rights-the power. for one thing. to remove gas ana
water pipes No part OF its capital took was re- |
ouired TO be paid before the construction of the
road was begun. The restraining power OF the three
commissioners named in the bill amounted only to |
authorizing them to report in writing to the Mayor
of violation of its duties by the company.
DANGER TO PROPERTY.
The company would obstruct the streets during |
the construction of its road All the dirt would |
have to be removed through side streets. Travel |
would be interrupted. If constructed under general |
law the constitutional provisions would be enforced
recurring the consent of majority IN value OF the
property owners before the road could be built.
deposit of sufficient security would also have TO De
made The bill provided for the excavation of the
whole surface of Broadway betweenthe house lines,
with sidewalks ten feet below the surface. The
main road was to be sixteen feet below the surface
and the depth was not limited except at Cana-st.,
and quarter of mile north to one south OF that
street The company might change the grade OF
Broadway without giving any protection to prop
erty owners. The company mad Ilghl 10 ieaye
open space for ventilation not exceeding SIX 1eet III
width and Of unlimited length along the house lines
on both sides. which would cut on access TO prop
eTty, except the company might deem proper,
and wOuld curtail the sidewalks. The excavations
being unlimited, might undermine the buildings OF
Broadway. There a possibility OF unll nlted
damage To property with no tangible necessity torl
The running Of trains would cause q noise and re-
verberatiOn which would make buildings useless for
Samuel E. Lyon representative of the Hamilton
estate argued that the bill was unconstitutional
and did not give sufhclcnt protection 10 property
John E. Develn. as representative of the Mutual
Life Insurance Company, also stated that the bill
was unconstitutional, and that 1t granted large
privileges without any compensation to New-1ork
f. s Jaffray looked at the bill from the business
mems point of view. He declared that the men
who were endeavorng TO get 1t made law were
tention of building the road. If built the expense
and damage to property owners would be beyond
Congressman Orlando b. Potter said that the
damage to property, # the road should be built,
would amount to $30000,O00. He doubted if the
owners of the charter intended to build the road
He had been offered a previous charter 1or $l,OOO.
SOME REASONS FOR BUILDING THE ROAD.
Ex-Governor Walker made long argument IN
favor of the bill He said that its charter could not
be impeached. II had been declared valid by the
Supreme Court. The bond of 100000 was amply
sufficient for the protection of the property owners:
The present acI merely confirmed, regulated and
defined the powers OF the railroad company. Cap
ital unlimited in amount could be obtained
e build the road road - The construction tr.1 10
rive no benefit would cost the corporation $1,000,
600.
I. W. Hamilton as representative, of the West
ernor to sign the bill in order to bring about rapid
transit to the northern part ofthe city W. GA
Simeon Il. Church, who lives on the west Slde,
Melville c. smith said that he was not surprised
at the opposition % LneTe Tas t always
had shown that i appreciated innovations of va ue
by passing the bin by large maorties He ridiculed
the idea that buildings iii Broadway would
topple into the street while the road was under
construction or when trains were run upon 1T;
There would be no noise and there would be actual
rapid transit in New-York.
John /. Davenport presented book which he
said contained 10000 signatures ei OF residents OF
General Steinmetz, as representative OF the
United states Government, protested against the
passage OF the blll, Tue
of o railway in Broadway would imperil the Post
Office. This closed the hearing.
The Governor like Judge listened patiently to
ell that said and then reserved his decision on
the bill. lie will have to come TO some decision In
the coming week before the Legislature adjOurns
(fSr ousT RGa0ay Ns~s See FVsh Pdgej
DELAYING THE PUBLIC WORKS REPORT.
THE COMMITTEE UNABLE TO AGREE-ACrION TO BIZ
TAKEN on MONDAY.
[FRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNR.l
A. ~, |