New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-24
TEARING UP BROADWAY,
WORK on JACOB sHARP's RAILWAY.
ONE TRACK LAID FOR SOME DISTANCE BELOW
UNION SQUARE


Just after noon yesterday midd,e-aged man
OF dark complexion, dressed in nayy-blue suit and
wearing tall hat stepped into the middle of Broadway
In front OF the Morton Hou.e. In HE
wake marched 200 men, armed with pick
axes crowbars, shoves sedges and hammers who took
possession OF the street and extended themselves two
lines at Intervals down the thoroughfare toward Grace
Church At The same timo heavy trucks laden with
stout strong pieces iron crosbars channepeces bolts
and iron plates driven the street and
their loads at regular intervals
The crowds of people hurrying along the
sidewalks were attracted by tho sight, ladies
shopping began to stay their steps. young men
and cid became possessed OF the spirit OF curiosity
and hugged the curbstOnes each side OF the street
sec what going to happen The assembly OF actors
about the Morton House forgot for the the atcss
theatrical gossip. Guests at the Morton House. the st
Georges Hotel and the st. Denis peercd of tho
windows at the novel scene.
At precisely minutes past IL o'clock the man tho
navyblue suit spoke few words to short thickses
man, who passed some word down the line of men, who
In turn seized their pckxes raised them and proceeded
To tear up the pavement OF Broadway. The 200 men
werelaboer for Contractor william Wharton, the in
the nayy-bluc suit and the first blow srdck with
their picaxes the beginning OF the work OF building
Jacob Sharp's Broadway Surface Railroad. The stay
of proceedings whereby IL had been sought to restrain
the company from following up the decision oe
the General Term OF the Supreme Court ap.
lawyers no sooner got the decision OF the court tn
word passed TO Mr.. Sharp and thence at electric
speed IT went to Contractor Wharton The men began
to the pavement the side OF the street. for
the downtown track The most northern man with o
pckaXc stood twenty feet I0m the crOsswak separat-
ing Broadway from Union Square. The stones were rap
idly removed and then the process OF shoycus OUT hf
sand underlying the pavement followed. The sand
three inches deep and overy the concrete which aVct
the Broadway pavement It's sodity against the wear ane
tear inflicted by the Broadway stage Contractor Whartoa
kepta acose eye the work. Il am determed. he sa1
10 TRIBUNE reporter, that the pavement shall fes
the least possible Disturbance To carry ou this plan
have selected srngers of less depth than heretofore
used for tic rails to lie upon As you see these piecee
lie top OF the coucrete. Heretofore the depth OF the
strngers has been such that IL has been necessary
to into the concrete, thus disturbing the
Whole pavement and leaving IL insecure wheE
the have been replaced These strgers requirs
simply the removal OF the sand Another part OF mI
device for saving the pavement IL found In the cross
bars taste ing the strngers. These OF iron.
quarter OF an inch Ia thickness and two and hall
half inches vide. They are fastened with the
edge up, that they will lie cOmpacty between the
paving stones when replaced. The bars are, further
more, secured with Luts which rest upon tws
inches of washers and these nuts when screwed n are
TX in the wood that they cauno disturb the paving
any OF them thiuk with these features
structure the least possible Interference with tue
pavement will result
The stages which went ruinbng by seemed in
stinctivcly feel their DOOM The drivers looked dowu
froD, their perches While their brows corrugated with
yexation they witnessed the steady oD
Slaught OF Jacob sharp's road upon tbef domaiG,
and realized that the days for collecting fares through
the circular opening in the roof were numbered
The crowds of people watching the workmen increased
the hours 10 3p. M. At that time tho
sringcrs had laid well down toward Grace Church.
Al o'clock the track had been wholly laid far As ts
Denis Hotel and then the resettng OF the paving
stones begun The men work RAPIDLY aud
filed in the space while Contractor WhartGn
watched them in the anxiety rs II fearful that In
junction would swOOp down on him. The foreman said:
We shall keep working until injunction strikes
u.s. sunday not" Contractor Wharton said however,
then resumed on Monday unless the strong arm 0f ths
law more interviewed. AT that time the stones from
Union 80 uaTe 10 Twe,ItI-st. had been relall
Ate dark the men worked by the ght Of smoky AMI
icKering oil lamps Late III the day permit was OBJ
tanned allowing the contractor to 20 all iSht with lis
work.
The court proceedings which resulted in Contractor
Wharton's appearance IN Broadway took place in tlt
forenoon before the General Tsrm OF the supreme Court
Justices Davies aud Daniels being presently.
by which 1t sought to prevent the Surface
Railroad Company from proceeding with ths
construction OF Its railroad under The orer OF the eoure
confirming the report OF the commissioners Tue appl
Boreel and other owners Of Broadway property OH s
ground that technical had been committed Ia tbs
that Commission :. b. H. Vance not dlsntcrested
within the meaning s the statute and that therefOrs
the General Term to the Court OF Appeals
Justice Daniels read the opinion of the court which
that under the decision made IN th or the
Kings County Elevated Railway Company the Court ot
Appeas cannot review conclusion Of the General
Term by which the report OF the commissioners has
been approved and confirmed upon its merits" whether
their conclusion was so far sustained by
the evidence as entitle 1t To be confirmed
has. accordingly been hnally settled he say:
The only points which can be revewcd-evcn II tit
may be dOne-m the Court OF Appeals, Justice Daniels
continues. are the regularity OF the proceedings And
hardly be supposed that they would b. vacated or
set aside because OF the omission to comply strictly
n h the mode proceeding provided by the statute
II the proceedings have been irregulrthey havo
rot been 81 much IN any view To deprive
he court OF the power of acting upon the application.
The answer Is equally as applicable 10 tho
objection that OF the commissioners were not dsn
crested persons Mr. Lord and Mr. Harris seem to
10 tree from substantial objection in this respect The
has accordingly had the full benefit OF the
Judgment or two Of tho commissioners, who
~ ed