The evening world., 1888-06-01
WILL THEY INVESTIGATE ?
DEACON RICHARDSON'S CHARTERS SUBJ
JECT OF COMMON COUNCIL INQUIRY.

Owners who Favor an Eievnted Road
The Long island Railroad Company
willing to Build an Aerial structure.
The story OF the early history Of the railroad cor
p%orations, Of which the Atlantic Avenue Railroad
Company IA now the representative, proved
specially interesting to Deacon Richardson and the
other gentlemen who are concerned in continu-
ing the Illegal grip upon the public streets of this
city to further their own selfish ends In some
sections 1t has created CONSERVATION and there is
q general %hurryine to cover.
That the Deacon has forfeited his charter over
and over again Is as patent az the fac, that he Is
daily violating the express provisions fthe charter
under which he pretends to operate the roads
owned and controlled by the Atlantic Avenue
Railroad Company. In fact, 1t seems as though,
having been allowed TO do about as he pleased 10
long, he has come to exercise a sort Of %squatter's
title to the streets through which he desires to run
his railroads, until recently, when the Board Of
Aldermen reminded the Deacon that the people
still had q few rights and denied him the privilege
Of building a railroad through Fifteenth street
without first securing the consent OF the people and
OF the Common Council, the Deacon became
very indignant and claimed that the Atlantic
Avenue Company under q special act OF the Legis-
lature possessed powers and was entitled to ex-
emptions not enjoyed by other roads; but never
theless, not receiving the consents he had sought,
he did not build the road.
Since that time the fact has been brought out
very distinctly that the legal rights aud privileges
really possessed BY the Atlantic Avenue Railroad
are ridiculously small compared with the powers
claimed for his company by the Deacon.
1t is shown that the laws upon which he bases
his greatest hopes is clearly unconstitutional II
is shown that his charters have lapsed In conse-
quence Of his failure to complete the roads on
streets specified in the charter within the time re-
CURED by law. 1t is shown that while this docu-
ment requires him to operate "a road on Atlantic
avenue to the city line, he actually only operates
the road to q point q short distance beyond Flat
bush avenue. It is clearly established that while
he is required to charge over the routes OF the At
lantic Avenue Railroad Company the same fare as
that charged on the Brooklyn City, the Deacon ia
in at least one instance charging twice That
amount under the cover OF q very convenient lease
OF the portion OF mis- franchise to the Long Island
Railroad.
In the face of all these charges the Deacon con-
without considering himself responsible 10 any
earthly authority and refuses TO recognize the
seventh and i Ninth an'i avenue routes and on Bergen
street are now on q schedule which can properly
be DESIGNATED a,,s as s. aiding n.y. ss j y msV a. seems to be
franchise on these important thoroughfares the
Deacon stands as Q sort OF q dog.in-thc.manger
barrier against the Introduction OF rapid transit
into this section OF the city and refuses to improve
his own service.
sceeme was started and foundations were placed
on the avenue real estate doomed through the
whole section amected 6y the route; ana hundreds
dences were erected. Everything took on a rosy
hue, but to-day, while TIE people n that section
plished one Of these days In some unaccountable
way, the houses stand empty, and In some cases
| blocks Of houses. The Deacon stands as the great
obstrucuonist He will neither allow improve
himself; but now that 1t il shown that his company
has really so little right 70 the franchises which
they claim to own there seems to be q dawning
fhe attempt 10 dodge the blow which fell with
crushing force upon the Riohardson holdings BY
in the interest Of the Union Elevated Railroad
Company was At once recognized BY the public,
was made in the interest of right and justice.
| The assumption of power to trample the rights Of
brazen efrontery that it became necessary for
some one to champion the cause Of the people.
Securing the reproduction Of steam on Atlantic
avenue was one OF the Deacon's most brazen acts
He failed to recognize the binding nature Of tho
compact entered into between the people and the
railroad company and succeeded IN equally binding
the members Of the legislature when he secured
the passage OF the act IN which occurs the fol-
lowing:
From and after the time that the Long Island Railroad
Company shall remove to Hunters Point the use of
Any future track Of the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad
Company. its successors and assigns. or any person or
within / i he i siimIt,S Of z: si ID sty; and AL .h;s 70 more n;
R tiiH@stSa within Il R'' the city II ips S er By is r s@a Ss%s's or
assigns. or any person or corporation claiming under 10.
He ignored the property rights of the people who,
having faith In the compac which the State had
ratified, invested their money in Atlantic avenue
The Long Island Railroad came back on the ave-
nue. ana then commenced the slaughter. OF old
people and children beneath the wheels of the re-
ientless iron horse. Life after life was forfeited to
the fever for rapid transit, for which an unoons,l-
~ Law aAnnFnh hu nAann piaharAaNn In
entirely responsible. The picture is a terrible one.
and is specially narrowing when 1t is realized that
sponsible for the continuance Of this state of
affairs unless. possibly, the responsibility can be
the question of the rights Of the Deacon's com
pany.
road Company to keep off Filth Avenue.
never been any oner Of the kind made, and insist
that the reason why they do not build on the ave-
holders with ali SORTS OF suits for damagssHaii Of
them prospecuve.6ronght, they believe, at the
pany. But that has nothing to do with the discus
SION OF the right to operate . railroad with steam
simon Sterne, the railroad lawyer, who was in
terested In the discussion Of The constitutional
questions involved In the right Of the Long Island
that there can be no question as to the unconsti-
nationality OF the law giving the authority, and he
also asserts that the question OF the constitution
atty Of the law hiss never been squarely before
the Court OF Appeals. lie said to the reporter
''The suit brought to determine this question was
carried TO the Court OF Appeals, but my clients
consented to Withdraw the case upon a pledge
made by the railroad company holding the lease OF
the Atlantic avenue franchise east of Flatbush
avenue, TO either elevate or sink their tracks. The
objection to the use OF steam on the avenue is a
risk to life and limb, and this must Je terrible
where frequent trains are run at a high rate Of
speed on the surface through the heart OF q popu-
lous CITY,"
MIR. Durham, of Journey 4 Burnham. the At
lantio avenue dry -goods merchants, said: Wedo
not object so much 70 steam on Atlantic avenue,
but to steam on the surface. 1t has ruined the
avenue. am willing to sign a consent for the
erection OF q double-track elevated railroad In the
centre OF the avenue. ] certainly object TO an ele-
the a,,snt Irop, cnrh 10 cnrh 10. o..