New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-25
MAYOR HEWITTS Defence.
HIS POSITION ON SUBWAY MATTERS.
UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE HE y slnr VOTE AGAIN

UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE HE iGHT VOTE AGAIN
IN THE BOARD OF ELECTRO i'll CONTROL.
Mayor Hewitt yesterday sent y;!ter to the Board
Of Electrical Control in which he gits his reasons for
not complying with the Boards reqns that he should
order tho removal OF the poles wires in certain
streets by the Department of PuhI, Works. After
calling attention to the fact that hough the reso-
luton embodying the request wa. passed April II
Il had only been communicated May %, Mr.. Hewitt
says:
whether failure pursue the usual in this
matter was due to as design the lrt Of your Board
do not pretend know; but in thu interval the most
persistent have been made By members OF your
Board and in other quarters to misprcsnt the action
the position Of the Mayor upon this question and to
lead the public suppose that he wllully refusing
70 perform q duty which made obligatory upon him
by statute The only provision In ref renee to the mat
ter affecting the Mayor, is contained in section g. Of
chapter 710 Of the laws OF the State Of NewYork for
the year 1887 by which power is undoubtedly conferred
upon him to give written order the Commissioner OF
Public Works to remove poles and wires and other
axtures but 1t clearly discretionary with the Mayor
whether he shall give such order refrain from
giving It,
The Mayor refers to his letter to General Newton
the question of funds for the purpose Of removing the
poles and wires and says that when the latter ndi
Gates from what fund transfer can be made he Will
convene meeting Of the Board of Estimate to consider
the transfer Mr.. Hewitt repeats his anxiety that the
overhead wires of the electric light companies DO put
Into the subways, and adds
These have all been removed from the main streets
and have used from time to time in extending the
lighting facilities with gas in other parts OF the city The
electric light companies would undoubtedly take legal
proceedings to prevent Commissioner Of Public Works
from interfering with their contracts with tho city and
with private consumers until their rights have been
judically determined.
respectfully submit therefore, that my action from
fret to last has been entirely consistent with the opinion
which have always expressed and still entertain. that
no time should be lost In relieving the from ths
dangerous encumbrnee OF high tension electrical currents
and that the means which L have adopted will most
speedily effect the object which the Legislature had In
view, and which 1 heartily concurIed when the re-
vision OF the law was made in 1877 under which the
Board OF Electrical Control was completed.
The Mayor then defends himself at length against
the charges that he opposed the law and has OBJ
structed the operations of the Commission. He says
the records will show that such charges arc not only
untrue but that on the contrary he has done all In
his power to carry our the purpose OF the law ana
the public wish that the wires be gotten speedily under
ground The resolutions censuring him passed Dy
the Board May TO- he charac terzcs as scurrilons,
parallel in the history OF any official body" SO long
as they remain the record his personal attendance
at the Boards meetings is impossible In case OF sucI
difference OF opinion among the other members ~
make his vote essential to render important actor
legal, he Will appear and cast his vote, providing hi
can do so without neglecting other Official duties
equally important or more pressing.