New-York tribune., 1888-04-18
WARM WORDS ABOUT WIREA
MR. HEWITT AND MR. a1BBENs OUT AoAn1
TUE MAYOR SAYS THE COMMISSIONERS sTATEKIM>
Is FALSE AND THE LATTER RsPRATs IT.

TUE MAYOR SAYS THE COMMISSIONERS srArExsx4
Is FALSE AND THE LATTER RsPEArs IT.
The first meeting Of mo Board Of Electdea1
Control for several months was held yesterdAd
at the Mayors Office. The Commissioners, Jacob
Hess president; Mayor Hewitt Daniel L. Gsbben(
and Theodore Moss were ell present The reports q
Leonard r. Beokwith, chief engineer OF the ConsoR
dated Telegraph and Electrical Subway Company,
addressed to Edward Lautcrbaoh, the presidenA
detailed the work done in the construction Of subj
ways during Ss7, as authorized by the Board
and that yet to be built by the Phoenix CONSTRUED
ton Company on their contract on orders given
in 1887, with recommendations regarding the work
that should be ordered during the present yeaE
From these reports IL appears that 1.l99,0i8.se
feet of single duct subways have been constructed
and that 625, 735 feet. or 118 miles, which arc
authorized, yet remain to be built. The unauthor@
ICED work includes 108,470 feet In the lower pare
Of the city below Fulton-st, the completion Oh
the trunk lines for telephone and telegraph purs
poses in Broadway between Fourteenth and VescY
sts, approximatng 306,570 feet; with other speci>
fled work above Fourteenth-st., amounting IN all
to about 615 900 feet OF single duct This with
the authorized and uncompleted work OF 62o,733
feet, makes 1,2407 735 feet OF unfinished WORK. Oh
about the same total as that built In 1887. lhs
be as follows: fe'
1 The completion Of the Sixth and South Fifthsve.
trunk lines for which the material is on hand Ths
completion the uptown Broadway Eighth and sxthsve
lines g. The Broadway trunk line from Foufteentna
to vescy.st The Frankfortst tanch ana o'ner snor
sections downtown. 8. The Lexington-ave nne D. ms
Twenty thirds ST. electric light line T. The springs
system remaining portions as the different sections are
completed Some Of the sections can DO prose-
cuted simultaneously and independently.
Han arad r
work had been done by the company possible iof
1t to do. Mr.. Lauterbach gave an aihrmativs
answer.
The MavorThen tho resolution Of Mr. Gibbens offered
last wear 10 omen twenty-five miles Of streets for opposing
which have been so severely criticised Of late was I'M
practicable Now, would like the Commissioner "hs
was unmany to make an anonymous attack upon mo
in a newspaper interview on this suo1ecs 10 a'o" " i Wv
presence OF the Board
Mr. Gibbens-If the Mayor means me -
The Mayor-I do not know who the Commissioner ~
and do not say that IT was Mr. Gibbens
After some discussion, In which both MI Hewlte
and Mr.. Gibbens got red In the iace' tne "''ee
said:
1 charge that the why the wires are not now
under ground twenty-five miles OF streets Is because
the Mayor and the Commissioner Of Public Works refusee
TO obey the law.
The Mayor-That statement Is absoiuteiy untrue
Mr.. Glt,bens-I reerate It.
The Mayor-And 1 say that It is untrue.
Mr. Gibbens-The Mayor has refused to order that tns
Duroau of Incumbrances take the poles and wires
Mr. Hewitt-The Mayor has done nothing OF the kinu.
II he has you addressing Mr. Gibbens should as gooa
citizen. impeach him -
MI Gibbens-I am willing to mpeach him. here ie o."
article from The Sun" which will read
IL was an alleged interview with the Mayor ia
which he claimed the credit of passing the un-
derground bills.
Mr. Gbbens after reading the arce)Are you the father
OF ff&'SGa Tae wise that knows hi, own father
Mr.. Lauterbach here poured oil on the troubled
waters by explaining that the conduts were hos
ioined in most cases, and expressed the OPINION
that if work had been ordered upon them early
in October the contractors might have made tne
subways continuous and then the companies misIs
by tbs time nave Deen compeheu w Pu' SA
4 resolution of Mr.. Gibbens directing that work
on the authorized and uncompleted portion OF the
subways be started in the tiIst week IN May was
adopted The recommendations regarding WORK
not authorized were referred TO the Cnei LII
gineer ,. ,,..os H.
the subway company were adopted. Mr. Gibbens
then began the reading of a long letter wnlch no
proposed should be sent to the Mayor . as Sne eS-
questing him to order the Bureau OF EncumOrahces
to remove the wires and poles on large numDen
Letter Mr.. Hewitt objected that " life wat
shOItn and after Intellectual efforts to stop n1r
Gibbens, he withdrew from the session, and going
over to his desk, went to work The letter was
finally adopted.
Mr.. Gibbcns continued to present resolutions
The State Board Of Civil Service commissioners
was requested, on his motion, to send in the names
of eight inspectors of work on subways, at "a per
day, and of an electrical expert at $4,000 per year.
to whom the inspectors shall report. -
Later on Mr.. Gibbens became dissatisfied with
the way things were going in regard to apphcat
tions for permission to erect electric Light p0les
and he moved to adjourn. The motion was lost
Then Mr. Gibbens withdrew, eXclaiming, Now
you have no quorum" and taking his hat and
overcoat, left the room.
Mayor Hewitt who had been sitting at his desk
49,. 81 fha
coming back to his former seat, said, 1 will
return and make quorum" The incident
naturally created much merrimcnt.
The pole question was finally laid over and the
commission adjourned.
The only allusion made during the session 20
the death of the boy Streffer, who was killed by
contact with a stragglin. wire charged with cleo
tricity, in East Broadway, on Saturday night, was
by the Mayor, who asked If the additional sub
ways now ordered included East Broadway. He
was answered that no surways for East Broadway
were in the recommendations. Then" said the
Mayor, the Board is not responsible for killing
this boy"