New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-22


salary to get elected. This is suggestive.
Tho Board in session IS spectacle which no ono
should fall to witness some time before he dies IL
IS spectacle rich In incident OF an Impressive sort
The chamber is large high and imposing Lifted lar
above the floor under cardinal canopy sits the prcs
dent Of the Board officer who Is with It but not OK
a. He IS chosen upon tho general city ticket, and
IS usually man Of character and ability. President
Forster, who occupies this lofty seat, possesses
many virtues together with large law practice ana
rare ability for getting tho safe side OF polticai
even.s He makes an alert, decisive presiding OIL
Ger and acts with dignity and rapdity. Below him sit
four or five clerks at least three too many, who draw
Good salaries for cutting their finger nails during ses
sions of the Board Their life is hard one. To 90
unite content as n sub-cerk OF the Common Council
one should have at least twenty finger nails, for time
passes very heavily with these poor men when they
get out of finger nails and forced In their despera
fon 10 turn to the ends OF lead pencils and matches for
an occupation.
On the floor below those functonaries sit The Alder
men In arcs Of circles about the Chairs high desk
They have desks of their own and easy revolving
srmchairs wherein even Colonel Booty and his
stomach can be comfortably accommodated. AT either
end Of the room stand two buecoated guardians of the
Aldermanic dignity, which would doubtless get lost
hut for this protection Behind these upon tiers OF
seats rising above tho other sit groups OF the ah
miring constituents OF the Aldermen gaping at them
in wonder. And why mott Just look ITEM over
What noble body Of men, these archons OF the West
orn Athens these law makers of tie first city Of Amer
lea, How striking Is their manly beauty, the beauty
horn OF intelligence and liberty. How mellow Is the
music OF their rich voices, how warm ana impuise ho
flow of their oraory, now fervd with the spirit Oh lee
dom and equality, now hot with invectVe' no" o'er
with irony, now earnest with lofty pur-
rosei But let us be particular and In
individual IN our attentions Observe tho Hon Danny
Uowler the Demosthenes Of the Board opsorVe
the lustre of his blue the breadth OF his prov"
tbe amplitude Of his mouth Note tho blazing diamond
in his yellow and green scarf and the Roiden caDos
that hold his watch his pocket He has one OF the
finest saloons In the city and no less man than
Charley Reilly IS his boss Hero at the side sits
tbe Hon Paddy DufIer whose saloons are the admlra-
ton Of his district and who has become great enough
TO boss himself These men. with colonel booAy,
are the most eminent OF the Aldermen. III Is aihos'
impossible to describe the Colonel lie IS rislhg no"
70 address the Chamber. His eyes seem to DO ureo'
as II he compelled them too often to see douDle'
His voice IA husky, too for the Board has been In
session at least thirty minutes longer period Oh tenn
perance than IS good for his cpigottis. His mustache
stcks forth defantly, for the Colonel Is In an az
eressive humor. and as he steadies himself on his
legs he looks every inch-an Alderman
The question before the House is the report OF tne
Railroad Committee against granting FRANCHISE 10
tho Manhattan Balloon Company. The Coienei Is IN
favor OF the report He says; Mr.. Cheerman I'm
acin this comply Applause.) 1t amt no good It's
| been monkeyin' aroun dis Board fer monts, tryln
= cit us = bctray do peoples rights. My eonsuchhVs
| Is dead aQn do franchise an / amt de man 10 70
back ON de people. Ell We was to pass dis FRANCHISE
wot would do press sayi I'm gvin' 1t t ye straight,
de- finger or scorn nd DO pnted at US. 1t I'd DO SAID
that we was bought up But we amt bought up
No sir. We can't be bought Our bosoms I'd heaVe
witb-er with-er rage, Mr.. Cheerman, RAGE zap
plausc) II ennybody to dare to oner US money
| We don't low nobody TO monkey via our reppta-
shns But 1 wants to know who's a-bacAn Jus
balloon comply where's de capitalf Before hh
vote fer any franchises. a member OF dis boaru'
I've got ter know where 90 capi'ai ID "
plausel At. ~.
! Mr. Conkshell follows. al have no DOUBT hr.
Presidents he says, "that the gentleman VINO iAS'
spoke wishes to ret at tho capital 1hat y ohdi''
terlstlc OF his ways This company Is poor. !" noe
all tho money It requires 10 carry on It's business ou
mono wherewith to tickle tho palms OF STATESMEN
block the way of all enterprise until they are seeh
7 ova "a gree with the report OF the committee.
NJ Conhshell's observations are received win
silence and contempt, but this does not deter ME-
persimmons from secondng his motion. ana Warmly
advocating the company, whereupon MI. Ao"ier 'oA0'
| the floor. . =, ...
al agree with my FRIEND Colonel Booty" he says.
renresent the laboring classes, Mr.. President anu
they are to a man agln balloons as means Oh rapo
transit How's these balloons TO be inhatedf Mno
can answer that If they say with gas, reply tha'
the laboring people is agin gas. (ChecrsD WIN "ha'
s they TO be seered II they say with rudders' thcS
strikes the working man who tolls ten hours day ioI
q hare living deadly blow. The laborlng classes
have had enough of rudders and gas. What they Wan'
Is bread and meat. loud applanseD III IS uuo 'h'
city needs more rapid transit, but why GRIND down tht
workingmen to get 1t by using rudders anu gas
am here to protect the poor and must 'o'o as 'n'
franchise" -
| Colonel Boozy had evidently been rejecting upon
tho remarks delivered by Alderman ConksheL and the
more he thought the more he felt that u seeinou
triAe personal. His tones were someWL-' hcroo d
he cried out Mr. Cheerman" He was recognized
"Dey,s no trouble ketchn' on to Alderman ConK
sbelps interest in this balloon comp'ny. Ills uncl
e d,rcctor in a gas comp'ny wild cheers and I'm
onto him Wy should we, members OF dis honoraou
BOARD. throw away a valyble franchise witch we XII
sell fer profit to the city, when as Alderman HOWE
says times is hard and poor people out Oh "orhi WIN
can answer thatfS
Mr.. Conkshel was on his feet In second. He ros
% a question Of privilege IIe sternly denounced
Colonel Boozy's statement that he was Interested II
tba franchise under consideration. 81 never said
had this Board under my thumb" cHeu
Can Alderman Booty deny that he mas san
tn / never asked whom should soc before votln
for a bill Can Booty say as much' never onero
to pass franchises in this Boaro ZOE ioheS %" D'OA
deny that he has ="
, These remarks irritated the Colonel very much III
tbouebt them uncalledfor and too direct to be over
| looked They sounded to him almost like reflection
| ON his honor, and he felt annoyed lie thought the
involved question of privilege and so ne said; MI
. | Cheorman, II the Alderman means by his dark mint
to-er, attack my honor. want him 10 Know tha'
amt ter be did Nobody would dare to bride me, whc
is not to be dragged in the mud fer all Alderma
Conkshells monkcy-talk (vociferous applauss, whc
he don't dare to say outside dis room, fer my reppS
shin is well known and my consttchnts has elected
three times fer they know will stand w Ter the poo
man and defend my honor as member OF tns honoraD
~d which IN do Of he says IL agn right here o
| the spot.' -
Mr. Conkshell IS about to comply with this invtatio
and cots az far as drunken rufian" when he Is intel
rrn,ed nv the Chair, who hastens to Quen the riot