New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-15
md 10 smpor other as.ncis. than tho present subway


The Mayors Office was well crowded when 'ne nOa.N
met at ii a. M The first occurrence was the service
Of another injunction to restrain the Mayor, 'ne p'
and the Comm ssioner of Public Works from inter
ferine with wires of the Electric Power Company
Tie papers were sent TO the Corporation oouose'
The safety L1ght and Power Company, fePreseh'oe
by Charles H. Jackson, president, asked PERMISSION
20 bula subways In sixth, seventh. Eighth Nlhth
and Tenth aves aud in Twenty-third-st' "hiianl l.
Moore representing the Unted STATES Illuminating
Company and the Brush Company, wheh Is piaou-
cally consolidated with It, asked to put sup"ays III
West Broadway. Third ana Sranu BIS A"' "PP"
lions laid over
Ts,,er~ from H. X. Thurber and william Mayer, IT,,
we're read suggesting certain improved forms Of wire.
The opinion OF Corporation Counsel Clark, sent In
response 10 the request OF the Board, was read. III
held that the Consolidated Telegraph and Electrical
subway Company had exclusive right TO buld SUD-
ways in this city, and advised tho Board that 1t
possessed the right to abrogate that companys con-
tract whenever In its opinion, 1t was not strictly COM
plying herewith and it also declared that the Board
was empowered to make new contracts with either old
Or new companies.
TO BREAK UP THE MONOPOLY.
Edward Lauterbach. president Of the Subway Com
pany, consumed nearly an hour In defending his COM
psny from the charges made against 1t. lie adnhtod
the power Of the Board 10 make new contracts IL inc
company Ia default but asserted that such ques
could act. When Mr. Lauterbach got through. Mayor
Grant offered the following:
Resolved That numerous deaths caused by tho
slectric ght within the last thirty DAYS ana
The ShOckIng manner IN which they have Occuffed
mrnish ample proof that such wires are not being
placed Underground with speed suncleht 10 IIlsurS
The safety OF the lives OF this CITY anu, I'd , vHw oA
the Board does hereby determine that the conlrac
made and entered into between ,ne snI b
constituting the Board of Electrical ConilOl anu Tao
Cons01dateI Telegraph ami Electrical subway com
pany ON April 4 los7 Is now d9oRera any ST
and pun poses OF Chapter 'l0 Oh inc laws Oh 1851
Mr. Lauterbach spoke at great length against this
resolution repeating his claim that his company ha'l
lived ND TO its agreements in all respects IN spto oi
The obstacles thrown in its way by the electric light
companies. He promised that the IhTa-aNe' suo"aS
should be finished by December 1. He warned tho
poays that # could not make new contract legally
without legislative action.
wheeler IL. Peckham, the counsel Tor the ne"
Standard Electric subway Company, followed Mr.
Iauterbach and attacked the old company charging
that It had built but eleven miles of suoways inns
year while seventy five eighty miles were neeoed'
He was suro that There was work enough lor WV
companes. Messrs. Gibbons and Hess were disposed
10 dispute Mr.. Peckham 5 sta'eHeh's' pu' INV '
took the other sido.
We are not getting the subways fast enough
that is one thing certain no said Inc SUBWAY
neope have made promises that they have not carr1o
mt Valuable tmo has been wasted. Now WIN hc
:, k NOT question of being friendly unfriendly to
the Subway Company. What l want Is 10 get inc
subways built Under the present plan we never VIII
g,t them built The subway Company can 81, on
Nth the telegraph and telephone condlnts
out l propose 10 have the eleculc hsht
mbways built by somebody whoever VIII
40 II the quickest and get these deadly wires unoer
rround We have ordered the wires down anu hoiu
hat so long as these companies stand ready to pua
facilities for any other companies which ma! WISH "
use them. we have no right to prevent them"
OBSTRUCTION FROM HESS AND GIBBENs
Josenh H. Choae spoke for the electric light companle
and urged that they be permitted to construct thelr
own subways Comm ssioneGs Gibbons, Hess anu
Moss had several times interjected remarks during
the discussion which indicated their disposition 10
stand by tie subway construction company, ana 10
preyept any other company from taking hand IN
hurrying forward the building oil the suDways' flhay
Mr. Gibbons got on his feet and made an eAci'eu
sneech AGAINST the Mayors proposition. Every conf
many he said would be building style OF subway 10
eit sef and in the end the condition of things would
be more dangerous than ever The Mayor rePLou
that this would be impossible If the Board controlled
the construction he proposed should be done.
Paul c. Cravath, for the Safety Light ana POWER
-ompanv the United States and the Brush companies
,ajd that the companies he represented were fealy
now 10 60 10 work and build the suD"ays tneS
needed An excited discussion took place between
the Mayor and Commissioners Gibbons and Hess dur
ing which the latter declared their purpose 10 VOC
against the Mayors resolution. Mr. Gibbons offered
AZ substitute a resolution directing the Engineer
NJ the Board TO submit at once comprehensive
system OF subways as had been ordered at the last
meeting It was lost, Mr. Hess voting with the Mayor
In the negative. Then Mr. Hess proposed substitute
practically to the same purpor as Mr.. GiDOens >
but starting out with a statement regarding
olec pic
for such action This substitute was also lost, MI
Chbens Joining with the Mayor in voting no. The
ouesion recurring upon the Mayors resolution IL was
defeated by a vote of l to 3, Mayor Grant alone
voting In the Affirmative.
The report Of Engineer Kearney, Of the Board, was
then read 1t refers TO the work OF the subway
Company to the present time that stations OF the
electric light companies in the upper part OF the CITY
Will be reached by the subways in Twenty-third'
T,yenty ninth and Forty second ss that underground
wires can be placed in iron pipes ana the worh Is
asrted at once IL can be iniehed before the winter
lie recommends subways in Houston-st., IN tlrstae'
10 Hancock-st; in Westinghouse from C0rtahdt 10
Fulton SIS, and thence to Broadway connecting Win
the broadway and ThiYd-ave. subway. The mayor
ob,ecte5 10 the immediate consideration of the report
and 1t went over until to-day at IL a. m, 20 which
time the Board adjourned.
Before adjournment Mr.. Cravath offered on behalf
OF the companies he represented TO enter INTO oonds
in the sum Of S75O,000. S2oO,oOO ioi
each company to 60 ahead at once with The
construction and completion of the subways, and
10 rent them TO other companies desiring to occupy
them at % per cent less than was charged by The
subway construction company.
Mr.. Crava;h had previously said that the Safety
the Brush and the United states Companies had shui
down their several plants and not single current
was in operation from any of their establishments
They had confomed to the resolution Of the Board al
loss Of not less than 81 900 day. Their customers
would be IN darkness at night.
Mr. Peckham on behalf of his company. made
similar proposition, Mr. Lauterbach in his turn said
that he should wait until he knew What the Board
wanted when lie would agree 20 comply with its
demands.
CONCENTRATION FOR THE MAYOR.