The sun., 1890-05-13
SHAM REFORM AFTER ALL.
THE BRIDGE TRUSTEES ATTEMPT TO
DECEIPE THE PUBLIC.

Yesterday's action of the Brooklyn Bridge
,rustees practically destroys the hope which
Tur St,S has expressed that there would be
.orne reform In management under the pres
AMI Board President Howells recommenda-
,Ion that the transportation plan be referred
70 experts proved to be transparent subtor-
fuge mere evasion OF responsibility with
out any relinquishing OF power. Without
n word of debate the Board adopted
President Howelrs suggestion that a Board
OF Lxperts, one Of whom shall be Chief
Engineer Martin and the others to be appoint
cd respectively by Mayor Grant and Mayor
Cbapin. shall examine the situation and report
20 the Terminals Committee Of the trustees.
There is no provision that the report must be
unanimous to be binding or that 1t shall
is again mado tho Judge of mis- own
plan, manifest impropriety which
he himself recognized during the last
days OF the recent contest at Albany when he
sent to Senator jacobs positive declination
TO serve. 1t Is necessary only to secure the ap-
polntment OF one man upon the Board who
will ndorse the plan to which Mr.. Martin and
the trustees are committed In order to give
them the outside support without which they
dare not execute their programme.
This is precisely tho plot which Mayor
Chaplin blocked when President Howell first
conceded the point of n new Board OF Experts
at Albany. Mayor Chaplin promptly forwarded
an amendment recurring n unanimous report
from tho experts. and that 1t should be binding
upon the trustees. Yesterdays action OF tho
Board, obedient to President Howels dlcta-
ton. was sly underhanded. anu in bad
faith. 1t was meant to deceive the public
who are by no means as. .gullible as
president Howell conceiyes: II his intentions
had been honest he would have made q propo.
ture, Brkett, inserted in the bill which passed
the Sennto-that two eYperts be npp9inted by
deoarred. that tho decision OF three of the
Board should be binding upon the trustees.
pss5e than foaS Who
Lawrence. G9mptroilsr Myers. Skinner; Howeii;
Mollennauer President Howell introduced
his resolution regarding terminal facilities
Whtreds. There is need for Immediate i'm
provement Of the bridge termini sufficient TO
develop the full CARRYING @ capacity OF the rail- al:
location Of tho termini thereof. The problem
confronting the trustees Is u n ost serious and
ties that it be fully and finally solved All par
tics interested have lately appeared efore the
Legislature, and agreed to tho submission of
the question to u board OF experts. Therefore.
belt va, v
of Brooklyn be reIuestei to appoint an expert,
which said exports. with the chief engineer
anime all plans submitted TO them and report
TO this Board such plan or plans as as In their
mini. The experts are to hear all parties In in
terest, and thereafter to report to the Com
mittee on Terminal Facilities at or before
before the next regular meeting Of the Board.
the President Is authorized, In his discretion,
TO call O special meeting to consider the report.
PreSidont authorized. III
by the Board Of Experts. to employ one or
more architects to prepare plans for orna-
experts may ask for. The experts appointed
reasonable eompensstion BY the trustees "
AS first offered the resolution, provided that
he 81 Mr. EegSH ggSnaaF 0 @ nS
they report first to the Committee on Terminal
FACILITIES Without yord 9d dsbstS the Tsso:
the q Els name S as H one V Of the AfS Boari
pa %sa asked er the s whetGep
he had changed his mind about serving on
n6a Boar, s ss nc said hs lie ad
70 say. The proposition was new one to
h% and he coqdnt say What he he shoqd d9
yides: II, BY some hocus pocus, tho Barnes
bess Of @ such S'sues Board r' tie decision viii be un
der the circumstances all the more obnoxious
Discounting in advance the eubterfuge that
might be resorted to. the Standard Cn,on said
" II the plan to intrust the problem to ex-
perts is carried out In the right spirit most
satisfactory results will be secured. But il It
carrying out the original designs Of the trus-
tees, or. more correctly, OF President Howell:
bridge travel viii be wore than the frst.
There would be a shifting OF responsibility to
the experts without u corresponding transfer
nj 10 "a m
appointment of the experts and the powers
which they are to exercise, as outlined in the
II t the ne; new bili sprung BY President Howell
and rushed through the SENATE In the last week
q the session without notice or hearing to
cezsion" wh ch one OF the Mayors amend:
ments was. designed TO Illustrate again had
to be four experts. and that three OF the four
were to DECIDE all questions relative to the OK;
by the Mayors. Brooklyn would probably have
two. and, as they would be s9larled ofilcials;
the 9FganizatiOR would demand one Of
Rppointee, and the present engineer. would
he sufficient to carry out President Howel's
If it is such a concession President
Howell has In his m ind when he talks about in
tIusting me Work Of Il extension fti to Board OF
ceiving the people than y, or similar plan
was In .deceiving, Mayor ,Chapin. 1t is enough
concession, forced though it be. on the part Of
the people that the trustees remain in power.
II it Is the honest intention OF Mr. Howell and
his immediate associates TO comply with the
clearly EXPRESSED and unanimous wish Of the
and thoy. will be guided by Mayor Chapin's
suggested amendment 10 the first pronosit ion
t0r experts which came from the Board OF
Trustees"
At yesterdays session the trustees acted
favorably on potition OF the car cleaners that
their pay be increased from SIG 10 81 Der
day.
The international Hallway and Steamship
Advertising Company sent an offer Of $4,000
per year for five years contract for placing
advertlsements in the cars OF the bridge rail-
road. There have never been any ADVERTISE
ments In the bridge cars, Although the offer
named Is probably much lower than might he
obtained II the privilege wero offered to COM
petition: the Board voted without debate to
accept it.
A claim for damages on account OF leaks in
the roof Of the premises occupiod by tho
Brooklyn Bridge Cold Fieezlng aud Storage
Company under the New York arches was re-
fer. cd to a special committee.
Wonen's Fencing ROuts at the Eden Musee.
Mile. Jngemann's challenge to the female
fencers OF the country for the foil champion
ahiu M tho nj itaI Statau ha hnan nooantaI H.,