New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-25
THE OBJECT OF THE MAYOR.
WHY WAS NEW COMMISSION NAMEDp
BELIEF THAT RAPID TRANSIT WILL NOT BE

BELIEF THAT RAPID TRANSIT WILL NOT BE
ADVANCED BY THE NEW BODY
Mayor Grant has appointed another Rapid Transit
Commission which under the General Railroad Act OF
1873 he has power to do after he has received
petition from fifty taxpayers requesting MN so 70 ACT.
This Commission like the former one. consists 81
well known and responsible men, but, Ike H. was
probably appointed to subservc some OF the Mayors
or Tammany Halls ends. The last Commission OF
which August Belmont president, simply went OUT
of Office account Of inaction. Had this Commission
done the work that it had power 10 do considersos
Roadway rapid transit system could have been
made. This Commission consisted Of August BeIInoh~
William steinway, Orlando b. Potter Woodbury. Lang
don and John II. starin. This Commission laid out
rapid transit route from the City Han TO Forty second
ST. The route up Centre T.. cutting through the
block TO Elm-st. up THIS street 70 CROSBY St, 70
Lafayette Place, which 20 tGnnelled 10 Eighth
ST., and from this street up FourtIrave. ID Forty
secondst.
When the report Of this Commission was made reat
disappointment manifested AL sides, . being
believed that this Commission appointed only 20
aid in the defeat OF the Fa-sett Rapid Transit
bill which Introduced early IN the last session q
the Legislature. The main f1r the defeat " hs
bin was the fact that TammaDy Han I'D not control
the patronage which involved In the enactment
Of the law. This left the subject N partisan
body Of State Commissioners.
route that Mayor Grants commissioners adopted two
years later. Mayor Grants Commission died legal
death after it had done what the Mayor expected 1t 10
do.
Why this new Commission appointed Just at MS
time is mystery, unless the Mayor simply Followed
the lnjuncons Of the statutes when he received inc
petition asking for the appointment Of "a Rapid Tran
sit Commission 1t was expected that one OF the
principal measures which the next Legislature woald
act upon would be Rapid Transit law drawn 70
benefit this city mainly, but % worded that the Cd
jections Of Governor Hill against local legislation
might be overcome.
The legislature or the Court Of Appeals must pass
upon the exiting law before anything can be done
toward constructing "A road north OF F0rysecond-st
In an amendment 10 the law, FOr.ysecoDd ST. Is one OF
the streets excluded, account OF the SUBSTITUTION
OF the word and for above" The Consolidation
act restores however the original meaning destroylns
the exclusion OF Forty secOndst. Lawyers OF hsh
standing contend that the Consolidation act Is merely
a codincation Of existing laws, and that it does not
mean TO correct errors in previously enacted Ones
Had an effort been made 10 construct road across
Fortv-,econd 81. il would have been opposed Inc
Lerl,ature can act quickly than the court Oh
Appeal and the Fassc bill Of the last session would
il passed, have removed this and the other oostruc'
tons in the existing laws 10 rapid transit ior ths cS.
Every one will remember how the Tammany men ana
tho followers of Mr.. Fish in the Assembly defeated this
measure. CD,
OF the Commissioners now appointed "Iliia'n otc'n'
WAY and John II. starin the only ones who wcTe
members OF the old Commission. MI e'eih"ay wa.
tho active member OF the Commission and df most Ok
the work. lie is an intense Tammany democrat.
Mr. sarin is A good Republican. Orlando j.. Porter
I'D Woodbury. Lansdon were dropped, although they
worked hard to complete the Commlsslohs WORM
August Belmont j. dead. - ,- IN bi.
oero YESTERDAY 80 their opinions about raph udnsls
cnrId not be learned. The views OF MI stdfn any
NJ stcinway are we'll understood IL is asserted that
MAYOR Grant and Tammany Hall DO not expect
that this Commission viii do any WORK.