The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-07
BRIDGE REFORM DEFEATED.
SENATOR BIRKET7'S SECRET ATTACK
ON THE PEOPLES BILL.

| Senate Refuses to Undo the Mischief
-'BrRek'yn'S Wrath VIII ~ Felt.
ALBANY, May 6.-James W. Birliett ia the
namc OF the enemy who has placed Brooklyn
at the mercy OF n great peril for another year.
| The demand for reform In bridge manage
ment which was simply demand for ordinary
physical safety has been refused. and Birkett
and McCarren are tho mon with whom Brook
| lyn must deal for betrayinR their trust. Last
| Saturday evening Senator Birkett told Sun
reporter distinctly that he was la favor
| OF abolshnR the present Board OF
Bridge Trustees. His constituents were
unanimous for It. and the press Of
both parties without dissent demanded
| 1t. On Monday Anthony Barrett, sent by the
! bridge trustees. came up here with a bill in
his pocket providing for the retention Of the
present Board. lie presented that bill to Mr.
Birkett with sufficient inducements to cause
that gentleman to Introduce the measure at
the last moment and without warning and to
push 1t through or course 1t is a plain case OF
political suicide on Brketts part. 1t Is there
| fore hardly possible to conceive OF worthy
motive for his course. Without mentioning
any OF the rumors that are afloat.
or my OF the references to the
scandals connecting his name with the Re-
| publican split In Brooklyn. tho motive OF his
action In the present case must be left to con-
| lecture Tho case OF Senator McCarren IL
equally mysterious. He was the only Demo-
erat in the Senate in favor OF the Birkett
! Trustees bill. The popular indignation which
these men must face when they go back to
Brooklyn will DO something that would appnIl
an ordinary man. and II will be interesting to
| watch It's manifestations.
Tho manner in which the plot against the
safety and prosperity OF Brooklyn was carried
out day was worthy OF the plotters and their
| nefarIous scheme. 1t was announced that
| there would be n hearing this afternoon on the
pending bill before the Senate Committee on
Commerce and Navigation. to whom it was
committed last Thursday on Birketts motion.
The hearing was an Informal one. and the
present Board Of Trustees was not even
represented. Corporation Counsel jerks.
representing Mayor Chaplin and the
Brooklyn authorities. and District At
torney Johnson. representing the property
| owners, were the only outsiders who took part
| in the discussion. Senator Jacobs. who Is not
| a member Of the committee. appeared to adj
vocate the bill in its pending shape. He an
| nounced that he had received q telegram from
| Chief Engineer Martin. in which he declined to
| servo upon the Board OF Experts which would
be called upon to pass upon his own plan.
| This made it necessary to modify the
bill respecting the composition OF the
-.
| Rested that third member OF the Board DO
! chosen by the two members appointed 10y the
concluded that inasmuch us the bill required
| a unanimous report by tho experts two would
answer the purpose as well as three and i
changes in the bill. which made no change In
sny essential featqTe. we're then suggested by
to. The only point added was one provd-
Ing that in case additional %nd Vas
ssHSd be allowed 0HSo SDenssa aDd
damages in removing machinery from any
tended to cover the case Of the Troy Laundry
oSegpss an5 Large The
suggested changes wore promptly agreed 10
by everybody present and the bill then ap:
reared to be as nearly perfect as ANYBODY could
Producing the amendments intended to create
dssenson. Of which TIE SuN gave warning
blot had prevented its execution,
The whole matter had apparently been
New York ,ai5ed an obstructing suggestion.
He said the bill had apparently been adjusted
York had not been heard from regarding il.
| and he believed no action should be taken
until the New York authorities had given their
assent. He WAS willing the bill should be TO-
ported by the committed but he thought lnal
action In the Senate should be delayed day,
there was time enough to put the bin through.
failure II the bill was not reported for final
action In the Senate this evening he would
m mattcr ' mr. jerks sad BIZ Of similar p mHTe
sions which passed both Houses two years ago.
but failed to obtain tho Governors signature
proved by the New York authorities. md there
was nc, reason 10 anticipate any opposition to
were we'll known and ample opportunity had
been given 10 oppose It. The provisions OF the
gave each equal repI esentation in the bridge
management and maintained the present divis
Nothing more was said and the committee
went into executive session, apparently with
the intention to report the bill as It then lay
before them The measure as then drafted
provided in brief this:
That the cumbersome and incompetent Board OF
,wenty trustees who solely responsible for all tho
present dangers and the greater ones which arc
threatened. shall DO abolished within thirty days
new board shall be created consisting of ono to be
appointed by tho Mayor of Now York. another by tho
Mayor of Brooklyn, and the Mayors and Comptrolsrs
OF the two cities to DO oxoffcio memberA The
selection OF a plan for terminal facilities shall
DO referred, with full powers to two experts
to be appointed by tho Mayor OF each city,
Additional lands south OF Concord street Brooklyn
shall be taken by tho experts designated bu;
within 100 feet OF either Washington Fulton streets
and not south Of Hilary street. Tho revenue from
tolls and fares shall DO paid to the rreasurers
OF tho two cities tho first OF May each
in the proportion OF twothrdS to Brooklyn and
onehi:d to New YORK Tho two cities must supply tho
necessary iunuh III inc proportion, LOT putting
into execution the plan for new terminals which tho
experts may ADOPT, and they authorized TO issue
bonds II need be 10 raise tho money
This was the wise and benehcent measure
| which was before the committee when II went
| into executive session. No sooner were the
| doors closed Than Senator Dirkett pulled from
his pocket an amendment TO the bill, which
struck out all that portion relating to the ubo.
lltion Of the present MANAGEMENT and
the creation OF new and mailer
Board OF Trustees. In II word he PROPOSED
70 pullity the most essential reform proyld,
the people, OF both cities have been most en-
phRtic ip demanding. lie had mnniiestly been
ashamed to make his desuIcable proposition
III the presence Of the rep!esontHtiyes OF the
had covered up his treacherous intentions
most carefully: only an hour before tho
reporter aud Mr.. johnson a COPY OF
the printed bill. with such slight Yerba!
and Other changes az had been proposed
intern"d L. that shape it was AN acceptable
measure. well calculated to meet the great
emergency. lie gave not tho slightest iptlma-
ton that i was not acceptnhlo 10
change IN IT, On the other, hand ho