New-York tribune., 1890-01-29
THE FAIR BILL SAFE.
A FAVORABLE REPORT UPON TT WILL N
SUBMITTED BY TIE SENATE
COMMITTEE TO-DAY.
VIGOROUS PROTESTS AGAINST IT'S PASSAGE ~
FEW OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES WHO QUESTION
ITS coSsrrrurrosALIry AND OBJECT
TO SOME or ITS PROVISIONS
fsy TxLxosArn TO rax rnfsuua


Albany, Jan. 2s.-The Senate Committee
on the Worlds Fair. In executive sessi q
this afternoon and evening. reached two impor,A 10
conclusions. They decided TO report the M
favorably tomorrow. without amendment nAs
added twenty-five names 10 the present list %
commissioners. This addition, while materially
strengthening the commission does not disturb
its non-partsan complexion. Following are the
new names: Samuel Sloan, Sidney Dillon. Her.
man o. Armour, Noah Davis, Henry Hail. VIII.
lam H. Webb. William r. Clyde, Austin Corhan.
William Brookfeld, John T. Plummer, Leslie w.
Russell, Albert NJ. Palmer. Christopher @. Raid.
win, James NJ. Varnum, Edward Mitchell, Richard
A. McCurdy, Albert B. Boardman, Charles A.
Peabody ir, Louis f. Payn, Ellis IT. Roheru.
Erastus Corning and Hiram Hitchcock. Tha
list Is said to have met with ready approval from
both Democrats and Republicans on the commit.
tee and TO have been determined on by mutual
suggestion and agreement in the committeeroom.
The Senators were in conclave for less than two
hours, and present indications are that the bill
will go through the Senate early tomorrow and
he promptly submitted to the Assembly for cone
currence.
small but determined band appeared before
the committee at o'clock to state objections
to the bill on the part of the few property.
owners who oppose its passage and denounce ito
provisions as high-handed outrage their
rights They were fortified with a map several
copies of the Constitution and some briefs with
wide margins printed in bold type and for two
hours they labored hard to convince the com.
mittee that the bill in its present form Is aius
equitable, unconstitutional and fatally lie.
fective.' While processing the utmost anxiety for
the holding Of the Fair in New-York, and the
utmost willingness to permit the temporary use
. kl-~ L.
permanent confiscation of the land, complained OF
the extraordinary and arbitrary powers with
which the Executive Committee are invested. and
openly threatened, in case the bill goes through
the Senate, 10 carry their warfare to the bitter
end.
The committee heard with patience the argS
ments, which were ably presented, but which failed
to bear searching examination. The presumption
was SO strongly in favor of the success of tho
bill in any event that it's sponsors in New-York
did not think it worth while to put in an ap.
pearance.
Lispenard Stewart, who had charge Of the
measure in the Senate, is a member Of the Com.
mittee on General Laws, and was consequently
prevented from acting as its advocate. Mr.. Fas-
sett, however, spoke ably in its behalf. Mr..
Cantor and Mr.. Ives also came to the fore, tho
latter with his usual rhetorical demonstration.
maUtP0
over, the impression was general that the prop.
erty-owners and their agents had been pleading
lost cause. They have, however, been invited
to submit their proposed amendment which will
be probably offered tomorrow, with the COM
mittee's report the bill.
The attorneys heard were William W. Cook TAD
well-known writer on corporation law, who repre-.
sented Mrs. Lucy w. Drexel James j. Goodwin.
General James Watts DePeyster, Maria n Ohm.
stead, Dwight Olmstead and others; James A.
Deering, NJ Bxby and John Shaw, representine
Miss Maria j. Pinckney. c. b. Pearce and Arch.
ibald Watts were also present, as we'll as Mr..
Olmstead himself, who made brief statcmentI
MIR. Shaw made the most energetic and inter.
esting appeal, partly perhaps because he repre-.
sents lady, and partly because of his long-pent-
up indignation. My principal objection to the
bill, he began, :" is that it defines no site.'
Il beg your pardon" said Senator Brown, in
terrupting him; here is map attached to it,"
And l beg yours: the maps show nothing
retorted Mr. Shaw, snappshly. There is nothing
in the bill that refers to the site excepting that
1t gives the Commissioners right to use Morn.
ingside and Riverside parks
rs there anything that exempts Central
Park ?" asked Mr. Fassctt
Nothing, except, perhaps, the legal provision
that you can't condemn piece of land that's been
condemned already for public use, otherwise than
by an express and specific act Of the Legislature.
My client owns three blocks Of land on what wa
suppose to be the contemplated site Of the Fair,
and she has offered the of them free Of all
charges except the annual taxes during the time
of the exhibition She has owned this property
fortyseven odd years. We have sought in vain
In the most courteous and earnest manner 20 ascer.
tain from the people who behind this bill
whether they mean to take any part OF her land
In fee. We were told by the Committee on Sta
that it would be breach of faith TO take any land
in fee when property-owncrs willing "a
give, but in spite OF that this bill gives
the Exhibition Commissioners unlimited discretion
to condemn any land in the city which they SEQ
fit TO select for a site. Section provides thaa
they may take it either in fee or temporarily.
AT first we were told that the only lands "a
he taken in fee those north of Central Park.
between Fifth and Eighth aves. and One.
hundred-and-tenth and One-hundred and -thir.
teenth SITS. Then the camor became SO strona
that we were told that land would not he taken.
Since then we have been unable TO find out anys
thing definite about H.
THE LENGTH OF THE COMMISSIONS LIFE.
"Now why shouldn't our objections be obviaf~A
by plain statement of the facts in this bill
What hardship would il be for the commissioner
to do that? IL IL is constitutional to say they
shall take any lands they please in fec. it muss
be constitutional 10 define them. But that is noe
the worst of IL. II ever there a more infamous
scheme or plot TO confscate the land Of New-Yorh
property y-owncrs words couldn't make 10 80 plain.
This great power. according TO the provisions ol
the BILL is for all time, or so long as the Exbibts
ton law stands upon the statute books
Do you understand that there is no limit -
the life of the commission ?' asked Mr.. Fassett.
"There is none The first commission practt<
caly expires in 1896, but the Mayor is clothes
with authority perpetualy to renew the com.
mission by appointment Therefore IL appears