New-York tribune., 1891-01-29
THE MAYOR AND THE WIRES.
HIS COURSE IN THE ANNEXED DISTRICT.
A SCHEME TO SADDLE THE OVERHEAD SYSTEM
on THAT PART OF THE CITY AND TIE
INnICNA ATION IL LAS AIsOUSED.

a
on THAT PART or THE CITY AND TIE
INDIGNATION IT HAS AROUSED.
The action of the Gas Commission last Friday In
awarding a contract for lighting the streets OF the
Annexca District with electricity once more has
aroused widespread resentment in that part OF tlc
CITY, for IL means the retention OF the uh9lgAly anu
dangerous overhead wires there for years 10 come.
When Mayor Grant. only little over year ago hau
the poles above the Harlem cut down, lie could not
de,oluce the overhead system with snihcient Vehc'
meuce. Last week. quietly and without warning lie
consented 10 allow tie North Newlork Electric Light
company to send its currents through the wires that are
strung on poles.
There is 10 subway above the Harlem River, and
any one familiar with te snaillike progress of the
work OF building subways on Manhattan Island KNOWS
that 1t win be a long, an exceedingly long time be-
fore the Annexed District will be provided with one:
In short the Gas Commission has voted 10 sadule Oh
that section Of the city above the Harlem the obnoxious
system OF overhead electric light wires for an eXtehueu
period. ,
The citizens of the Annexed District are particularly
exaspe, ated with Mayor Grant just now on account
of the way IN which I've has Disseminated against
them in several cases recently lie seems 10 Ue III
rage with them because TammanyS cahuIua" W.
Commissioner OF the District was defeateu' anu Hc u
can TO show us spleen by refusing 10 LOUIS - ho"
the Commissioner, adequate appropfla'io" u W
velop the section ON top of this, the Mayor mas III
is
nu,sion ON the district although the consent OF its c
vens was obtained by fragrant misrepresentation La''
Friday Mayor Grant heaped OsSa upon Toloi w
MAILING the city assent to having the dlStfcV us
figured with poles and wires
An officer of the Board of Electrical Control 'ou d
Tribune reporter that work might be begun OH Il
subway above the Harlem next year. The slow prog
ress OF the work Of building subways makes IL GER
tainty that unless affairs change great ue'i WI,
be years before tho Annexed District IS suppheu WIZ"
a subway. 1t is said that the expense OF SUBWAY
there is too great to justify building it, although inc
numerous companies downtown pay Sl,OOo year io'
each mile of subway they use, and yet receive Only
30 cents pei lamp night from the city, whlie 10 'e
North New York Company 40 cents per lamp Isl't
Is paid The contract made on Friday was lof ioo
lights so the company in the Annexed D!Srct receives
IS 40 a night more than the companies who have 10
nav subway charges receive for the same service III
Thrd.ave in the Twenty third Ward, there are fuly
$50 wires number that is surely large enough u
Justify the laying of a subway
The action Of Mayor Grant on the subject VI
electric light wires in the Annexed District said
man who OWLS a large amount of property In the
Twenty. third Ward is certainly remarkable. one
wear ago, when the death of the various lnemcn 10y
electricity had reused the city to sense OF It's dai
ger he had the poles in the Annexed Dls'ric'
cut down. Now that lie imagines the puDAc
has forgotten about his course. he MAKES d
contract TO light the districts streets by means OF over
head wires While he is apparently dIgent TO rd
Manhattan Island of poles and wires strung between
them lie tramples under foot the the interests OF the
rest OF the city. lie declared tnat no new lines Oi
wires should be strung in Ncw-lork yet wme he car
res out his order below the Harlem, above it he abets
the breaking OF his rule.
Mayor Grant has shown evident disposition
To punished the district for electng eintz by giving it
no money and BY making 1t undesirable for residence
purposes The latter he is accomplishing by his en-
ergec efforts fill its thOroughares with poes ana
wires OF all kinds, including those for pTOpellng sur
face cars. We property owners and residents thlnR
he should show disposition 10 further the growth OF
the Twenty third and Twenty fourth Wards instead Of
hampering it at every step.
The best interests of the entire city demand that
every cement should be Offer TO persons in
tending to live in the district In the years TO come
when proper rapid transit facilities have been secured
this Part of the city will contain the homes of large
part OF those doing business down town. We thhh
that everything should be done TO attract people TO the
district that they VIII pay their 5aAfs & IN fiW S doF M
Staten Island. Mayor Grant, however, has pursued
directly contrary policy, and by DISCRIMINATING agdls'
the district is daInaging the whole eiy, rlVpeTty
owners feel no encouragement 10 improve ueli
residesces, and Others viii be- deferred from investing
only part Of the city where the trolley system and
overhead wires are to be tolerated ,,o ,n,o,ost q
the Twenty third and Twenty fourth Wards. and their
citizens MAY Grant will find he has made a serious
mistake His policy of avengng himself upon a par.
city which is not under the domination OF Tam
ha. 10 90 back on his past record on the subject Of
e!cctric-liglt wires, as he has done in this case
self, and there mane more in the Annexed District
who agree with him thoroughly. An agitation has
been started and IS proposed to WORK up an opposition
To Mayor Grants measures among those who are IN
gred by them that VIII result n In; something met o 9n&e M
sghtlness and danger Of overhead wires pointed ont
them too strongly not to make strong effort 10 get