New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-03
A WAR TO THE KNIFE.
MAYOR GRANTS DECIDED ACTION.
THE BOARD OF ELECTRICAL CONTROL RE-
SOLVES TO FORFEIT THE BOND OF THE

SOLVES TO bOND W
CONSOLIDATED SUBWAY COMPANY
MAYOR Grants dlspleasure at the diatory way IN
which Mr. Lauterbach's subway company is Duaoins
the electric subways found expression yesterday III @
massage Of resolution by the Board Of Electrical Coh
troll looking to the formal forfeiture of the construction
company,s bond. The Mayors complaint oil bacR"aru-
ness in Mr. Lauterbach's corporation TO get READY te
rooaod subways for occupation by the electric light
and power companies, Is an old one, anu hr' "i-'.
has given out many warnings OF late ou' they 10 h''
Gem 70 have inspired much improvement in the con
xtructlon company. The last straw 10 oreaA W"
cancels hack was the delay In completing the seVeh'h
80 s,,h,rav which was to be ready for occupancy on
lime / This failure prevented the clearing away ol
the poles and wires from the district pouhuca W INV
and Eighth aves. and Eighth aud fifty ni.i SUD- ~
the date named. ,., ,,..
The usual crowd Of people interested In electric hgh'
Ind congrccatod at the meeting OF the Board III INC
,orors Office Yesterday when Mr.. Lauterbaeh began
to,ce NJ his alleged sOwncss. lie declared that inc
dalav in seventh-ave. caused by uneNpecteoy
uoernp rock in excavatng between Thirty -ilith ana
Forty-second sts. , hos
uTben Won do not deny that your company mas
toued IN carry out the orders of the Board y the
- la s,ernIy nterrIpiing the president of the
construction company MI bi"'S'O'
attempt TO reply. tn.
Iyon must have known that the rock was there long
agos Mr. Grant went on, for myseH nave -
natedlv called your attention to 1t and no resaru vac
Maid 10 nv suggestion. / am tired oil such e''-''o
practices which have thwarted my published h.enooa
=, i've all the poles and wires withi'i the u9'rioe
nlaced underground by today You ask Us 10 oo',Io
a. 1oc ;c light companies 10 enter your suo"Se' o"'
49,, h,ild Them Such behavior places us III q
t, liqht before the public, and am deerlnhed 20 Gnu
a. and soe IL cannot make you take the consequence
| offer this resolution $500, No., 100,
,,1oo,s This BOARD on the 18th day OF MarCn i Sh
idatpd
% ,ononv 70 complete certain subways' par C ~
the subway upon seventh ave. anu oIinS Of the rcsou
lion tIat il be completed In Time 70 nav hs BOARD
laid in it on the LIST OF June lsgh 80 e 'u Known as tho
Prnscrtbed District No. Il on June 1eSl i anu
Whereas The Consolidated Telegraph ana .S osers
subway Company has failed 10 comply Will 'i0 ~
oi Resolped That this Bord directs the Counsel TO Se
P ga e Pre aRndsr The terms contract such
resolution may under the eohT Sh az Compay be
necessary for the forfeiture OF the bono OF sau con-
pany In the opinion o. tn Is nen ION Of the Board
10 declare a formal forfeiture by this resolution
The secretary called the roll, and all the members
the Mayor and Commissioners Hess Moss and e'orih'
recorded their votes in it's favor The Mayor said
"The resolution is unanimously adopted'" "lulou'
more ado the Board adjourned.
The effect OF this apparently sweeping action was
excitedy discussed among the representatives OF eecnc
light and power interests after the meeting which was
one NJ the briefes on record The general impression
was that the Subway Construction Company had re
ceved a severe blow. Many people who were far from
svmpahzng with It asserted that it had been making
bad use of its power by squeezing the less Important
companies in favor Of the big corporations, notably the
Western Union and the Metropolitan Telephone com
panies This done by making excessive demands
for rentals and subsidiary connections.
Mayor Grant said that his resolution had been offered
in perfect sincerity and thot his purpose was to Forfeit
the subway companys bond Of $3.50 900 and have the
money collected Not only that" his Honor added,
but believe that take possession Of the sub
WAYS and connections already constructed"
Commissioner Storm said that he believed the erect
would be not only to dissolve the contract but that
the city could take possession Of the plant OF Mr.
Lanterbachs company and carry the work to speedy
completion.
Henry g. Kearney, chief engineer OF the Electrical
Board was Of the opinion that the effect might be to
cause the subways to revert to the city, but other
considerations would likely be taken Into account I'm
foreseen obstacles might prevent the fuhlmcnt OF
contract of which the courts would probably take
cogniyance The interests at stake were too vast to be
sacrificed hastily The power of the Board TO forfeit
the bond of S25o,oO0 undoubted. Still, nothing
was likely to be done until the Corporation Counsel
had put the matter in shape and further acuoh DC
taken by the full Board. ~, = -
President Lauterbach said am entirely overcome
nv this arbitrary action Of the Board OF Electrical Con
tent of our ability We have invested millions OF dol
lars in this enterprise, and we VIII take care Oh mos
who have put their money In with US, Dut Jus ~ "'
The forfeiture Of 100000 Of property Is not 70 be
s'i It was afterwad sad at his Office that Mr. Lauer-
bach had gone home SICK.