New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-11
SHEEHANS EXPLANATION.
THE SPEAKER JUSTIFYING HIS ADVOCACY
OF THE BLACK ROCK HARBOR BILL.
REPRoACHING THE NEWSPAPER CORRESPOND
ENTS-THE BILL OPPOSED BY MIR.


ENTs-THE BILL OPPOSED BY Mr.
M'CLELLAND, BUT FINALLY PASSED.
Albany, March 10 (speciaD.-speaker sheehan de-
serted the chair again to-day. and came down on the
floor Of the Assembly to argue and to help pass the
Black Rock Iarbor bill, appropriating about T"oooo
for the dredging the harbor at Buffalo This was
the same bill which declared passed on last Thurs
day. when only sxtyfour votes had been recorded ir H.
an account Of which occurrence gave the speaker con
siderable unpleasant notoriety The ntroducer OF inc
bill. Assembyman Gallagher, Of Buffalo. early In to-
days session of the Assembly moved to reconsider te
vote by which the bill had been declared lost after
watchful Republican had exposed the incorrect count
on the bill. lie was successful in taking the bill up
and ordering reconsideration of the vote, his mo-
ton had eighty affirmative votes. Immediately after
this announcement had made, Mr. Gallagher made
brief statement in support Of his bill, and declared
that there nothing wrong or malicious In 1t.
Then the Speaker got the floor. lie was prmed with
reports, figures and aidavts to prove that the bill
ought TO pass lie started out by saying that he In
tended to show why the bill ought to become law and
why the State ought to fulfil its obligations to the city
OF Buffalo There has been certain criticism made
upon the BILL he continued, criticism which was I'M
Just cruel and cowardy. lie would show to the satis
faction of every member Of the House who had any
manhood that the bill was a Just one and that u
ought to pass He started out to do this by reading
from the report Of the Canal Committee of 1S4, which
maintained that as an addition to the canal facilities
OF the State the harbor ought to be kept open ana
free for the trc of the Lake steamers In 1913 and
1s49 the city of Buffalo acquired the land. and paid for
it. out of the city treasury, and then decided 1t 10 te
State for its use forever, with the consideration that
the State should always maintain sufficient depth OF
water for the Lake vessels In those days the Lake
vessels drew only ten feet Of water. and carried only
10 900 bushels of grain now they draw eighteen feet
of water and carry 100 900 bushels OF grain. lilo
thought that 1t did not matter what the changes were
the State had made contract with the city of Buffalo
20 keep the harbor in condition for tile use of the Lao
boats, and 1t ought to do it, lie said that, II the
Court of Appeals to pass upon this question: IL
would decide that the State compelled to carry ont
the contract made fifty years ago. This. he added, was
not a plot originating with Mr. Gallagher or himself
He read then from a petition signed by number
of men prominent some years ago, In favor OF INC
dredging as il now asked for James IT, warren
of Buffalo, Of the signers Of that petition,
which had been sent the Superintendent OF Public
Works in 1879.
From this line of argument the Speaker started of
on TRADE against the system now being followed
in the Assembly Of attaching to each canal appropra
ton bill clause compelling the superintendent OF fhO
lie Works to certify In writing that the work 10 be
done under the appropriation is necessary and canno'
be done without this additional Appropriation. lie
declared in terms which just suited the canal rns'
that he did not think, although the superintendent
of Public Works was Democrat, that this man shoud
have the power to nullfy the actions OF Us mem
bers OF the Legislature.
Then the Speaker. who was rapidly WORKING MN
self ND to his old-tme condition, when he USED
10 appear on the floor the leader Of the Democratic
minority against all sorts OF reform legislation fean
in triumphant tones letter written by the present
Superintendent Of Public Works-who. by the way Is
Hill appointment This letter spoke in favor OF dons
the work, and said THAT an appropriation OF Soe.ooo
n $50 600 would be enough for II. speaker shcc'
han then read an affidavit stating that the docks OF
the railroad company for which his hrm are u'e
attorneys and Of which his brother JOhn u Shrhah'
is a leading stakeholder and director. are 10 mics
from the Mace to be dredged lie became greatly
excited and wanted to know how man WIN
nirit Of honesty could accuse him Of wrongdoing in
connection with the bill. AT this lie turned on inc
correspondents who were responsible for giving the
public the true story Of the correction of the vote ana
declared that they were in the Assembly through
the courtesy of the members. and. that being the
case they should remember il. and not attack men
without good cause Asscmbyman Kerrgan who has
received far less attention from the correspondents IN
the matter of criticism than he justly deserves hco
shouted: I'm shake hands with you on that' 80,
Assemblyman Narney spoke In favor OF thc pui
He was followed by Assemblyman Dcyo who indorscd
what the speaker had said regarding the new'pap;l
but Was oP ESsr p Mepa%d who
blu He said that the canal men were getting homIr
year In spite OF wnal h ng ose m nroy G That
the work ought to be done 10y the State ont Of the
appropriations to be made for 1t now There wa
no proof that there any lack Of water In tle
harhOr This was not the way to do business. ms
coming here each year for little larger Appropriation
TO do piece Of work. til, ,,os L. a.,
massage of the bill by 100 votes. Only halfa dozen
names were recorded against It,