New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-04
MAYOR GRANT AND THE TROLLEY
WILL. lie VETO THE METROPOLITAN IRACiAoN
COMPANY FRANCHISE ORDINANCES

WILL lie VETO THE METROPOLITAN IRACiAoN
COMPANY FRANCHISE ORDINANCES
voror t,rant has not yet taken action on ue
o.o,nnroos rbich were rushed through the Board OF
Aldermen on Thursday, granting permission 10 '"'
Mefropoltan Tfaction Company to exUho us f"'"'
connections and TO operate It's route Oh 'he "o'' -
from the Eatery 70 one hundred andteniil's "ider
ne cid vael railway structure by the trolley system
The Mayor said Yesterday that he was s''i u'uc'''
dol whether he ought - sign o. veto tae Feso
The Mayors record Of opposition - dea'A'uean'o
ova,hcod electric wires aade1 his frequently re-
l,erateG dcnunclrtons Of the practice OF Vo"s aN"'
,nr,cnsely valuable franchises without rocompense 70
the city, encourage the public TO hope ta' lie may
Withhold h!s signature from the nine rcsoiuuohe
oo. sd I'm the interest OF The Traction Company.
II Is held by opponents OF those measures that
they arc Illegal and that the approval Of the boatu
# Aldermen Is worthless. becGusc only b'sJori'F
Of tie boa.d voted in their favor, While the iaW
rrsc-bes that in granting franche three four'hs
vote is necessary. The full board Is composed "
twenty six ccctod members, 80 that II taxes twenty
olrcrrcn 10 cast n Clrccf1urhs vote. None OF the
o.draucc, passed. Thursday for the Metropolitan
Traction Company received than sixteen votes
white I'm some cases thirteen fourteen and fifteen
votes only were cast.
scct!,n a Of Chapter Of the Consodation Act
II i-s2 a. amended. sands thus Every lceislau'e
ect o, ~, Common Council shall he by resolution OF
ordinance. w Dif.llaIfc or rcsotit.Oh S"au ~
passed eAccp: by a vote OF the majority OF all the
member, elected the loird. In any ordinance
or resolution Involves the expenditure OF money or
The laying Of m assessment. the lease OF real estate
or franchises tie votes OF three fourths d all the
members elected 10 the toard shall DO necessary 10
is passage Under this act IL seems plain that inc
Metropolitan Traction Company lacked from io'r 10
seven votes on Thursday. ard that their franchises
rs granted ly the nlard OF Aldermen are not WORTH
the paper on wlici they are written.
Controller Myers was asked yesterday for MS
ounlon rs The chief financial officer OF the city, on
TIA, point. He replied that legal questions "ere
,uyov,d which he was not prepared at present 10
answer. "If The section quoted I'd" Coht'"ier
said 4, the law applicable to the case, there Is
nllareny no donht that three-fonIths vote 81 the
uo,,d ~ Aldermen Is necessary n approve the ap'
n,lcnt,ons made hy the railway company. But the
LEGISLATURE last winter amended the general runway
lave or the stare as will be by reference 10
Chapter GST Of the Laws Of 1892. Other changes
have been made by Chapter oc3 OF the L1ws OF 1870
In the resolutions passed b. the Aldermen In APPROX
iur the conpany's applications. direct reference s
r,ode to section 90 OF Chapter ds7, Laws OF 1892,
which provides for the manner In which consents OF
the local authorities for changes In motive power OF
RAILWAYS extensions OF railway lines aud making
railway connections shall be obtained. nm Informed
that Il was under the act cited That the Metropolitan
Company's applications were granted II this be so,
followed Il Is possible That only majority vote OF
The Board OF Aldermen necessary rs ! nave
solt mis- involves legal questions which should be
referred 10 the law department for settlement
In tlc absence Of the Corporation Counsel Yesterday,
none of his assistants present cared 10 express an
opinion regarding the legality Of the trolley ordinances
4 raminauy lawyer who had studied me matter, put
who did no, wish his namc printed IN connection
with the subject said that the consents u the Board
Of Aldermen 10 tho Metropolitan Tia'toa CompaNs
roy system and its extensions and road connections
rnd bcon obtained under the sections Of Chapter 6s7
Of the Laws Of 1892, ana were sufficient uhuer inc
amended law.