New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-29
THE AOUEDUCEGRAB BILL.

Mr. Brown in the Senate and Mr.. Webster
in the Assembly have introduced
Tammany Aqueduct-Grab bill. It's com
ing had been foreshadowed for it has long
been known that Tammany regards the Aque-
duct Commission as a superfluity, and thinks IT.
self entitled to all the patronage it would secure
| il it were enabled to carry out its grab game.
The bill is a simple one. 1t wipes out the Aquc-
| duct Commission entirely, and turns over to the
| Tammany Commissioner of Public Works all
the duties and functions belonging to the Com
mission. The passage of the measure would be
an outrage. upon the people OF this city but I'M
less steps are taken forthwith to secure full
and emphatic expression OF public sentiment
against the bill, it is a practical certainty con-
sderng the composition and disposition of the
Legislature, that it will be passed and Of course
a veto from the dummy in the Governors office
Is unthinkable. The citizens of New fork have
most important duty to perform in this matter
II they arc apathetic or indifferent, this measure
will lie enacted into law, and most useful hon
orable and greatly needed body will be legls-
lated out of existence. In fact the bill was
favorably reported in the Assembly on Friday,
and is plainly on its way to final passage
In great emergencies in times past, when pop
Har feeding has been deeply stirred, public meet
ings have been held in New-I ork City, which
have exerted a determining influence against
bad or in favor of good legislation. Is not such
an emergency presented now? Is not this an
occasion for the assembling OF the people to pro-
test with all their strength against the threatened
outrage? Everybody knows what the turning
Of the Aqueduct Commissions business over to
Thomas +. Groy one on the Tammany " Big
-Four" would mean. Everybody knows that the
work which the Commission was created to per-
form-created in its present. shape IN direct re-
Spouse to public opinion which had become dis
gusted by the frauds and jobs perpetrated under
it's predecessor-has not yet been completed.
True, the new Aqedrt s finished and in use.
But in order no make the Aqueduct truly useful
it is necessary to complete the proposed system
OF reservoirs in the Croton region and 10 build
the Cornell Dam, which has already been de-
cded upon. That the new Aqueduct is only one
link in the chain was shown most decis.yely last
fall, when for weeks the city stood face TO face
with water famine, not because the new Aquc-
duct did not serve the purpose OF its construc-
ton, but because there was little water to flow
through it. The great work yet to be done the
Tammany leaders hope by the Grab bill, 10
throw into the hands of fayorite Tammany con-
tractors who will have tender soicitude for the
workers among the faithful. The Grab bill
means precisely that Do the reputable citizens
and taxpayers Of this town intend to sit still and
let ID pass? Pass il will, unless mighty effort
is put forth to defeat it.
In our opinion the duty of tho hour is for a
committee of prominent citizens of both parties
-men in whom full confidence is placed by the
communicate call mass meeting TO register a
powerful protest against this Infamous Tam amy
scheme. Who will take the lead in this move
ment? The time to act is now.