The sun., 1892-12-23
A Word for the Board of Aldermen.

Tho Board Of Aldermen should go slow IN
giving away any public franchise.
Some years ago. owing to the questiona-
bic action of the Aldermen in the confirma-
ton or withholding Of confirmation OF NOM
inces for public Office, tho Legislature OF
this State deprived this body of municipal
legislators Of their confirming powers, and
it may we'll be that II the existing Board
grants any suspicious or mysterious fran
chisc. it will he shorn OF all power Of grant
ing franchises in the future.
The Aldermen are trustees for the people.
and they must be held to u strict accountn-
bility. Our statute books and the records
of our criminal courts show that they can
be punished by Imprisonment when they
sell franchises and put the money in their
own pockets. But aside from any question
Of criminality, the Aldermen's function is
not to give away franchise improper in
its character or largely speculative.
We are now spending for the repavng OF
the city alone Sl.0o0,O0o per annum. and the
surface of our roadbeds should be disturbed
as little as possible. Whenever our sewers.
water mains. gas pipes, or electric subways
fall out OF repair. it Is necessary to have
the streets dug up. This digging up. of
course, entails expense upon the Depart
ment OF Public Works because the pave
ment is seldom put back in rs good con-
dition us before it was disturbed. There
should be limit to the tearing up of the
streets. and tho Spectators disturbance Of
our roadbeds should be stopped.
A few days ago the promoters Of what is
known as the New York Power Company
4 l. IL
on Streets. Mr.. SAUNDERS of North Plain
field, n. j.. the President, stated that the
company wants TO lay pipes in our
streets and supply compressed air and
salt water ,andrr pressure" to furnish
hydraulic and pneumatic power through
compressed air mains fifteen inches
in diameter. and to establish plant on
the East River and pump salt water
through nine-inch mains. This company
for some occult reason changed its name
last July from the National Heating Com
pany to the New York Power Con.p pany.
The only person OF any consequence men
toned in connection with it is Mr.. THURLGW
WEED BARNES. who is said to be one OF the
directors. No reason is given why such a
franchise should be granted. 1t will GER
tainly be OF no benefit to the city or to resi-
dents within it. Our experience with the
steam-heating company. which, after tear
ing up miles OF our streets and 1ecoming
n general nuisance. passed away into i'll
solvency. might easily be repeated.
Another scheme. now under consider
alton by the Aldermen. is the building
of an underground railroad from the juno
ton OF Spruce street and Park row in this
city to the junction OF Myrtle avenue and
Fulton street. in Brooklyn. 1t is proposed
to make excavations and drive u tunnel
under the East River.
No franchise should be granted without
the written approval of tine Counsel to the
Corporation. the Comptroller. and the
Commissioners Of the Sinking Fund; and
further. no franchise should be granted
unless the promoters stipulute to pny u
certain percentage OF their gross receipts
to the city. Such safeguards would protect
us from wildcat enterprises. aud would
leave the surface Of our streets in compara-
tive repose.