New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-09


CONQUERED IN BY THE sENATE-BoTH BILLS
AGAIN IN THE GOVERNORS HANDS
THE HUCKLEBERRY" MEASURE.
FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIDUNE,l
Albany March s-what may be considered Gov
enor Flowers amendments to the twin measures one
authorizing the construction OF two bridges from Brook
lyn to NewYork across the East River, and the other
providing for the construction of an elevated railway
three miles in length. from the common New York
terminus OF those bridges. NewiorE City to the
Hudson River were approved by the Legislature to-day
and the bills are once more In the Governors hands
Mr.. Flower, In his message to the Legislature last
night, respecting these bills, said he could not sign
them unless they amended so as TO povice ade
Quate compensation to NewYorh and Brooklyn for the
great franchise which they conferred 30 far as 'le
bill for the proposed elevated railroad Is concerned
ihere will he no question that the Governors amend
ments to II do secure compensation 10 the city OF New
York for this portion OF the franchise. The ROAD Is
not to be exempted from taxation, as provided IN the
bin before Flower yesterday; but, under Mr.
Flowers amendment. the structure OF such elevated
railway shall be liable TO taxation, as proVloeo ny 10"
for similar structures"
some members Of the Legislature are OF the opinion,
however that with this provision that the elevated
railroad shall pay taxes the compensation TO he cues
exscted from the bridge corporation ends IL IS true
that In amendments made at Mr.. Flowers suggestion
to the bill which provides for the construction OF the
bridges it is declared that whenever the earnings
Of the bridge corporation shall during any period OF
SIX months exceed Of SA 900 per day, then,
and in that event the said company shall thereafter
annually on the 1st day Of December. pay into the
treasures Of the respective cities in which any por-
ton Of any bridge bridges, or any approach thereto
or any elevated or other railway which may be owned
controlled managed operated by said company shall
ha atad To tba crpdit Mt no
said cities respectively equallng in the aggre-
gate per cent Of its gross earnings from the said
bridge or bridges or from any of its approaches,
from any such elevated other railway or railways;
and an additional annual payment II 1 per cent Of
such gross earnings shall be made by said company in
like for each multiple OF 81, 900 per day Of
such average gross earnings
The members of the Legislature who debated the
worth of this amendment said that it question
whether the earnings" of the bridge would at
tain such large ~ 900 a day, or 81 100000
annually; and that. if they did. pains would be
taken to eXpend the above 81 900 in better
ments" and thus the cities never would get ANYTHING
Senator Mullin said 1.-THE Boston and Albany Rail
way understand, is obliged by It's charter to pay to
the state of Massachusetts all that IT earns above
per cent; but in the forty years OF its existence
such payment has ever been made to the state the
railroad continuing TO expend upon its roadbed, upon
new stations and upon cars all its surplus above
per cent If this view is correct. all that Mr.
Flower has obtained from the bridge corporation is
promise to pay taxes upon its elevated railway
structure and far the bridge structure itself is
concerned, practically payment will ever be made
Sor that portion of the great franchise.
Soon after the Assembly met, Mir. sullivan intro
ouced his resolution recalling from the Governor the
Bridge bill and the supplemental Elevated Railroad
bill and long before the debate the Fish and Game
law had been finished the bills the Speakers
desk There was further interruption of the pending
business, and action upon the amendments which had
beenprepared By the Governors Cabinet then
declared to be In order. Assembly IMAM Alfred r.
Conkling succeeded. after several futile attempts in
obtaining recognition from the speaker. He objected
the consideration Of the amendments at that time.
The Speaker refused consider the objection at all
seriously holding that the reconsideration by
which the bill had been passed brought it and the
amendments Immediately before the House. This
action taken by the speaker to prevent any further
objections from being found in the Bridge bill Sui
van thought that this was a good point at which
TO speak the substance OF his remarks that the
amendments which he offered had been prepared by
the Governor and that they removed all possible
objections TO the bills
Il move that the bill with the amendments be
recommitted TO the Committee Commerce and
Navigation for the purpose OF being reprinted said
Mr.. Wells.
Mr. Iitt of Albany. here raised the point OF order
that the motion ought to have been made before
the amendments mao Dcfn OHercu Inc Si'ofhci
with him perfectly. Then Mr. Deyo asked:
"Do ] urdeI stand the Chair to hold the motion
not proper to have the bill reprinted. and lave 1t lie
On the tablet
at Is perfectly proper when in order" the Speaker
answered but at 40 time during the rest OF The de
bate did the Speaker admit that proper time Tor
such notion had been reached.
Mr. Omgley, OF Brooklyn then entered upon Wild
diatrbe against the NewYork newspapers for pointing
out the very objections TO the original bill which
Governor Flower afterward took up lie was cut of
in the MIDDLE OF the speech to allow the Clerk /
read the printed list Of amendments which the GOV
ernor had prepared. The amendments were adopted
without :ol cali. Then the Speaker recognized Mr.
Wells, who said: a. desire to renew my motion TO
recommit this I'LL with these amendments move
that the bill be rec)plmltted'
Mr.. Connolly, who voted against the bill before,
distinguished himself by turning complete sOmer-
sault and speaking against this mOtIon
Mr. Wells again returned to the attack, and lie said
"Last night we had read 10 a lecture by the
Governor Of this state what he called the hasty
manner in which are passing through this Legs
laure valuable franchises for private corporations.
lie referred specially TO this bill and 10 the 'Hucke
berry railroad compony bill, which passed this House
While i SICK at home We might have these
amendments printed 50 that each member shall know
1ust what has been done. What have here?
We have bill that has been criticised by the press
OF New.York City, the faithful guardians of the PEG
pies rights We should have the same opportunity
10 examine and slider these amendments the Gov
ernor has
Tie motion to recommt the Bridge bill was de-
feated by Il vote OF al TO 2O The lii finally passed
with lOr members voting for 1t and three voting
q gaunst II.
After the Bridge bill had been declared passed. Mr.
Sullivan moved TO reconsider the vote by which the
Supplementary Elevated Railroad bill had been passed.
This was done but no had the clerk announced
the result than Mr.. Conkng objected TO the consid
Grafton OF the bill until after the aemndments had
been printed. The speaker again told him that he
,,as too late Then Mr.. Conkling moved that the bill