New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-29
PREPARING A SURPRISE.
RUMORS THAT THE BROADWAY CABLE ROAD
WILL BREAK ITS AGREEMENT.

QUESTION AS TO JUST WHEN THE ROAD
opENED-PLANs FOR ELECTRIC POWER DIS
cUssED-THE TROLLEY POSSIBILITY.
There have been vague rumors floating abody
for day or two which said to obtain their In.
spration from settled purpose on the part Of the
Broadway Cable Company to refuse to adhere 10
the terms Of the agreement which was made In its
behalf when the New-York City authorities gave
them their cable franchise-in other words, that
the big Metropolitan Traction syndicate is pro.
pairing to avoid making its promised payment OF
the of not less than Sl50.000 q year for
tho franchise
It was in November 1880, that this agreement
made. The Broadway and Seventh Avenue
Railroad Company, now one Of the members OF
the great Metropolitan Traction syndicate, agreed,
in consideration Of the right to operate the
cable road bestowed upon them by the Sinking
Fund Commissioners of the City Of New-York,
and confirmed with all needed legal forms and
all possible solemnity by the Common Council,
that from the time when such cable road SHAH
he in operation and so long as no other railroads
than those now existing shall he constructed
upon, over under said routes in Broadway, OF
any part thereof, the percentages upon the groes
receipts paid into the city treasury under exist
ing provisions of law for the use Of Broadway
for existing purposes together with the rental OK
$40 900 also paid for such use under such pro-
Visions shall amount to the annual sum OF az
least Sl5o,OOO, which the said company agrees
shall be the minimum amount to be paid annually
for such percentage and, rental
This is the language of the cOmpany's promise a.
it appears in all the documents connected with
the granting of the franchise. It is the language
used in the bond of 100000. which the company
gave to the city, upon which the franchise was
given. Among the questions which have been
discussed in connection with this rumored action
of the syndicate is whether such failure woum
Immediately make the forfeiture Of the $500,0oo
bond The ground upon which IL is said thas
the annual payment of the Sl50,000 or more
will be refused is that the cable road Is not In
continuous operation between Fifty -ninth-st. and
the Battery, which il was the understanding 10
should be before the bonded agreement to pay
should 90 into effect. The break at Houston-st.
was referred to as legally sufficient to suspend
rayment while it existed The present use OK
horses for some of the cars. and their use for
all the cars during portions OF the day ana
night. was also to be relied upon in hghtins
the citys claim.
There are reported to be other little Legal
points within the syndicate's reach which the
directors expect to make use OF at the proper
time to stave off the consummation OF the agreo.
ment until the giant corporation n ready 70
bring the municipality to terms in other respects
What these expedcnts and plans are 1t
part for the shrewd men who control the opera
tions to conceal
Controller Myers was asked yesterday WIG"
the broadway Gable Company must begin paying
the city the sum of Sl50,O0o or over annually
in consideration Of its franchise.
From the day the company pegan 70 fu"
II <ho
1T is reported that the syndicate will refuse
70 nav because the cables are not in continuous
operation between the Battery and Central Park.
"I am very sure" Mr.. Myers said. that they
cannot avail themselves Of any such subterfuscs.
The language of the agreement requires them ="
nay from the time when the cable shall De III
OPERATION and l shall hold that this was the
day on which they began 10 carry passengers
bv means OF the cable This would not, OF
course. include the experimental period. but when
the road was announced as in good working
order and operation
The syndicate will not pay cent OF taAeS
to the city which it can possibly get OUT o1
nayinr.n said lawyer yesterday who seemed to
have some peculiar means for discovering .n"
intentions Of the Metropolitan Company. Be-
sidcs that the peopl, may as we'll prepare them-
selves for some audacous propositions In motiVe
mower. The trolley scheme which Mr.. Crimmins
unfolded about "a year ago, and which Mr. Whis>
ney so promptly denied is far from oelng oeao.
Schemes are even now being matured lot getting
control of the means by when tine necessary
consent for legalizing it may be optainsa' n
the city authorities cannot be won over
which the men who are INTO thls ,nins uo TSS rSS
much fear-the courts will he Appealed TO- IhS
manager of great Western electrical companI
was here recently and unfolded the whole pan 70
certain parties. It's wonderful game tne Me.ro'
men know are already counting their prospective
wealth We are going to have merry times pe-
fore long, in which the trolley will play con-
Ex-Secrctary William c. Whitney was seen at
his home. at fifth-ave and Fifty-seventh-st, yes
terday afternoon.
of the yearly sum of Sl50.000 TO the city shall
begin he said. has been raised. L nave ho1
heard Of it. The & terms Ro,r were Of hNeH ormen
the time of payment would be dependent on
that"
clause i'm The agreement between the company
and the city bearing on the point, and Mr..
Whitney then said
AT any rate, the amount involved would be
Zoo small 70 souabhc over We expect to have
tbe entire line-that is from Bowling Green 70
Central Park-in full operation within ten days
not include the loops at the Battery, which will
not be in operation, for, some time yet The
broadway company already pays the city $4,000
the total about 100000 a year. When the
change was made W" h,i TO guarantee the city
81 50. 900 year. Thus the difference can ONLY,
hc S4. 900 or $4,000 month, and the amount of
time in question could hardly be over a month
and a half think that neither our
company nor tn" city would find 1T II
necessary to quarrel over a, little sum like
$4,000 or ~ 900. Without doubt. If such 9
Point is raised. an eruitahlc adjustment could
easily he reached. For instance. il we were
running half our cable cars for that period. the
time might he split in two, and the 81 10000
rate apply to a half OF it, 1t would hardly
look right to say that the cable system was 10
operation from tie moment it started to
trst the machinery. but so far as know tho
question has not come un, and it naturally would
not until the first payment is to be made unde1
the new arrangement"
THE FOURTH OF JULY AT PROHIBITION PARK.