New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-23
WHAT BROOKLYN TALKS OF
CASUAL COMMENT on TOPICS OF TIMELY
INTEREST.

Tnc Aldermen and the Mayor were taEen completely
by surprise on Thursday evening. when the meeting
~ the Common Council was held for the PURPOSE Of
completing the plan of giving away en- ,rmousiy
valuable franchises for nothing. or FOR very far
hsow the actual value Of the privileges under coz.
sideraiiOn. Mr.. Gayn0r played trump card ard
threw the city officials into state OF conservation
such as they have not Experienced for many a day
IN accordance with the Mayors suggestion the meet.
ing was called TO provide some compensation to the
,i,y for the franchises grantea the previous week
and meantime arrangement had been patched up
,e,wcen the companies and the Mayor whereby pay.
ment was 10 be made at the rate OF 5000 a mile.
This Of course would be better than nothing. btl no
one can pretend that such a pai'ry compensation
would be adequate. Why the company involved
should have consented TO pay anything Is strange in
view o. the solid combine Of thirteen Aldermen which
vonld be able TO override the Mayors veto at a
Il omcnts notice. Its change Of front must have been
Que TO wholesome fear of aroused public opinion
and OF legal action to nullify the work of the Alder
mon The new arrangement would have gone through
in the slickcst" style. and the Mayor would have
sdded his signature at once, had 1t not been for Mr.
Ssy0j The S up was as oSa
10 permit the Withdrawal Of the resolution from
courts. and the people will stand chance OF getting
,,rSi who has served them well in the past and
who is most troublesome thorn IN the Side Of the
politicians.
The city has not great deal to be thankful form
n positive sense-in the work of the Legislature now
Happily brought to an end. There have been few
bills passed which could not easily have been dis
penscd with. but, the other hand the quantity OF
pernicicus legislation is less than might have been
expected. The Bridge Reorganization bill was wise
and acceptable, and Senator McCary Is entitled TO
thanks for introducing it and securing Its enactment.
The Consolidation bill met untimey fate, and so
did the bill providing for the taxation of the receipts
If surface railroad companies. Nothing has been
Legislature
railway tracks from Atlantcave The Flatbush Annex
s,lon bill failed. The furry over the Columbian cele
brallOn hills created little excitement Immediately
after the Governors of the first bill legazng the
expenditures, but peace patched up and the meas
uIes providing for reaudng of the bills went
through easily enough. What effect they Will have
the criminal prosecutions remains to be seem OF
ne iwen,y,ons reprssenativcS oil hlmgs County II
cannot be said that the latter covered themselves with
tpons " on CO Committees mint oysley was charman Of
Ways and Means and was the leader OF the House.
bu he was not one OF the leaders who led ln fact.
Cooey chairman OF the judiciary Committee. but
SIR ps ns Sf only IN !f % from the south
east corner OF the state put forth strenuous emo eCr
great u be overcome in most Instances.
The passage OF the ill authorizing an appeal from
the decision OF Judge Pratt In the Water supply
Is perhaps the most satisfactory thing done 10y the
sen,ia injustice OF allowing Jadge Pratt to have the
last word simply because he decided in favor of the
company is self-eydent Whether not the arrangc
ment shrewdy made In the interest of the com |
pany when the law authorizing the condemnation OF
It's property craced is not definitely known. |
What Is assured is the passing upon the by
the General Term and the Court of Appeals. that
II Judge Pratt has taken the right View he will not |
stand alone in that opinion. To the people Of Brook
Ign it extremely gratifying that an award OF no
than $4,000 was made by the majority OF |
the commissioners There have been singular |
things In connection with this business. In the first
place. Judge Pratt. who had the duty of selecting the
ignored almost entirely the list Of
prominent citizens presented TO linn containing |
persons proper TO act as members Of such body
After the appointment 1t was discovered that one or
from serving because they were Rot freeholder:.
Then there was the mysierios 1hr r OF 'h G
Pratt had anything more Ia do with The hIling OF
studied effort the Part OF the companys lawyers
10 have the motion for ;hc confirmation VI The award
heard by the Judge who made up tne cC'i S
easily Dc able 10 the hearing Of These various
circumstances.
on the De Kalb-ave. trolley cars so much Of the
IS placed the front platform that PAS
sencers are not allowed ride there and In coIsc-
Cuence the smokers have been driven TO the rear o.
The car. Hence ladies and non-smokers are unable
to escape from offensive cigars end pipes on entering
or leaving a car and OF course more or less smoke
Is carried into the whenever the door is opened
II this Is necessary concomiiant OF the use OF Inc
trolley. there Will be sl louder objection 10 1t tLan
has yet been heard. Some compaint has been mao
reg arding the appearance OF the conductors ON TIL
line on the score OF neatness and cleanliness but 1t
WAS followed by prompt denial from passenger
Who pronounce, the conductors immaculate. eau
bear personal witness, however, 10
most offensive habit on tile part Of
al least conductor Oh DE kalb-avc'
car During the entire time board he was
engaged in the chewing Of gum in manner 'lat va,
dis rrceabe II IS bad enorsh to see l"Hr len
his way but there can bc 10 help ior that uLi
public opinion Is sufficiently powerful to irown ulo"
sg psae i not an inscabc rs Of the car
cuctOr and IL Is 10 b. hoped that The companies VIII
issue stiict cdic,s against IT. The gum-chewing con
duc0r Oh sreet or elevated car ought to stop or 90
The death OF DR.. CrOmbie tie head Of The hd'Iplh
Academy IS peculiarly sad In iisif ana Is serious
loss to the teaching force Of the city. lie was q
young man. not yet forty, aidently ocVo'eu " "'.
profession and giving promise Of "arcer Of unusual
latlisncv When the trustees Of the >dclph decided
TO secure a new president last year they went "es'
for one end selected nan born anu edaca''o ID ''
wes and one whose entire professional life hio Lee"
spent there. DR.. Crombic had medc hie1 Te!p'i-
ton for himself In minneapolis. where he WIS i"
charge Of the Central High school for seven years
Ind IL was expected that the introduction OF Western
Hood into the AdelLl would be q good tiinS lT II
and for Brooklyn lie had been In iirooSll u Only
little than half year. but he nrd ~ ide MS ~, III
nuence felt and would beyond doubt have soon De
come all Influential factor In The cit, general me
His death due 10 seNerc cOld wi.th set'h"u vi.
bis lungs and he was the less prepared to Withstand
the attack by reason OF the hard work IN which tc
had been engaged almost up 10 the moment "Heh he
was stricken down.
Bridge President Howell still ha, his heart sci Oh
varying the Bridge railway 10 the City Hall and speaks
u the new station which Is soon 10 he bullt'"i",cr
sands and High SITS mere makeslin IL VIII De
that provision for City liaIi extension
vas feature Of the first Bridge reorganization biiI
,assed In 1885, IN which Senator Dagee;t took ." |
ecp an Interest Although he was extremely solicit
ms about this matter TINT proNisOn OF Tie Dill was