New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-10
/ JOg MAT NEEDS SMASHING.

With the beginning of new administration
in this city and new legislative session al
Albany. citizens who are accustomed to bear
the public welfare in mind have many things
TO watch and consider. But they ought not
TO lose sight of the audacious plans of the
New.Yorll and New-Jcrsey Bridge Company,
which is now seeking to procure from Congress
a charter which will enable it to utilize the
privileges already granted by the Legislatures
of this state and New-JerSey and bulld bridge
over the Hudson with an immense and elabo-
rate system of approaches on this side OF
fhe river The special report made to the
Sinking Fund Commissioners and unanimously
adopted by them characterizes this scheme as
zone of the most outrageous attempts at cor
porate ACKNOWLEDGEMENT which have ever been
sought for at the expense of this municipality"
This is a vigorous description, and If anybody
with a strong memory is disposed to think 1t
rather too vigorous we have no objection to
slieht-a very Standardization But our
impression is that it is just about right as IT
stands
A protest emhodyng this report has gone to
Washington, and the Senators from this State
have been expressly urged to oppose the Bridge
Company's bill. which is now in the hands OF
Senate committee. The official condemna-
ton of the Sinking Fund Commissioners ought
to be reinforced as far as possible by other ex-
pressons of indignation and hostility. II ever
carried into execution this scheme would in
hict enormous injuries upon pubic ana private
interests. 1t is impossible to examine it with
out reaching the conclusion that the proposed
bridge is only small part OF the enterprise
and that the main object is the establishment
Of large transportation business III the streets
of New-York The bridging OF the hudson
NAV be a perfectly legitimate enterprise which
might prove to be of enormous benefit to mill
ions of persons. There is now respectable
and. for aught we know, feasible plan OF this
sort maturing but the project of the New
York and New-Jersey Bridge Company is not
of that kind. From its inception 1t has been
speculative in nature, and from the point OF
view Of public advantage as opposed to the
private interest Of a few individuals il Is pre-
posterous.
Promises have been made in the name Of the
city government that this job will be opposed
at every stage. and fought with determination
in the courts if such necessity arises. But
the proper and safest course is to defeat 1t IN
Congress first, and then amend the charter al
ready obtained at Albany in such a way as TO
protect the rights of NewIork As municipal
It's and of the people. The Hudson cannot be
bridged without the consent OF Congress, but
Congess may be prevailed upon al some time
to take foolish and injurious action and 50
long as the existing charters exist in their pres
ent form that danger will remain. If the
New \ orl charter we're reduced to a reasonable
shape there would be 10 further attempt 10
make use of it. in our opinion. Without the
immense speculative possibilities which the
scheme of approaches" involve, there would
be little or no inducement to undertake the
work OF bridging the river from a point near
Seventie;h-st. Controller Myers and Chamber
lain Grain have done the city a conspicuous
service by setting forth the real character Of
this enterprise, and their energetic protest
ought to be promptly needed at Washington
and Albany.