The evening world., 1893-12-30
HUCKLEbERRY CRAB.
How the Trolley Got an Entering
Wedge on Manhattan Island,
The Modus Opcrnndi Of tho Union
Company Exposed.

In connection with the Union Rail
way Company's proposed extension OF
its trolley lines on this side OF the ltar.
lem River 1t may be interesting tn know
how ami through whose influence the
Company obtained the peoples authority
to do a thing to which the people are
opposed.
II was common report that Richard
croker was largely Interested In the
Union Railway Company. and when the
Company made application for n fran
chis" to gridiron the entire Annexed
District with trolley lines, the franchise
was promptly granted. OF course. The
road extended In many directions Ike 9
huckleberry bush; hence the origin OF
the name 'Iluckleberry road"
The protests OF the people against the
deadly trolley were of no avail against
Hoard OF A,derue n OF 1892 was particu-
larry suSservient 10 the ruler of Tam
many Hall. At times there were muir
murs of discomfort, but ut the crack OF
The original franchise, as we'll as the
application for the extension on the
streets uptown. was rushed through
under the lash. because at the time, the
denounced md opposed. the many
roads in Brooklyn furnishing n
convincing argument against the In;
PRODUCTION OF the evil In New York. ana
the Aldermen hesitated.
The time and circumstances, under
which the. extensions were authorized.
make all the more apparent the wanton
disregard OF the peoples rights IN the
Dec. G. ls9A. the Union Railway Com
pany applied to the Board OF Aldermen
for consent TO the extension of It's lines
through and along Excelsior avenue.
Its junction with Eighth avenue; from
through and along Madison avenue to
through and along one Hundred and
Thlrty-ffth stree in a westerly direc-
avenue to Eighth avenue; along the
bridge across the Harlem, through
Third avenue and Second avenue. ana
along Second avenue to One Hundred and
and Twcnty-ffth street to Fourth ave
nue.; through Fourth avenue from One
Hundred and Twenty-lfth street 70 One
Hundred and Thirtieth street: through
and along one Hundred and Thirtieth
street from Fourth avenue to Mad son
emu from the wcsterl' terminal or
Washington Fridge through Boscohe. ave
nue. TO jerome avenue: through ana along
Broadway In n northeriy direction from
ita intersection with Kingsbridge road to
the northerly city line.
AutnOTlty 10 use tne tTolItN was GINtl'
alt hough the report Of the Railroad Com
mittee. which was approved. did not say
so in SO many words. 1t said the o
may be operated by any motive power
other than locomotive steam power"
This report was presented to the Board
OF Aldermen Dec. 81, its last meeting In
1892. promptly passed, and rushed down
to the Mayors office. where II was as
promptly approved. signed and sealed
the next day.
The signing OF that report or ordinance
was said to have been one of the last. II
not the last. official acts OF Mayor Grant.
That act Furnished the entering wedge
FOR introducing the Objectionable trolley
system on Manhattan Island.
There was one Tammany Alderman
who asserted his Independence. He Of
tered an amendment that the motive
power to be used on the Union lines eN-
tension should not be what IL known as
he trolley system.
That Alderman was not renominated
and he has since been politically buried.
His name IL Patrick a. O'Beirne.