New-York tribune., 1894-04-06
TWO RAPID TRANSIT BILLS.
MIR. HEWITT EXPOSES THE MANHArTAN
OVERWHELMINGLY SCHEME.

COURT HOUSE JOB"
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBUNE1
Albany April 5-It would appear that the Leg
islature has narrowly escaped passing. whl'e
asleep. a bill giving the present elevated railway
COMPANIES OF New-York a monopoly IN New
yorl, C,itv Of the elevated railway business, and
aIso granting to Tammany Hall authority TO
build and operate an underground railway cost
ing $50 900 000 This measure is the Rapid Tran
sit bill brought here by Charles Il. Stover'
lawyer Of New-York os;ensby as the agent
of labor organizations, and introduced in the As
semby by Mr.. Butts one Of Tammany Hairs
representatives. and in the Senate by Senator
Lexow. The bill slipped through the Assembly
and was passed by that body late Tuesday night
without the inspection. apparently, Of any one
but Tammany Hall Assemblymen II Is on the
order Of third reading in the Senate also. by the
same process OF inattentiOn 10 its character.
An analysis OF It made by ex-Mayor Abram s.
Hewitt Of New-York before the Senate and the
Assembly Railway Committees to-day showed
clearly that 1t must have been drawn up in the
interest Of the Manhattan Elevated Railway
Company, since its chief provision was one giving
that company exclusive possession Of the right
to build elevated railways Manhattan Island,
and authorizing that company TO extend its lines
without making any compensation 10 the city.
Further. the bill openly conferred upon Tammany
Hall authority TO build and operate an under
ground railway
Better no rapid transit forever" said Mr..
Hewitt In a most earnest manner. than that the
men in control of the present city government OF
New-York should be intr7sted with the eXpendi-
ture of the money To build a rapid transit road.
and then have the authority to name the men
10 run IT, 1t would be an endless Court House
Job with millions upon millions t. eXpend in
constructing the road and then million after
million in running it. You would have politicians
putting their heelers everywhere upon the work
OF building the road its cost would be enor-
mously enhanced every district leader would de-
mand places for his followers; and then you
would have the iremen. the enginemen. the
ticket-sellcrs and choppers all appointed by a
political machine. Give New-YOrk anything but
that horror
These sentiments were uttered by Mr.. Hewitt
in the Senate Chamber this afternoon at a
hearing which was given upon the rapid transit
bill Of the Chamber OF Commerce Of New-York.
Mr. Hewitt came here with committee Of men,
bers OF the Chamber to favor the measure Be
sides Mr.. Hewitt this committee was composed
Of John Bgelow. Hugh y. Camp. H. II. Cam
mann. Fordham Morris Jacob Wendell, Logan {.
Murray. Henry Il. Beekman. Constant a. An
drews William II. Robertson. Stephen r. Lesher
and Henry Hentz.
Earlier in the day Senator Lexow had at
tempted TO push his Rapid Transit bill. already
alluded TO- through the Senate. but Senators
Muln and Mcmahon had sironuously objected
to the consideration Of his bill before hearing
was given upon the Chamber Of Commerce bill
Senator Lexow said tina; $1,000 worklngmen sup
No an
that thes. workingnen were "mythicai" and
then boldly declared: 1T would be- most
dangerous innovation. In my belief FOR the au-
thorities Of New-Y0rk 10 build and operate
rapid transit road"
In the fac. Of this opposition Senator Iexow
gave way and allowed his bill to BE- laid aside.
When the Railroad Committees mot. however
senator Iexow went before them. and. prior 10
the time when the committee of the Chamber oi
Commerce WAS heard, attacked its measure ana
nraised his own The chir1 feature Of his bNl
as ne considered IT, was It's provision mat the
voters Of New York should decide AT IN" iplIS
In November whether or not the ci'y "uth"Il''
should build and operate rapid tratSN io"r
The bill also provides for the immediate appoint
ment of three new rapid transit commissioners
by Mayor Gilroy. ,.., ,,,..
~ the chamber Of Commerc" bill In providing
for the membership Of the new commission: ~ ne
also objected 10 what he termed thr hei'lN"iF
principle" embodied I'm the PROVISION 'ha' 'i'
president Of the Chamber shall always ID" mem
ber Of the Commission. He thought MS Ply was
recommended By the fact that IL applled 'he
nrincipl OF the referendum T. tn~ eNI"nut.ui uir "i
srO OO0 600 II the Mayor Of Ncw-iork could not
he trusted 10 appoint rapid transit commissioners
the city should be deprived Of its charter
Assenbyman Butts objected to loanng 'he
credit OF the city OF NeW-i"'h W. " P''
poration." .,.., ,,i
opposed the Chamber Of Commerce bnll M on pthai ,'
OF the New-York City authorities the appoint
ment Of the perpetual commission ne said
'.would be an insult and affront To the Mayor Oh
New York"
"are unwilling TO have their treasury levied
upon It 10 the extent ~ S5O,OOOOoO am ad-
vised that the road would cost slUO,oO,ooO The
local authorities say that u the people ol New
York vote TO expend 500 900. then Il will be
all right Pass the Lexow bill and let the peo-
pie decide. ,.r.
Senator Mcmahon. interrnptng. said: "But
the Butts-Lexow bill says the city snail operate
the rapid transit road. | think that would be
very disastrous-to have the city operate the
road as well as build IT,
Chamber OF Commerce bill. making 1t conform
to the Lexow bill. Lawson y. Fuller also op-
posed the Chamber Of Commerce bill
Ex-M Mayor Hewitt spoke In behalf Of the Cham
Der OF Commerce measure. saying in part: The
Chamber Of Commerce comes forward at this
moment and proposes new scheme me gen
some CORPORATION; that the road shall remain the
property Of the city: that a company shall
operate II and pay certain rental Tor IL. Ihe
rental is to be used in paying the interest upon
the bonds and In accumulating a sinking FUND To
pay off the bonds. The city thus comes event
uaIly into the complete possession OF the road.
The SCENE does not contemplate any restriction
as 10 the kind of road. 1t may be underground.
open tunnel elevated. There is no loanng OF
the credit Of the city: 1t Is not subject To the
constitutional inhibition. This bin provides that
the Rapid Transit Commission shall first try 10
sell the road
eft IS also said that the act invades home rule
nv deriving Mayor GirOy Of the appon ting
mower am sure the Chamber OF Commerce Ia
willing to withdraw that feature of the act II
the objection s pressed. IL IL not unconstitu-
,IonaI IN nar1e the commission. The Croton
Aqueduct was built by commission named in
the bill The sole object Of the Chamber Of
Commerce was TO put into the Rapid Transit
-, all In. .,l at,,.