New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-09
DAMAGE III


Chamber of Commerce and that Jointly intro
duced by Senator Lexow and Assemblyman Butts.
The bill Of the Chamber Of Commerce. as Is well
known names new Rapid Transit Commissioners.
and provides for the building Of rapid transit
road from the city by private corporation with
the city's money; and the LexowButts bill, for
the construction and operation OF a rapid transit
road by the city itself.
Mayor Gilroy, 1t is understood. VIII take the
ground in his letter that the city OF Newly ork
is too close to the constitutional limit OF debt In
currence TO permit Of its undertaking the con-
struction of a $50 900 rapid transit road at
this time: and will argue that the assumption
by the city Of the obligation to expend S5OOOooOo
would compel it to abandon all other proposed
local improvements. such as the enlargement OF
the docks the enlargement Of Elm-st. the re-
having Of streets and the taking Of land for
the Riverside Drive and Park as far as the
bulkhead line along the Hudson River. Mayor
Groy thus would take the position not only
that the rapid transit road should not be built
bv the city. but also that It should not be built
by a private corporation with city money, ana
then be operated by private corporation
NOT EXCESSIVE IF TAMMANY BUILDS IT.
Mayor Gilroy's estimate Of $5OOOOOOO as the
cost Of a rapid transit road would seem excessive
sci Rlandy here on Thursday last. Of SlOOO 100000
prepostcrous-that is. If private corporation
should build the road. II Tammany Hall were
to be the builder, on the other hand, the esu-
mate Of Mr. Blandy would be far too conserV-
alive and that Of Mayor Groy as deceiVing as
the estimates in 1870 of the cost or the ne"
CapitoI which amounted to only one-fifth OF the
$50 600 900 expended on the big structure.
Ex-Mayor Hewitt when here on Thursday said
to Senator Coggcshall, the chairman OF the SEN
at, Railway Committee. IN response TO questions:
..Th. Great head system Of an underground rail-
way IS not adapted To New-NoGk. because oi 'ne
character Of the soil In London they merely
have "A clay bank to bore through. Here ap'Ne
Canal-st IN Ncw-York, solid rock Is encountere'l;
W. therefore cannot build an underground rodu
for any 81 900 900 4 mile ! estimate that true
rapil transit road in Newly Dirk would cost rom
81 ooO 900 To- $4,000 900 Il mile. and that me total
cost of such 4 road when built by a private cor
p,~ltion would De about 80 oVo.ooO. 800
Mr. Hewitt and Mr.. Gilroy, Therefore dlHer az
ia the cost Of 4 rapid transit road by ao'ul
e., COO 600 Bu, MI Hcw.trs estimate clearly
was f,lsrI simply upon the thought That the r"ad
would bee constructed ny prlNal" 'o'p"id'l'"'
u.ith a strict eve upon al details II expense.
MAYOR Guroy's estimate possibly hdd among Us
factors "a large element Of politics. ana inc UP
nO, op, may Dee merely the diuerenc" IN the
Mayors mind between a political JOB ana Il nom
political one. .
Mr. Gllr,y's sudden thought about the consu-
,u,i,u trohihiiug New York from mourning more
,r|, . ..r,lin amount Of debt rather surprises
rc.plc here since they remember tnat ne mas
mad. no pr,tcs; at this session Of the L"gisd'ure
again. the bills which have been intro
9uroi authorizing New-York 70 expcnd many
millions upon tn" enlargement of PARKS
M. purchase OF sites FOR new schooi Dul!u-
ings and in various other directions. Noie"Nel'
NJ Gilr0y is putting no check in Newly ork upon
th. expenditure of many millions upon the uDohS.
There would thus appear - De no ouJ'Cllon ~ "a
Mr. Guroys mind T. mourning ind'DIIameSS ~
Ncw-Y York City-where Tammany Han VIII
clearly control the expenditure OF the money
THE AUTHORS or THE LEXowBrTrs BILL
Thor. is a general impression in Albany now
that the Lexow-Butts bill was introduced
through a sham labor organization by the ele-
yo,nd railroad interest and that the main
thought If the men who drew II up was % pre-
vent the passage of such a genuine rdpd ud"-
sii measure a. that II the Chatp'r ~ In
mcrcr They. il Is believed. had no nope OF
Passing the I.eXow- Butts bill. ana were aston
ished that il managed to sluirm along As ia"
as n did unuoticed In the LEGISLATURE. 'NoW '.a-
its character bill To give a HoioP'! ~ ''
Manhattan Elevated Railroad has bc'h rNl"Sei'
they are saying that no RAPID transit pn Vir t
be parsed this session. and thdt IL wouu pr pc9'
:, abandon both this bill and that or the Chah-
b.r If Commerce. But public sentiment III New
York has an opportunity If II VIII express itseLi
10 obtain the substitution OF the Wedsuie oi 'tc
Chamber Of Commerce Tor that introduce" ~
senator Lcxow and Asscmbiymen BUTTS anu
thus gain for it leading position on the senate
calendar.
X THE INTEREST or THE ELEVATED ROADS.
Senator Owens. Of brooklyn. has revived the
hill of ex-senator Laughlin 10 relieve the cIe-
v,,ed railroads Of all suits FOR damages brought
nv property owners along their lines. The Dill
reads follows ...
Section An damages Of any nature "n't 49,.
10 real property 10 any Interest therein ne'e,o
sore or hereafter caused by or resulting from he
con. tructlon operation or maintenance OF any sleil
,ollv1y or any portion OF any steam railway IN or
along any public street OF any city OF TINS Stl'''
whether the construction operation ana inaih'et,''
thereof be- at the fixed ana la~tul Sru'r Oh sun
street o.. otherwise. may be- recovered by those en-
titlcd by law thereto In single action al Jaw OF
by suit in equity against the company or corpora-
ton owning constructing. controlling or operating
Scr This act shall take effect Immediately.
The point of this bill Is that when there can
he A trial AZ law there really can be no pro-
c,.dure In equity Without procedure In equity
there can be no injunction; and where there
can be no Injunction there can be no collection
for the property owners The elevated roads are
heavily mortgaged. n the Owens bill should
become a law corrupt commissioner 81 Jurors
In New York might mpanel Juries which would
not give any re,Ress 10 the property owners
MIR. sANToN FAvoRs THE CHAMBERS BILL"
Senator Saxton. when asked tonight to give
! his opinion Of the Rapid Transit bills said: II
| think the Legislature should pass the Rapid
| Transit bill Of the Chamber OF Commerce. for
IL not only has the support of the people Of
| New York and Is well drawn. but It also ought
| To- meet with legislative approval because 1t
! names men as Rapid Transit Commissioners
whom all know To- be competent and honorable.
| I know that objection is made To naming the
members of the Rapid Transit Commission on the
ground Of its alleged unconstitutonality, but
there IS nothing in the point 1t is constitutional
| to name the Commission. Scores OF legislative
measures name the members OF commissions.
Why. Governor Flower has Just signed an act
| of mine I'm regard to Penn Yam, in which the
village officers are named. Mr.. Hill did veto
| several bills which named commissions and
gave his excuse that il was unconstitutional; put
every one sees that Mr.. Hill trumped up this
| reason because the bills had been passed by a
| Republican Legislature, and he did not like them.
II for one member OF the Senate, also am
| unwilling To give Mayor Gilroy the authority
| TO name a Rapid Transit Commission II may
| be necessary to give him that power with a