New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
ruE PEOPLE VS.. RAILROADS.
,,ovV COMMISSIONER WHITE WOULD DEAL
WITH THE SURFACE LINES.
.rrcrARDs THAT SHOULD BE INSISTED on
.,,,, NEW FRANCHISES ARE GRANTEp-rHE
PHILADELPHIA PlAN-How THE FUTURE
suouLp BE PROVIDED FOR.

A.. poara of Aldermen by City Works Comms-
t,ner White which attracted little attention from
80 Roard or from the press of Brooklyn. although
,lalnIy deals with question OF vital importance.
a. White was long ago impressed with the treat
,rsnt accorded to the surface transportation COM
,,as in Philadelphia as compared with that which
~ companies Of Brooklyn have received. In Phil
sas,nhia when the companies made application for
sho privilege of changing their motive power from
..rses 10 electricity. condition imposed by the
,,v authorities that they should repave the
,roe,s in which their tracks laid with such
,,,,royed pavements as the proper officials might
ssslruate In this way hundred more miles of
nod pavements have been provided in Philadel-
phia. 80, -, l.,
p-ookvn the good pavements of the city would
~ been greatly increased without cent of cost
=, the city Instead OF this the change 70 electricity
was made without any compensation TO the city
Oar the unsighuy wires put up and the increased
danger inherent in electric traction when a little
So-ssieht would have enabled the city to reap large
,vantages for there can be question that the
,rnanes would have accepted the condition sug-
este as readily as did those eff Philadelphia 1t
ts Of course too late TO remedy this omission as
"a franchises already granted but plainly 1t Is 10
III interest Of the city to provide for contingencies
ina; may arise in the future.
Further Commissioner White had had dlihculty
.n getting the companies TO fulhl the conditions
,,is down by their charters in regard TO keepnS the
s,rae,car charter in the city was granted in lSO5
:, ,na BROOKLYN City Company. 1t provided that
ne company sh ouli keep in thorough repair the pave
men; between its tracks and rails and for three ieet
., each side OF the tracks, and the same CONDITION
ms inserted in all charters subsequently granted
~ change was made when the trolley system was
..-,5reed but the general railroad law, as amend
e8rn lN2 provided that the companies should pave
.ne mart Of the streets occupied by them in the man
,er directed by the local authorities and that the
ars used should be approved by the same authori-
HRINGING THE RAILROADS TO TERMS.
Commissioner White is now endeavorng under
A.. ,,-o,isions of this law TO compel the surface
railway companies to assume their share OF the cost
~ repavinr street when improved pavement
g nut down as has recently been done on streets IN
uhicb the cars OF the Atlantic Avenue and the Coney
island and Brooklyn companies run. As the com
nanics promptly declined to meet him half way on
the proposition made TO them, one action has already
hean begun TO determine the scope OF the law ana
Others will soon follow
These actions will decide whether a railroad can
le compelled 10 bear due proportion OF the cost OF
,aviuc q new pavement in other cases than those IN
which an assessment for the improvement is lald
or the property owners. Under law passed 'he
present year where assessment proceedings are had
for a pavement railroad street. the railroad
cornnanv is REQUIRED to pay one-fourth of the cost
This will be the case respects the proposed as
phalt pavement on Court and Joralemon SITS IN the
immediate vicinity of the City Hall. and also the
brick pavement which is 10 be provided on Green
ave. between Fulton-st. and Clnton-ave.
ONE COMPANY SUED
The action referred is against the Coney Island
end Brooklyn Company in connection with the re-
pavement of Man-st., which was in exceedingly
condition principally because or It's occupation
by railway tracks. The company having refused TO
assume a share OF the cost OF the work II was done
BY the city and a suit has been brought to recover
the amount which in the opinion OF the Cly "orhs
Vow it is COMMISSIONS Whites conviction that
provision should be made for the future ana ,T ne
hs eenstrcton of street railways to be oper-
ated by electric power, that necessary safeguards
In his communication to the Common Council he
calls attention TO the fact that this department has
continual trouble in securing the proper care Of the
street pavements by the corporations TO whom iran
chises have been granted in former years and also
n preyentias danger to me water M mains mans o dI r1 c of
electric power in by such corporations" The
"wl7 most effectuay prevent trouble in the future.
and especially such as have. been found in other
cities 10 secure good results"
BORROWED FROM PHILADELPHIA.
The stipulation which he recommends IS borrowed
from the Philadelphia ordinances in so far as these
relate TO pavements and the transmission Of cur
rents. which the only matters relating TO the
granting Of franchises by the Aldermen with which
The Department Of City Works is Immediately con-
cerned The clause or section recommended TO be
sdded 10 any grant made by the Common me CoIn6H Ell
provides that before any permits snail issued ny
work proposed the company shall enter into con
stantial workmanlike manner, with granite asphalt
or other improved pavement, as directed by the
and the very best manner, 10 be prescribed by
and 70 me satisfaction o the s@a be dp@d1ne nt m
already repaved with such improved pavement; ana
also all other streets heretofore repaved with an
improved pavement the repaving of which is not
satisfactory TO the said Department said repaving
shall be occupied by poles. trolley wires or
otT il further pr6Vded that the Company fails to
o. tie work properly and pTSmPty IT 81 shall net be o d9he One
company. and the company Is required to maintain
al such pavements in good order There Is the ad-
shaI plac5 the feed wires Of its electric system
under ground and shall provide Tor me return Oh ne
s!oner Of city Works and the Commissioners of
trolysis. and shall take down and remove the over
head trolley system and substitute therefor an IN
derground or storage-battery system whenever d.
Iec,ed 10 do so by the Common Council ,
The significance of the last clause IN MI w mite $
proposed addition 10 any future iranchse Una, Z may
be adopted will not escape attention As tne nhdeI
sI.vna -. no to-.ey nas pSe ~ ,be not remote future
be generally adopted in BROOKLYN. In fpact t@nere @
seems 20 be no reason why any new hnes con
s,ructed should not equipped with It at the out
Sc OF course there is the same danger IN tle TN rgt
Tou1 b.. gTeat gain 10 keep wires out of the
streets NOT onv IN noint of s,ghtliness but in the
removal Of what are at times serious oosructohs 10
tbs work OF the fremen.
TAKING THOUGHT FOR THE FUTURE.
In talking on this subject, Commissioner White
expressed the opinion In decisive terms that the
tine had come when the city should undertake TO
provide for the future by determining in rational
way where II anywhere additional lines OF railroad
Should be provided and by setting apart also the
streets which should be kept exempt from surface
and elevated roads perpetuay by various acts or
The legislature from time TO time. A consi1eFapie
humber VI streets have been MADE permanently ,ret
from railway tracks but all that has been done mas
been IN haphazard sort OF way A., -. .o,
j gbElOus
Streets as thoroughfares for travei other tnai ~
cars. and such thOroughfares would In the main
coincide with the streets which asphalt or efahle
payements have been laid. Some or these sueets
nave been exempted, but on no dennlte or coh'plee
hensiye basis. In the Commissioner view t.ls