New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-23
FOOLED THE ALDERMEN.
THE BROOKLYN HEIGHTS ROAD STOLE ,
MARCH ON THE CITY FATHERS.

WERE ADOPTING RESOLUTIONS AGAlNSi-
MEssRs CLARK AND FRANCISCO CALL
UPON MR.. WILLIS AND THE POLICE
IN vAIN-MR. cLARK's THREAT
The Board of Aldermen. and more particularly
Joseph r. Clark, its president, and Alderman
Francisco, chairman Of its Railroad Committee
spent lively three hours yesterday afternoon
trying unsuccessfully to stop what the Aldermen
called "the theft Of street by the Brooklyn
Heights Railroad Company That the term was
too strong was shown by the fact that the rail-
road company was working under authority OF
the City Works and Police departments Inc
work against which the Aldermen objected was
the laying Of a new curved connection between
the Court-st and Crosstown lines at the cross
ing Of Joralemon-st. and Court-st.
There has long been a connection which turns
south in Court-st. but the new connection turns
north and is intended by the railroad company
to permit It to run its crosstown cars to the
Bridge by the way of Court-st. A resolution by
the Aldermen compelling the tracks to be torn
up a deep sleep" the part Of City Works
Commissioner Willis and the refusal of Mayor
Wurster TO interfere In the are all Interest,"
ing parts of the proceedings; but to make it
clear it may be well 10 go back to last year.
when the Board Of Aldermen was asked to grant
permission for this same connection, and refused
to comply with the request on the ground thar
more tracks at that corner OF the city Hau,
would increase the noise that now disturbs tho
deliberations of the Common Council. and, as the
Aldermen put 1t, would turn the City Hall into
a railroad station.
Last week In the absence Of City Works Com
missioner Willis in st. Louis. Deputy Commits
sioner Fielding granted a permit for the Brook
Ign Heights Company to do some special work.
N
day afternoon Aldermen LEIGH and Stewart. see
ing that the work for the new connection had
been begun. and believing that such work was
an extension of the Crosstown Line, and. con-
seouently requiring grant from the Board or
Aldermen visited Mr.. Fielding and Secretary
Whiting at the City Works Department ana
succeeded in having the work stopped iester
day morning they held consultation with some
Of the other Aldermen. and. as result, Alder
man Francisco presented at the meeting OF the
Board resolution directing the City Works
Commissioner to inform the Board why this
work was being done. Some Of the Aldermen
maintained that the resolution was entirely 100
mild and II was returned to Alderman FRAN
CISCO In few minutes he submitted anotheF
resolution directing the City Works Commits
sioner to remove the newly laid tracks, ana 10 re-
pave the street as it was before. at the expense
Of the railroad company. unless the railroad
took such action itself The resolution also IL
rected the City Works Commissioner to ten
the why and wherefore
LAYING THE TRACKS BEGUN
After the session Of the Board had begun. ana
before the resolution had been introduced SONS
o, the Aldermen, happening TO look out OF inc
window were astonished to See large gang Ok
men "hustling' the work through AS soon as
nd
man Francisco hurried down 10 the corner where
the work was going on. and there they iouho'
strange to say. Deputy Fielding quietly watching
the men.
"Rv what authority Is this work being doner'
,nou,red Alderman Clark OF Chief Engineer
Rreckinridge who appeared TO be In charge on
hehalf Of the company Mr.. Breckenridge called
I'D the foreman of the gang. and the latter eN-
hibited a small document which gave 70 tho
railroad company permission TO open the street
for snecial work at Court and Joralemon SITS"
II was signed by Augustus J. Dayton, permit
clerk of the Department Of City Works
"Special work does not mean the laying OF
new track" said President Clark. You mad
perfect right 10 replace your Lewis ana ro"ler
rails with girder rails on the other connection.
but this work could only be done by permit
from the Board OF Aldermen. and the railroad
Il
nection Of this sort can only be made by
three-auarters vote of the Common COUNCIL
We will make you jump on hot gridiron for
this. We don't propose to have you make .
trolley station out Of the City Hair
Mr. Fielding interposed and stated that he
had given the permit in the absence OF his Chief
well YOU acted without authority, said Mr.
Clark Messrs. Fielding and Breckenridge stated
to Mr. Clark that Corporation Counsel Burr
had approved the permit.
We'll Mr. Burr has sometimes been reversed"
replied Mr. Clark.
Then President Clark ordered Messenger
Weeks Of the Common Council, TO go and get
policeman from the Adams-st. station house.
While waiting for the policeman. Aldermen clark
and Francisco. accompanied by Tribune re-
porter went TO the store Of City Works Com-
missioner Willis in Court-st. hoping To find him
there Thence they directed 10 Mr. Will
liss house next door. The father Of the city
Works Commissioner, when told that the Presi-
dent Of the Board OF Aldermen desired 10 see
his son. said that the latter was sound asleep
upstairs. and would not be awake until O'Clock,
which three hours later.
POLICE ORDERED NOT TO INTERFERE
Returning to the City Hall the two Aldermen
met the policeman and ordered him to stop the
work at once After examining the permit, he
induced the City Fathers TO go with him 10 the
station and explain the case to his superior
officers This they did. They met Captain
OReilly and demanded that he stop the work.
He looked over his botter and told them that at
LOO D. M he had received from Police Head
quarters an order that ALI restrictions on the
work at Court and Joraemon SITS. were with
drawn by order OF the Commissioner OF City
Works. Captain ORciliy said that this order
left him no option except to refuse to interfere
Then the Aldermen went TO Police Headquarters
ard found Captain Buclkholz in charge. He
,..,.al ....ar hn r.,cnrds nd the order