New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-22
FIGHTING FOR THE BRIDGE.
RIVAL INTERESTS HEARD IN ALBANY
ON THE PAGE BILL.
THE TROLLEY COMPANIES CONDEMN 1T AND
LAUrERBACH AND UHLMANN ADVOCATE
AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED BY


STRONG AND wURsTER.
Albany. April 2l.-The Page bill giving the Brook
Ign Bridge Trustees power to lease the Bridge tracks
TO the elevated railroads of New-York and Brooklyn
to be used as connecting link between the elevated
roads of the two cities. had hearing this afternoon
before the Senate Committee on Commerce and Nay
igation Ex-Lieutenant-GovernorS heehan was In
and about the committee-room before the hearing.
and Charles A. Collin. his law partner. sat by A. f.
Lamb during the hearing. Edward Lauterbach and
Frederick Uhlmann appeared for the bill.
A. E. Lamb. OF Brooklyn representing the surface
roads, made long speech In opposition This BILL,
he declared. disseminated against the surface
roads Of Brooklyn and the interests Of the citizens
and the municipality OF Brooklyn" To support his
assertion he quoted Statistics proving that the sur
face roads carried three times more persons than
did the elevated roads He said that the surface
roads last year carried 900 passengers and the
elevated roads carried only 100000.
Engineer Martin. of the Bridge says that the
structure carry cars of elevated roads and cars
OF the surface roads too" declared Mr.. Lamb. En-
act law giving the trolley roads right to cross the
Bridge and then you will have law in the interest
of the'pubc.''
Speaking OF the fare. lease and rental. Mr. Lamb
said: you asked to give the Bridge railroad
the elevated roads for fifty years. that Is. for the
life of the structure. minimum rate of fare Is
fxed-not less than two and half cents. AS the
years come such v-st Improvements and new dis
coveries being made that no man can say that
it shall not be possible in few years time to carry
passengers for fare of one cent. AS to the rental
the average net income for the three years past was
$500 900 a year. Why. the trustees have charged
against the running expenses OF the Bridge railroad
the large sums expended for the great improve
ments that have been made Statements are sub
stantally made that when the improved terminals
are completed the Bridge railroad instead Of having
l2500D passengers day Will have 10000 day.
This will give TO those who ask for the bill $4,000
and they must pay out 100000. They need do moth
ing else
John Proctor Clarke. Assistant Corporation Coun-
sci of NewYoik City. said he did not intend to
speak the merits of the BILL but would leave
with the committee amendments suggested by the
authorities of New-York City after careful scru-
tiny of the The amendments provide
that the lease instead Of running for fifty years
with a privilege to for another fifty years.
shall be for not than fifty nor less than
twenty years. The rental under the amendments
net earnings Of the Bridge for three years. The
rental after ten years is to be fixed by the Bridge
trustees Under the original bill the rental during
the whole term was to be the average OF the net
earnings of the last three years The third amend
men: provides that. besides the additional rental Of
per cent on the cost of construction Of the Bridge
extensions there shall be paid per the cost
OF orb IGt that
the cost Of consruGion Of the bdgS eH tens ms
title shall vest in the cities OF York and Brook
lyn
Senator Ford began a series of questions tending
to ascertain why minimum rate OF Bridge fare
was fixed and Edward Lauterbach took the floor
to explain. Mr.. Lauterbach said that II would be
unwise reduce the minimum rate Of fare The
bridge Trustees had never been able to reduce the
Bridge fare below 2i2 cents. and had never been
able with the OF fare in vogue 10 pay more
than IL per the Bridge bonds.
Mr. Lauterbach said that the trolleys in Brook
lyh mad killed $50 people and manned 600 others.
He continued: The trolley lines retsrdng
Brooklyns growth. The city has gained rapidly,
and will have 10000 population in few years.
The growth has been along the lines OF the elevated
roads, The people are afraid TO live near the
trolley lines"
Mr.. Uhmann then spoke In favor OF the bill He
quoted statistics to prove that A. per cent Of the
bridge passengers carried by elevated roads.
81 per cent by surface roads and "A per cent came
from other sources.
Senator Brush, of Brooklyn, objected 10 the pro-
vision In the bill which permitted the execution OF
a lease for fifty years. He wished the life OF the
lease TO be not more than twenty years. with the
Bridge Trustees and he also said that the estimated
rental. $3.50 600. was not enough.
Mr.. Lamb took the floor again and said the
anne ndments did not strike at the serious features
of the bill. Give me month" he concluded.
land will guarantee TO form six corporations TO
lease the Bridge tracks and pay 100000 yea.
rental 49,
This closed the hearing, the committee deciding
to report the bill for reprinting with the Clarke
amendments.