New-York tribune., 1896-01-04
The News of Brooklyn
:, THORN IN THEIR SIDES.
.-,,.o.ovv CREEK BRIDGE LIKELY TO
PROVE COSTLY TO SUPERVISORS

..,,-,,n STATES pIsTHICT-ATToRNEY BENNETT IS
,.,.,rp,uxrp TO EXACT THE FINES FROM
>.c, AND QUEENS COUNTY OFFICIALS
v.,,o NEGLECTED TO REMOVE THE
OBSTRUCTION TO NAVIGATION
r,,roLp BOARD Is INVOLVED.
, tho Kings County Board of Supervisors
-, i,s farewell dinner shortly before the con-
,Aao,ion act ended It's existence on January
.Ao ronbors appeared to be of the opinion
49,, q, the stroke of midnight on December 81
,S,~ official responsibilities would be at an
va and that they would never again. either
:. choir own minds or in the estimation Of
.ho~s he supervisors Of Kings County. But
,.,o.o thev disbanded they committed a sin Of
-.;.s,,n which may yet put them into serious
trouble
o..or Neytovn Creek. that strip Of water
Itch eeparatos Brooklyn from Long Island
(,,,. there IS a bridge which the War De-
..r,o,, at Washington has decided unneces-
-,,.. ohs,ructs the navigation on the "creck." "
o.n, Pirer and TIarbor bin passed by Congress
l., contomber. 1890. says that when the Secre-
,or,. of War has reason to believe that bridge
- o.her structure is an unreasonable ohstruc-
,ior 70 free navigation. he shall give notice to
,ho rersons controlling tha bridge or obstruc-
,,on that they must SO alter ii as TO make navi-
CATION possible.
WARNING GIVEN.
He must specify the changes and prescribe a
,i,oo within which they must be made. If at
,he end Of this time the alteration has not
boen made. he must notify the United States
Dis,rict-Attorney In the district in which The
brldro is situated. to the end that action may be
brought against the offenders. If the persons
c,rt~olijrg the obstruction fail to remove it
,.ithin the time prescribed they are liable to a
fine not exceeding $1,000.
cevaral months ago the Secretary of War de-
c,ded that The bridge over Newtown Creek was
sn obstruction to navigation. and the super
visors of Kings and Queens counties were noti-
fed Of the fact. and told TO make changes In the
bridge which would make navigation there
more easy The Supervisors gave no attention
70 the affair, and Distrct-Attorney Bennett
was instructed to bring the matter more forci-
blv before them. He, therefore, sent letters
on October p to Supervisor-at-L Large fitchie, OF
The Kings County Board, and to the individual
members of the queens County Board calling
their attention to the fact that the War De-
nartment's command had not been complied
with and limiting at the penalty imposed lor
failure 10 leave undone that when they
should do.
WENT By THE BOARD.
The replied with letter acknowledging the
District-Attorney's letter. ard said that they
would attend to the business.
Their action ended at that point however
The Queens County Supervisors are stiH IN
eyiete;.ce and there can be no question as 10
their liability to the fine. inasmuch as they
have failed TO do the work required of them
within the specified time.
But the question arises as to the power or me
Distrlct-Attorney to hold the extinct Kings
rnuntv Eoard ,o account The Supervisors APP
rarentlv believe that they now beyond the
reach Of the Law. District-Attorney Bennett'
however knows just where he stands ana con-
edsn,,v aeerrts that the Kings County Super
vsors are just as culpable now as they ever
were and that for every month that passes
their guilt increases. The outcome OF 'he 'aSc
will be awaited with no little interest