The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-12-26
STEWART AND SHARP
A CHAPTER FROM THE HISTORY OF
THE BROADWAY STREET RAILWAY.

! bmAfLBGI
Boodlers-The Story as Told by an Ex-
Mayor Who Was In the Fight.
Daniel F. Tiemann, New York's Oldest
living former mayor, now 81 years old,
was speaking the other day at his home In
Audubon Park of the great dry goods mer-
chant, Alexander T. Stewart. He had
been talking of the development of the city
through the instrumentality of surface
railroad lines, and particularly OF the
struggle carried on for decades by Jacob
Sharp for the acquisition of franchise for
a horse car line in Broadway. Connecting
TIE two trains of thought Mr. Tiemann
said:
"Mr. Stewart was q bitter and pro-
nounced opponent of Mr.. Sharp in the lat
ter's endeavors to get railroad into
Broadway. The first clinch between them
came in 1853, when was member of the
board of aldermen. The question of q
grant of the franchise for the proposed rail
road in Broadway came up before the
board. was opposed to road In that
thoroughfare 1t seemed, however, to have
been all arranged that the resolution In
favor of the road should be rushed through.
Just before the vote was taken man
leaned over the desk and said, 4 will give
the city 81 100000 for that franchise or
$40, 900 year for it in perpetuity.' The
rate OF interest was then per cent I said
to him as rose and pointed to my desk:
Please sit down there and embody that
proposition In writing The man did So
The name signed to the offer was that of
A. T. Stewart had never seen him be-
fore.
II Immediately arose and announced to
the board that had an offer in writing
for the franchise at 81, 900, 900, or $40, 900
annually. Cries Of who Ia it?' came from
several members Of the board immediate
ly. "A. I. Stewart, l answered. Then
there was big commotion Those who
thought they had the thing all slated to
go through were thrown into a state of
CONSERVATION. Immediately one of their
number moved to adjourn, and adjourn
they did, to got their breath, suppose.
After the adjournment Mr.. Stewart
came to me, and saying he knew nothing
of such matters, asked my advice as to
what course to pursue. / told him to
wait until he heard from me, and when
the matter was to come up again would |
send for him, and that then he should
have a carriage waiting in Cham bers street
and should come into the boardroom and
wait for signal from me, and when he
got the signal to drive to the mayors
house-Mr. Westervelt was then mayor
and take him away and keep him out IN
til or B O'Clock the next morning Mr..
Stewart said he would follow my instruo-
lions.
"Ten days before the expiration Of the
year the franchise question was to be
brought up again. 1t had been kept quiet
and apparently dropped, go that it could be
rushed through at the last moment. The
men who were engineering the job knew
that the mayor, If he did not sign the reso-
ution, would let 1t become law without
his signature upon the expiration of the
ten days. The manager Of the scheme for
The railroad company had been shrewd
'nough to take In some men who were
,lose friends of the mayor, and he had told
ne that be could not afford to antagonize
hese friends by yetoing the measure. He
old me, however, that he would take a
ide with Mr.. Stewart If he should call.
You see, the point was aiming at was to
'revent the measure, when passed by the
'oard, from reaching the mayor until the
GLOWING day, SO that 1T could not be be-
ore him for ten days before the expiration
t the term of office Of tho existing board
nd this would throw the whole thing
yer, to be taken up by the next board of
ldermen. l had found out what the plan
the manipulators of the scheme was,
nd was prepared for the emergency
when the day came, Mr. Stewart was
n hand. At the proper time gave him
40 signal, and away he went. As he aft.
ward told me- he jumped into his car
age and was driven to the mayors house.
he mayor was not at home, but had left
ord that he could be found at his broth
'-in-law's house. Away went Mr.. Stew
It in hot pursuit. AS he drove away from
II, Westervelt's house another carriage
as driven rapidly up. Mr. Stewart sus-
ected something, and away he went at
Ill speed. He found the mayor at his
house, got him into his
lrriage and drove off at furious pace
s he drove away the same carriage he had
en drive up to the mayors house once
ore appeared and some one jumped out
I'd fastened into the house as Mr.. Stew
t passed from sight. The man in the
cunu CatFTlitge udu tlle hideTlnaLllC TeSOlu- |
On in favor of the railroad franchise in
s pocket, and he was doing his best to
t it into Mayor Westervelt's hands before
idnight.
" Mr.. Stewart took the mayor away and {
pit him away until the wee, sma' hours 7
the next day. And SO he killed. the
heme that year. Various attempts were :.
AIDE to get the road into Broadway from
at time on, but the best that Mr.. Sharp
uld do was to get the old Broadway and
yenth Avenue railroad route, which left
oadway at Union square and went down
diversity place. 1t was not until Mr.
arp had got the general surface railroad
Y Of 1884 passed, under which special
nmission of three could be appointed by ..
general term of the supreme court to v
IS on the advisability of the granting of
J franchise after q failure to obtain a
jorty interest Of property owners along
proposed route, that he secured the -
nchise for the Broadway Surface Rail v
ID company between Union square and
South ferry. But since this approval
the railroad, sustained by the general
m, required also the consent of the
yor and the common council, the fran
Sc was not perfected until the famous
odle' board of aldermen had made
le history for themselves and had laid
rails, as 1t were, on which some Of
m rode to Sing Sing prison. Now