New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-30

the cable The Third Avenue Company mas Hi"
better fortune with its cables than the Metro
poIitan has had in Broadway. and the ihiru
Avenue is making much money WITH us eA-
listing machinery that it may not do away Will
It's cables for considerable period. NOT man!
wears have passed since the horses in the BOW
cry and in Thlrd-ave. gave way to the capies'
but the Third Avenue Company. although IL
has been compelled to expend large sums III 'he
changes which It has made. Is now PAYING
handsome dividends. and Is likely 10 pa! sun
larger ones in the future In fact, II Is obvious
that the transportation companies WHICH run
cars on the surface anywhere on Mammalian
Island and almost anywhere in brooklyn are
sure to have years and decades oil spiehuiu
prosperity before them. All this part or me
United States is Increasing steadily. ana even
rapidly in population. while the NUMBER Oh
visitors from every point of the compass Is eN-
banding impressively every year MOST uh-
fortunate 1t is for the taxpayers or cw-lorN
and Brooklyn that the corporations winch are
certain to amaSs prodigious riches ny carrying
people through our avenues and streets are not
required to contribute more generously 10 tue
public funds. 1t would be difficult to discover
anywhere within this county and anywhere III
Kings County n corporation using the streets
turn for the privileges which it enjoys. The
people Of these great cities have been surren-
dered to the untender mcrcics Of these corpora
TONS and the men In control Of these compa-
MES show no disposition to pay to the cities
what they ought to pay. Mistakes OF the worst
kind have been made in the past in bcstowlng
much upon these corporations and getting ;"
little In return.
Under the new charter new enterprises III
surface TRANSPORTATION will bc required to do
more for the public than the existing compa
MES have been doing Something will be gained
I'm that way. although the various lines nave al
ready laid holi upon all the richest areas and
the most valuable franchises In the several
counties which will make up tho Greater Now
York It Will be the duty of the municipal on
cals. and in fact Of all who have the public in
terest in charge, 10 compel new corporations
hereafter to give as much as possibly can be
secured from them in return for tho use Of 'he
streets and the avenues. No more overhead
electric wires should he strung anywhere. from
tho furthcst verge Of Staten Island TO the
Yonkcrs line. or from the North River on the
west to the eastern extremity Of the Greatcr
New-York Every company which now Uses
electricity and every new company which IN
use the underground system rather than the
overhead system. Ii Is not necessary mere ana
now to dwell upon tho many dangers which the
use Of the overhead electric wires involves. II
has been found in every city in which trollcys
are numerous that the fire departments are
hampercd and embarrassed by the poles and the
wires The number of accidents and disasters
OF various sorts which have occurred in consc-
uuencc Of the overhead wires Is appalling. No
public spirited ofiic. one occupying place
OF trus; who honestly desires TO serve hls fell
low-ctlzcns. will refrain from opposing the adj
diton OF new overhead wires 10 the frightful
excess Of these wires which does so much mis-
chief in Brooklyn and In some other parts os
the Greater New York When the new charter
goes into effect the vigilance Of all of'ccholdcrs
and Of all bodies which have any power OF re-
stralnt upon the corporations which use the
streets should y" carried out 10 the utmost.
New York and Brooklyn have been far too gen
erous and too prodgal 10 these corporations
They should be kept vigorously within bounds
hcrenftpr