The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-09
COUNTY DEBT FOR TUNNEL.
,ovrTroLLER GOLFER MAKES SIREN
1" UoUs OBJECTTON.

-.u, tho Rapid Transit commissioner That
10 scheme II immoral and VIII BE Cn-
".nsntutional II Pending Amendments
~ the Constitution Are Adopted.
r,o BOARD OF Rapid Transit Commissioner.
80 offices in the Home Life Insurance Com
-. building were burned out IN the Ore on
pp..d.v night, held a regular meeting at the
csamher OF Commerce yesterday afternoon.
So"nn,rouer Coler went TO the meeting to urge
~, tollow Commissioners not to seek for leEis-
,.,ar empowering them TO build the road with
'e az, ohtAined on bonds OF he county Of
~ York. without reference to the city.
NNS,ob he thinks would DO wrong morally. even
W. .bonld be decided 10 be legal. Mr.. Coler
~, ~, got to the meeting until IL had ad-
%taorned. and therefore had no opportunity to
C'snross his views formally. He brought the
natter IN for informal discussion.
Mr. Coler thinks that the trainers OF tho
e,.,s Constitution intended 20 prevent just
rb,t the Rapid Transit Commissioner propose
"a have done. Section 10 OF Article VIII. Of
,hs Constitution says that any debt here
,nsr incurred by any portion or part Of a city,
q there shall be any such debt. shall be In
.,oasd in ascertaining the power Of the city
ssoome otherwise indebted. Whenever the
Sosndaries OF any city shall become the same
y. those OF a county. the, power OF the county
"a hacnnle indebted SnAll cease, Dut .UnB uent OF
" county Mt that time existing shall not be
iMrcliied MS part OF the city debt"
"NI Coler says that this did not applyto the
III city al New York. which included, a part OF
Wsstchester county. He says that the franz
w Of the charter saw the danger OF a double
inJehtedness. and introduced in the last, Legis-
iature an amendment TO prevent Just what the
Tommissioners want done. The proposed
smendment was adopted by both branches OF
the Legislature. 1t must come ,ur again at the
next session. and then be submitted to the
nenple. The amendment Is as follows:.
p.Wbenevcr the boundaries OF any city are
,he same as those of n county. or whore any
sity shall include within its boundai les more
;thsn one county. the power of any county
wholly included within such q city to become
Indebted shall cease
"Mr CoIer will light vigorously against any
scheme looking toward the creation. of a debt
within A debt in the city. He believes, that
sueh action would be a gross injustice to hold:
sTs Of bonds Of the city Of New York, and
would be not only morally bad. but would be
moor business policy.
Secretary Delafleld said yesterday that so
far as he had been able to find out. the most
valuable thing which the commission lost In
the Are on Sunday night was its, seal, The
rIans, drawings and. data Of the hoie in the
around we're all IN Engineer Parsons's office:
MI. Delafeld had copies OF all the records OF
The commission In his office. Three DAYS be-
fore the fire George l. Rivss sent to the Com
missioners' office for the records Of the first
Ranid Transit Commission. and he had them
In his office when the Home Life building WINS
afre. The commission will meet at the Cham
Der OF Commerce until new quarters are found.