New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-15
PROBING A TROLLEY SCANDAL.
INVESTIGATION BY THE MOUNT VERNON
BOARD OF TRADE.
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE
MAYOR AND THE CITY CLERK POSSIBLE
CHARGE THAT AN IMPORTANT Doc
UMENT WAS SUPPRESSED

UMENT WAS SUPPRESSED
Widespread dissatisfaction exists In Mount
Vernon over the action Of the Mayor and Alder
men in granting a franchise for an electric rail-
road through seven miles OF the streets OF the
city to the New-York. Westchester and Con-
necticut Traction Company for fifty years. and
Mayor Fiske and City Clerk Hoyt may be re-
moved from office by impeachment proceedings
begun by the Board Of Trade. committee Of
the Board Of Trade. consisting Of ex-Mayor
Lewis, ex-Mayor Sanford. Joseph s. Wood.
president OF the Board OF Education: william
F. Giere. member Of the Board OF Education;
Charles Hill Wilson and Colonel John f. Bryant
is Investigating sthe granting OF this franchise.
and will report at a special meeting to be held
on Monday night.
statement concerning the franchise was
given yesterday by Joseph S. Wood. acting for
the Board Of Trade. He said that in october
the Aldermen had two applications for fran
chses seven miles Of the principal streets
Of the city. One was by the Weschester Elec-
trio Company better known the Union Rail-
road Company. and the other was by the New
York. Westchester and Connecticut Traction
Company. The Union Company owns the pres
ent street railroad system OF the city ana OF
New Rochelle and Yonkers. which adjon Mount
Vernon, and offered n ive-cent fare from these
cities to its terminus at One-hundred -and-twen-
ty-ninth ST. New-York City. The New-York.
Westchester and Connecticut Traction Com
pany. although 1t offered the city great induce
ments for the franchise is operating at present
no lines Of railroad in Westchester County. and
could offer no immediate service or connections
By vote OF to the Aldermen at that
time gave the franchise to the Union Company.
and by like vote rejected the application OF Its
opponent Owing to important parts OF the city
which were about TO be left without a service
the Aldermen made it condition with the
Union Company that 1t must apply within thrty
days for franchises over these routes and on
such routes on Chester Hill as the Board might
designate.
The time for presentation OF this application
by the Union Company expired at midnight on
December g. According to Mr.. Woods state
ment. on that day at 3:1O p. m. the Union
Railroad Company. through special messeh'
ger. delivered to City Clerk Hoyt the applica-
ton which it was required to make, ana the
City Clerk gave a written receipt therefor. Oh
the following evening there was meeting OF
the Aldermen and 1t Is charged by the Board OF
Trade that the application was suppressed; IN
this manner the Aldermen were LED 10 DeileNe
that the Union Company had broken faith with
them and did not intend to apply for the iran
chises In question. Therefore they granted the
New-York Westchester and Connecticut Trac-
tion Company the franchise II had asked 1or
This was done by a tie vote. the resolution pc
ing adopted through the casting vote OF the
Mayor. , l..
sIn the discussion before the vote was taken II
was charged by the committee Of the Board OF
Trade that Mayor Fiske wrongfully aided IN tne
adoption OF the franchise by ruiea contrary t'
those adopted by the Board Of Aldermen one
of these rules is that motion when first mace
can be objected to and when so objected &c
must go over TO the next regular meeting with
out further debate. Mayor Fiske applied this
rule to amendments to the franchise. and finally
TO a motion 10 adjourn. If the Board follows
It's usual custom next Tuesday night II VIII
discuss the question Of whether or not 1t should
have adjourned last Tuesday night. and a vote
will be taken on the subject The same pro-
cedure will be followed to the amendments
offered to the franchise. Mr.. Wood also says
that steps will be taken to annul the franchise
on the ground that 1t was not legally adopted
At meeting Of the committee Of the Board
OF Aldermen Monday night City Clerk Hoyt de-
clined to make any statement concerning the
previous meeting until formal charges were
made against him. Mayor Fske said to the
committee that he feared no action that would
be taken. and that he did what he considered
was best for the interests of the citizens.