New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-10
PEOPLE VS.. THE RASCALS.
FIELD DAY FOR THE AMSTERDAM AVE
NUE. RAILROAD BILL.
wAYLAID BY HOSTILE SENATOR'S BUT
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE AS
sEMBLY-A PARADOX AT ALBANY


Albany. March Q (SpeciaD.-The Assembly
to-day passed the Amsterdam-ave Railroad
bill unamended while the amendment made TO
IT in committee last night virtually adopted
by the Senate by the defeat Of a motion Of Sem
ator Ford TO restore it to It's original form. The
amendment provides substantially that damages
shall he awarded 10 the Metropolitan Street
Railway Company and the Third Avenue Rail-
way Company by tbe city Of New-York II they
can prove that they suffer at all through the
operation Of the proposed law. The opinion or
many lawyers in the Senate is that the amend-
ment also throws into the courts for at least nVe
years the question as 10 whether or not tho
tracks shall be arranged as the bill contemplates
that they shall be. VIII the Third-ave. railway
h. able to operate its two tracks near the curo
of Amsterdam-ave while the courts are settiins
this question? Some Senators think 1t WILL ana
some think It will not the courts possibly
will have to interpret this matter also II tho
bin is passed with the amendment included.
NOTABLE DELEGATION.
Eleven carloads of residents ~ Amsterdam-
ave and its vicinity came 70 Albany To-Day 10
listen 70 the first debate the measure Tnere
were probably six hundred or seven hundreo
men and women in the delegation. Albany mas
seen numerous big demonstrations. hut this was
the most impressive in many years the deie
CATION marched mp the hill 10 the Capitol ana
then filed the lobby. the galleries of the Senate
Chamber and ell the floor space hack Of the
Senator's desks Senator Ford said thar ord'-
narilv a Senator could ask the privilege OF the
floor for a constituent but this eleven car
loads" Of constituents could nor receive thAs
courtesy He therefore moved thar the Senate
adjourn for five minutes. and the Delegation oe
admitted to the floor Of the Senate. The mouoh
was carried. and large number Of the Visitors
entered the chamber and had talks with the
Senator's
ON the coat Of each NJ the visitors was
white ribbon. inscribed with red ard oacK lev
ters as follows Life and Llmp versus ''"''
road" "Amsterdam-ave Antl-GraD
Among those in the delegation were Thomas
4 Fulton president Of the Amsterdam ANehu'
Property owners Association }. Ean Nech'e"
Olcott and John c. Coleman. counsel Tor mo
association; Mss Grace Dodge and numper
OF teachers and students from Ieachers Co'
,aga .fohn B. Pine. secretary Of the Board OF
Trustees Of Columbia University the heV' DE-
John p Peters. rector Of St. MchaeIs Protes-
tant Episcopal Church: the Rev. Jonn baicom
Shaw OF the West Side Presbyterian churcn;
John Stewart. president Of the New-Amsterdam
Club. and large number OF the members Of the
club: the Rev James VI. Galligan. Of the Holy
Name Church: John F. Doyle De Peyster Fos-
ter. Dr. David Marshall James F. Barcus, J.
Clarence Davies F. J. Luckings, 5. Z. Car
michael. Charles H. Israel ard Judson Lawson.
RAINEs OPENS THE BALL.
! Senator Raines handed up the report Of the
Railroad Committee he being its chairman. and
Senator Ford asked that the amendment should
be stricken out
Senator Grady asked II Senator Ford had not
himself proposed 10 amend the bill
II did two weeks ago. he replied. but 10
not now and I want the bill to pass just a. II
is"
Senator Ford said the amendment had been
shown to him two days ago, and he had taken
il under consideration in a liberal spirit He
was willing TO wager that not a Senator who
had seen It could tell what It meant. He could
not tell thing about f. He had consulted
lawyers regarding 1t. and they had all come
10 the conclusion that the amendment would os
harmful He felt that his bill covered the
ground sufficiently by it's fourth section. pro-
viding that jury should be called on to assess
damages.
The bill had lain two months IN committee.
T. might have been amended six weeks ago
The only reason why 1t had been amended now.
he believed was a desire to delay it's passage
and kill IT, Senator Featherson, who offered
the amendment he considered an enemy to the
bill The manner in which 1t had been offered
he considered an indication OF the hostility OF
the committee to the bill. II would emasculats
the measure by inserting provisions which
would warrant the Mayor in vetoing II, because
it would impose burdens the city Of New.
York which the city ought not to bear.
ISSUE JOINED BY FORD.
Senator Ford then moved that the Senate dfs-
agree with the report and recommit the bfi TO
the committee with instructions that the amend
ment be stricken out. No compensation should
be made he said to the railroads which were
killing children. and causing depreciation or
property all along Amsterdam-ave.
The Senators he declared, were face to facs
with grave situation. II was the struggle De-
| tween the corporations one hand ana tho
people and their rights on the other. and ne nad
never known an instance where the issue hsd
been sharply defined
Senator Grady said the motion to strike out
the amendment was the most unusual and ex-
traordnary proceeding he had known during sne
twenty-two years OF his familiarity with lesis-
lation He wanted the strangers to understand
it 80. The ordinary procedure OF the Senate
made it proper to consider such amendment
after the bill had been reprinted and placed on
file II. after two days examination Of tho
amendment the Senator from the XlXth could
not tell what ii meant, he ought not to expect
that after a mere reading by the clerk the other
Senators would be able 10 determine whether IL
, was good bad
The truth was, he GRADY had himself
brought the amendment from New-fork he
had given one copy 10 Senator Ford. another 10
Senator Ranes and a third 10 Senator Els
worth He had tried TO give them out to every
man he met In his opinion, the amendments
was much more against the corporations th@n
| the present Section A.
TRICKERY2 PERISH THE THouGhI'
He had read IN the newspapers that trickey
was Intended in the Senate against the oh-
- .o. 49,, cories NJ the amendment TO