New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-13
TALK OF AN EXTRA SESSION.
GOVERNOR HAS NOT YET DECIDED ON
SUCH A STEP.
,ossrBLE ACTION ON FORD BILL-DIs-
crJssEs MAYORS RAPID TRANSIT VETO
POWER CONFERRED BY MAR

crrssEs MAYORS RAPID TRANSIT VETO
POWER CONFERRED BY MAR
SHALL ACT.
A,hanv May IL ecia).-Governor Roose-
,,s,, frankly stated to-day that he had received
kilograms and letters suggesting that he call q
.necial session OF the Legislature for the ex-
,ress purpose OF having a rapid transit bill for
N.v-York considered but he stated that this
nronosition was so new to him that he had not
,,st had time TO consider it carefully and form
any decision upon 1t.
II was rurnored to-day that he might sign the
r,o-d Franchise Tax bill on Tuesday and then
call a special session Of the Legislature to mako
nodded amendments to It. II is we'll known
chat the bill is not in a form satisfactory to him.
1ys desired some central State authority clothed
Nth mower to assess the value of the franchises
~ the various corporations which would be
erected by il If the measure becomes law
Thus he would have had the Controller. At
rney-General and Secretary of State for In
,,once act as a State Board of Assessment; or,
nossibly. might have favored the placing OF this
autv upon the shoulders of the present state
BOARD OF Tax Commissioners.
CHEF OBJECTION TO THE BILL.
The most serious objection to the bill In the
.-oyernOrS opinion was the authority IL SobASAASN
ION local boards Of assessors, who might use
!, onnressively to assess the value of fran
oh,se But the leading members of the Legis-
,eture could not be stirred up to action on the
matter. and at the hearing yesterday on the
hu the Governor expressed the opinion that
ovarv owner Of real estate personal property
4. 40 the mercy Of a tax assessor, and therefore
Ia AID not see why corporations should not be
axnosed to the same peril Yet undoubtedly ne
you,d be willing to have the bill amended so
az 70 provide that there should be state BOARD
Of Assessors to assess the value Of franchise
This would undoubtedly be one Of the subjects
Of consideration If he should sign the Ford Fran
cbise Tax bill. and then call a session OF the
legislature TO put IL in a more conservative
form.
QUESTION OF RAPID TRANSIT.
The Governor manifested interest to-day how
ever. chiefly in the rapid-transit situation in
New-York produced by Mayor Van Wyck's veto
Of the Rapid Transit act. The Governor said
that Mayor Van Wyck's veto of that act justi-
fed his (the Govcrnors) position Of opposition TO
a perpetual franchise The thought in his mind
clearly was that if Mayor Van Wyck had vetoed
this comparatively mild bill granting fran
chse of only fifty years. what would he have
done with bill granting a franchise of per-
petua duration?
Il would like to point out to the friends of
rapid transit" said the Governor, that, from
my point of view, my opposition to the granting
of a perpetual franchise TO a rapid-transit road
has been indicated A perpetual-franchise
feature in the bill would have constituted valid
objection to it, and would have justified veto.
strongly believe that the Rapid Transit bill in
its present form should become law. and the
odb of he In re Or}pi
form should now understand that on no theory
of official propriety could 1t have been signed in
that original form-granting perpetual fran
chise Mayor Van Wyck's action is vndica-
ton of those who insisted on limiting the fran
cbse"
UNDECIDED AS TO SPECIAL SESSION.
The Governor was then asked by the newspa[
per correspondents If he had any thought of
calling a special session of the Legislature for
the purpose of passing rapid-transit bill-t
having been killed by Mayor Van Wyck
II have received number of kilograms and
letters suggesting that special session be held
10 consider the rapid transit situation" an
swered the Governor. land 1 have been consid-
ering the need and desrability of such session,
but the subject is so new TO me that, really,
cannot decide the question to-day"
The Governor was further asked If he consid-
cred Senator Marshalls tunnel act. signed yes
terday by him. rapid-transit BILL one that
could be used by a corporation desiring to con-
struct a rapid transit line in New-York City.
He replied that he doubted If the law could be
used for any such purpose; that he did not be-
lieve the authority Of the Rapid Transit Com
mission was superseded by It. 1t contained wids
provisions but not sufficiently wide, he thought,
to be used for the construction of a rapid-transt
road.
TEXT OF MARSHALL ACT.
Senator MarshalIs tunnel act. signed by the
Governor yesterday, is given below:
Section 70 Of Chapter 1913 of the Laws of 1897 being
the Greater New York Charter, is hereby amended
so as to read as follows:
After the approval Of this franchise
right to use the streets, avenues pathways or
highways; Of the city shall be granted by the
Municipal Assembly to any person or corporation
for longer period than twenty-five years. except
as hereinafter provided, but such grant may at the
the Hight on fair rsvauaiion or revauations to
renewals not exceedins In the aggregate twenty
suance thereof may provide that upon the ter
minaton Of the FRANCHISE or right granted by the
erty OF the grantee In the streets avenues, park
thcreupon be and become the property Of the city
without further or other compensation TO the
grantee; such grant and contract may provide
that upon such termination there shall be fair
valuation Of the plant and property. which shall be
and become the property Of the city on the term ma
ton Of the grant on paying the grantee such valua-
ton. If By virtue OF the grant contract the
plant and property to become the city's, with
out money payment therefor. the city shall have
the option either TO take and operate the said prop
erty on Its own account, 10 renew the said grant
for not exceeding twenty years upon fair re-
valuation, or 10 lease the to others for
term not exceeding twenty years. If the original
grant shall provide that the city shall make pay
ment COR the plant and property such payment
snaii be a. fair valuation of the same as prop
cry. ehciuding any value derived from the fran
chse; ane II the city shall make payment for such
pant ana property II shall in that event operate
the pant ana property on its own account for at
least rye years after which it may determine either
10 continue SUCH operation on its own account or
TO lease the said plant and property and the right
10 use the streets and public places in connection