The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-24
FRESH GOSSIP
FROM GOTHAM
PIatt's ConstabuIary Bill Will Prob
ably be Abandoned.
MILLIONS LOST BY THE CITY
The Experimental E,ee'r'o Road
Makes Fast Time-Dynamite
Taken from the Depot In
stead of Fruit.
MILLIONS LOST BY THE CITY
The Experimental Electric Road

Piatt's plan OF forming the police OF the
cities into State constabulary system. 1t
now seems certain, is dead. 4 police DILL
will De introduced in the LegisIa ture soon
after it organizes next January, but it will
not provide for State constabu,ary.
Senator Platt insisted last night that
his views on the subject had not undergone
a change, although he said that the forth
coming measure would not provide for a
would be provided for to meet the o5-
lection of those who disaDproved OF the
constabulary idea.
Since Senator Piatt suggested that the
police Of third-c.ass cities, as well as OF
second and first-c.asss cities, should be IN
Guided in the State constabulary scheme.
he has heard many protests from his
trusted friends in all parts OF the State
AS long as the protests came from other
sources, the Republican leader adhered TO
his original purpose. But Wnen many
leaders whom ne has trusted or years all
urged him to abandon the scheme, senator
P!att lost some of his enthusiasm, and
now, it is reliably asserted. he has con-
sented to a radical modification OF his
plans.
MILLIONS LOST.
According to a report made to the Board
OF Directors of the Merchants Association
Yesterday by Frederick 3. de Berard. New
York city has lost s4,1n.,372 through dis
creDancfes in the Department Of Water
Supply since 1879.
NO charges of malfeasance or OF misap-
preparation OF this vast sum are made in
the report. It is simply stated that such
discrepancy exists and that II II does NOT
exist then the official data OF the depart
ment are misleading and worthless. II the
data are reliable, the report adds, the city
has lost more than 100000, and in any
event the system is rotten because it con-
ceals either transformation or corruption.
Mr. de Berard found, as the result of his
investigation, that the value of netered
water from 1879 to 1890 on the basis OF re-
ports made by the Chief Engineer, was
S11 24S 1e2, and that during that period the
Water Register had accounted for only
81 13S. 800 This total. he adds, includes not
only the amount collected by the Water
Register, but the amount due the city and
returned by him arrears.
THEY'RE AFTER HIM.
Several members of Miss Olga Neither
sole,s Company, at Walac!s's Theatre,
would like to meet Nj. George Leslie again.
Some OF Captain George McClusky's men,
too, would like to make his acquaintance
Mr.. Leslie was q super in ''Slpho, at
WalIacks Theatre, until last Thursday
night That evening he left the playhouse
suddenly, and a lot OF money, jewelry and
other yaluables belonging TO members OF
the company went with MIN.
The matter was reported to the police at
once, and all Thursday night and yester-
day Detective Mannion was looking Tor
Mr. Leslie, but up 10 a late hour last eve
No of him had been found.
Make FAST TIME.
All along Second Avenue, from Sixty
fifth to Ninety fourth, Street, men, women
ay.a .ch.iqren I,eerlfto ,cur.ousiy from the
windows OF the big tenements or gathered
il; groups at the street corners yesterday
to watch the experimental electric train,
with its six brightly vanished cars, max
ink its official trial trips up and down the
elevated road.
All tlls officials appeared 70 be- well sat
isfied with the new system. w b. BAKER
thu general superintendent. observed that
the electro trains would run at higher
rate of speed. that there would be free
dom from dust and cinders, and that there
| would also be a reduction in operating
expenses.
While the system viii give local trains
| a speed OF from fourteen to fifteen miles
! an hour, the management intend to IN
| troduce electric expresses. which Will ma
! tcrialiy reduce the time between the Bat
! tery and Harlem These expresses VIII
| make possible speed Of th.-ty-tive miles
| an hour, as a special night test Of the
experimental train has proved.
! Each motor car is equipped with four
| I5D-horse power electric motors The cur
| rent is taken from a third rail by four
| iron shoes fastened to the forward motor
| car, and which slide along the rail The
| only new feature of the third rail system
consists of Two planlls, wa.ch are run at
| either side of the rail, and extend along
| it to prevent accidents to employees.
DYNAMITE NOT FRUIT.
Nine cases of dynamite were taken on
| precarious journey IL Piainleid, n j..
! Wednesday, and incidentally the lives of
! several persons were placed in jeopardy.
There arrived at the Central Railroad
| fire ght house a consignment of eleven
| :;oxe; of fruit for Emil C. Wolfram, OF
| West Seventh Street. Elwood Stats, an
| expressman, was engaged to deliver the
boxes Stats went to the compartment
where freight consigned to names begin
ming with W was held for delivery.
It happened that there were also nine
| cases OF dynamite consigned TO Wilson.
the ..stons craker man in the Watching
| Notch. Without particular investisat on
| St;ats selected the cases that he thought
1
| belong TO Woltman.
| He piled them into his wagon and drove
10 West Seventh Street. He was told TO
| nut the boxes in the cellar He did SO,
| piing them not far from the furnace.
Heat generally intensifies the explosive
| qualities of dynamite
| Stats drove OFT and soon Mr.. Woltrldn S
hired man. john Mitchell, appeared. With
hammer and chisel he tore off the cover
+! of one of the boxes. He showed his hand
| into the sawdust and brought forth one
| of the dark looking sticks.
Some mistake here" he said, putting
| the stick into the sawdust again and
| mailing he top on to the case with visoF.
| Then he turned the box over. He turned
| pale as ne read in big, black letters:
Highly explosive. Handle with care
THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Fifty iron workers spent thrLlllns
! quarter of an hour on the INV East RIVER
| bridge during the storm "Wednesday after
| noon. When the gale struck the eastern
! district of Brooklyn the fifty were at WorfN
on the steel span high above the river;
| They Frustrated themselves at once anu
| chung to the iron fasten.ngs All thss
faared yyas rne danger from flying UNI