New-York tribune., 1901-04-25
MANY OPPOSE FRANCHISE.
CITY CLUB MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
AND OTHERS WILL URGE GOV
ERNOR To VETO NORTH RIv-
ER BRIDGE BILL

The promoters of the proposed North River
! Bridge are meeting powerful opposition Lined
up ayalnss It row are the City Club the Mer-
chants Association, Tammany Hail. ex-Mayor
Hewitt, Controller Coler and numberless other
individuals, who regard the project as iniquitous
ExMayor Hewitt in speaking of the measure
yesterday. said
No franchise for an Undertaking of this kind
interest with a contribution TO the sinking fund
for the repurchase OF the property within fifty years
any time during that period by paying the amount
a. paper companies can continue 10 get valuable
franchises in this way from the city and State
valuable 20 sell in course of time While 1
Mayor l approved the plan for putting an elevated
river front but any scheme of this kind should be
sat ee iy n w % % enjoy the
franchise is an enormously valuable one.
THE city should build and own the approach
on the Manhattan side" said Controller Coler.
This approach. elevated structure. will give
access to all the docks. and will develop such
an earning capacity to make it worth prob
ably much $100,O0O.OOO. The approach
should not cost more than S500OOOO or &c.
100000. 1t is the worst kind of folly for the
State to turn over to a few individuals such an
enormously valuable franchise The city should
build and own the approach. There should be
no monopoly about it. If 1t falls into the hands
of private parties it will be made monopoly.
monopoly controlled the only bridge crossing
the Mississippi at st. Louis for years. 1t so
hampered the growth of that city that Chicago
surpassed it in growth and Importance. New
York merchants shipping good to st. Louis fire.
quently unload them on this side of the river
and transport them across on scows rather than
pay excessive rates for crossing the bridge"
The who seem to own the New-York and
New-Jersey Bridge franchise. as far as granted
as follows:
Delos E. Culver.
James S. Clarkson former chairman of the
Republican National Committee.
Everett M. Culver. son of Delos, and son-in-
law of Senator William A. Clark. the copper
miner.
George Young the Hcorice manufacturer
J. H. Bauscha Mr. Young's son-in-law.
Benjamin w. Wright. an old friend of Delos
E. Culver.
Everett NJ. Culver is president OF the corpora
tion in New-Jersey
Delos E. Culver when seen yesterday at the
Office of the company said:
No particular railroad is behind hi this scheme for
act ali the railroads would have the right to use it.
! conceived the idea of a North River bridge IN
Changes s aa in nfH the Pans g viii 6s yet havs
the sontEast M Ct TO build the Sov Jersey @ approach on
eral years ago John B. Mcdonald wanted Is per
New-jersey Corporations owning the franchises for
the bridge will authorize the issue of 900
A syndicate has practically agreed to underwrite
this bond issue. The New-Jersey company is cap
italiZed S. OO0000 of which $4,000 is paid
The New-York company has capital of sl0,o0000O.
and has issued $500 600 stock, about 10 cent of
which has been paid for.
Delos E. Culver the name of one of the
builders of the old Midland -.ailroad, which
through Orange. Sullivan. Delaware and Che
mango counties built by the towns through
which it passed voting bond issues. These bond
issues. some of which were obtained by sensa-
tional methods, impoverished many of the
towns, which are still paying interest the
bonds.
A. J. Baldwin chairman of the Committee
on Legislation Of the Merchants Association,
has called a meeting of that committee for to-
morrow at 4:3O O'Clock, and invitations have
been sent to property owners and lessees of
dock property along West-st. to be present at
that meeting, in order to give their views on
the subject.
The action of the meeting tomorrow will be
used the basis of formal protest, be
made by the association to the Governor next
Tuesday.