New-York tribune., 1901-12-28
BRIDGE GRAB BLOCKED
LOBBYISTS DRIVEN OUT OF
ALDERINEN'S CHAMBER.
MEASURE TO ALLOW HUCKLEBERRY
CARS ON CENTRAL STRUCTURE
APPARENTLY DEFEATED

1
| over the Central Bridge met with apparently
| decisive defeat in the Board of Aldermen yester-
| day. For a long time the resolution has been
| kept in position to pass, as lawyers represent
ing the company were led TO understand and
there has been considerable talk at the City
| Hall recently about methods by which certain
| lobbyists expected to obtain the passage of the
| franchise before the Municipal Assembly ceased
| to exist. 1t has been said that money
promised to some of the Aldermen, and that the
| Aldermen were not sure they could trust the
| lobbyists The resolution was allowed to hang
| fire. it was said. in the expectation that advance
payments would be made
Before the special meeting of the Board of
Aldermen called yesterday, Alderman Nc
| lnnes declared that he was going to put stop
| to open lobbying for the resolution The lobby
| ing has become disgraceful," he said, 'and the
| decent members of the board cannot tell whether
| they are afoot horseback. I know that
| lobbyists have been seated in chairs of some of
| the Aldermen and have taken notes as to the
| way members have voted on the resolution 1
| am going to stop that and give opportunity
| to those members who willing to do honest
| work"
Mr. McInnes was true' to his promise. and in
| the meeting he asked leave speak a sub
| ject of privilege. and referred the fact that
| there were several strangers on the floor Of the
son should receive the privileges of the floor
except by unanimous consent.
Alderman Mccall, the Tammany leader rose
| in wrath and said the Board of Aldermen was
honest and that Mr.. McInnes was rejecting on
the integrity of members
Mr. McInnes asked if Mr.. Mccall wanted to
have specific cited. and Mr.. Mccall
so angry that he shouted yes"
Mr.. McInnes then spoke of vote in the Board
of Aldermen three weeks again
Thursday, when lobbyist sat in of the
members seats and noted down the votes on
the Union Railway Company resolution. The
lobbyists, Mr.. McInnes said. afterward tele-
phoned to corporation lawyer how the differ
cnt Aldermen voted the resolution. THAT
was not only dishonest" Mr.. McInnes said. "but
it was also disreputable. and I do not believe
that lobbyists should be allowed on the floor OF
this chamber
Mr.. Mccall said he never had been approached
by lobbyist in the chamber. He wanted the
rules enforced against such persons, he said,
but ne had three friends from Buffalo the
floor on Thursday. and he knew they were not
lobbyists.
President Woods ordered the sergeant a arms
TO clear the floor of strangers" and there was
storm of protest from Tammany members.
FLOOR CLEARED OF STRANGERS"
Il have a deaf and dumb friend here" plped
can't raise cent I want him TO stay"
A motion to suspend the rules was declared
out of order. and some lobbyists were sent out
of the chamber.
Alderman Wafer asked the privileges Of the
ncor for President Coogan of Manhattan, and
there good natured applause when Coogan
escorted to front seat
When the resolution for the franchise to give
the Central Bridge up TO the Union Railway
4,
bate in which Alderman McInnes attacked the
measure unsparingIy The resolution was again
defeated. by a vote Of % to -. several members
refusing to vote on IT. Several Democratic Al
dermen who had favored the resolution voted
against 1t yesterday. They were Aldermen
FIeck. Gledhil, Hennessy. McCauI McEneaney.
POrges and Wacker They would not say why
they had changed their votes.
The opinion of tn opponents OF the resolution
was that the franchise was beaten TO death but
it placed the calendar for the special
meeting Monday. and some of the Tammany
Aldermen seemed to think there was still hope
for its passage. After the meeting it said
that If the resolution colld ne passed on Monday
the Mayor would not he able to sign it, because
three days could not lapse after the publication
of it's passage. but If the Mayor did not veto il
the resolution would become a law without his
signature. The only way to kill the resolution
if it passed on Monday. it was said, was to
ask for public hearing and get the Mayor to
rterpose his The Mayor cannot approve |
such resolutions until their passage has been |
advertised three days in The City Record" and !
the Mayor goes out OF office Wednesday, !
while Mayor Low would have no right to veto |
approve legislation by the Municipal As !
sembly.
At the meeting yesterday the resolution on !
the proposed extension of the rapid transit tun- |
mel from One-hundred and fort seCond-st. 10 |
One hundred and -fiftieth-s st, and spur with
station at One hundred and forty fifth st. was |
called up by Alderman Mccall Alderman !
Bridges objected and had It laid over until the |
next meeting He again charged that private |
corporations would be the benef1ciaries of the |
addition. and that baggage and freight would be |
sent from The Bronx to Brooklyn to the benefit |
of the Long Island Railroad
ALDERMEN NEAR TO BLOWS
The franchise for the West Tenth Street Con-
Meeting Railway was called up. and only few
Aldermen voted on the first rocall. Alderman |
McInnes attacked the measure and emphatical-
ly declared the franchise would rob the city of
much money. He ended by saying:
'.I am not owned, don't intend to be owned,
and never will be owned by the Metropolitan
Traction Company
Immediately after that Aldermen Mccall and |
McInnes nearly came to blows over questions of
parliamentary rulings Alderman Mc1nnes tried
TO ask question question of privilege. He
insisted, and kept shouting the roll was being
called until the sergeant alarms was instructed
TO take him to his seat Sergeant Coakley went
up to the Alderman, but Mr. McInnes pushed
him away and continued He finally sat down,
when Alderman Wirth, another Republican, took
the floor to oppose the measure. Those op-
posing the franchise fought hard, and talked
Tor a long time against the measure. The final
vote was "a TO 10, and IL declared lost.
Alderman Marks called up bond issue OF
SI36371 o. for the completion of William Henry
Seward Park which was defeated by vote of
90 he explained,