The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-09
FRESH GOSSIP
FROM GOTHAM
Chamber of Commerce After the
Elevated Roads.
PERMITS TO PIERS DISCON INUED
New Order Issued by Surveyor OF the Port
Designed to Prevent Smusgling-Em'
phatic Protest Made Against the
State System OF Taxation.

NEW YORK, March S.-For those who
are daily crashed ana damned and
driven from gate to platform on the
Brooklyn Bridge and New Works elevated
roads, especially at the City Hall sta
ton, there is now hope of relief. The
Chamber of Commerce, at IT'S meeting
held yesterday afternoon, appointed Il
committee to devise some means of re-
lievinS the shameful overcrowdinS Which
obtains on the street railroads of the
greater city. Alexander a. Orr, president
OF the Rapid Transit Commission, offered
the following resolution:
Resolved, That the president appoint 4
committee OF .hree, with the power to
increase their number and 10 engage
pert assistants, if found necessary, and
report to this chamber such reccmmen-
dations as in the Judgment of the COM
1rittee are considered essential for the
relief of the situation.
Mr.. Orr had described in detail the
manner in which life and limb were
daily irlperiIled on the elevated railroads
and at the Bridge.
In Mr. Orrs opinion terrible accident.
is inevitable if some change in existing
conditions is not soon made.
FREE RIGHT OF WAY.
Announcement was made last night
that the .Astor estate had granted to
John 3. Mcdonald, contractor for the
rapid transit railroad, the right OF way,
free of charge. for the tunnel under the
blocks on either side of West Forty
second Street on the easterly side or
Broadway. This grant, which Will save
Mr.. Mcdonald q large sum and possible
yexatious delay, has been made in con-
sideration of the fact that the location
of d station at the corner of Broadway
and Forry-second Street is expected to
cause a large advance in the value of
adjoining property.
Plans for the station and for the turn
of the tunnel from Forty-second Street
into Broadway were finished on Satur-
day. The construction of the tunnel
under Forty-second Street is regarded
as one of the most difficult sections OF
the entire road, because of the large
number of pipes and sewers Which must
be avoided without disturbance Work
was begun last week east of Sixth Ave
rue. but Mr. Mcdonald said ne did not
EXPECT the Forty-second Street section
would be finished before the other sec
tons were ready
THE cLoTURE RULE.
Senator Hanna believes that the oloture
rule introduced in the Senate by senator
Piatt, of Connecticut, will be taken up
at the beginning of the next session OF
Congress and made a rule OF the Senate
st have always been in favor OF the
rule" said Senator Hanna, at the Wal
dorf-Astoria last night. II believe that it
will be passed.
..Then you think it viii be taken up st
the TEXT session Of Congress and pressed
to adoItion?" 1 asked.
.sr CO." replied Sc, ator Hanna.
..Cannot it be talked to DEATH as it has
been tcf,rr2
ct is a bad time to try to talk meas
ure to death at the beginning of the long
session." replied the Republican chair
man.
TO PREVENT SMUGGLING.
By an order of Silas III. Croft. Surveyor
of the Port, issued yesterday. the custom
of admitting to the steamship piers rela-
tives and friends Of passengers on IN
coming Atlantic liners has been d.scon-
tinued.
Pier passes will no longer be recognized
bv the customs officials, and hereafter
waiting friends will be excluded from that
part OF the pier temporarily in the pos
session of the inspectors for the exam
nation Of baggage. The new regulation Is
expected to cause a storm of protest from
patrons of the lines, and it is said that
officials OF the companies tearing tae
effect Of the order on their business are
already taxing steps lo"siio -ieif4i- -
modified.
II has been the custom for two 2ears
for persons seeking to meet incoming
steamships to receive from the lines
a AGENTS passes admitting them to the
piers. To make these PASSES OF erect
they had to be eountersisned by sur
veyor Croft or representative.
The new regulation is said to BE- de-
signed to prevent smuggling, the ress
privilege having been abused by SNUG
eIers and their confederatcs.
CITY BEARS THE BRUNI.
Most emphatic was the protest mace mace
nv the Chamber of Commerce yesterday
against the system OF taxation when
<compels the residents of New York city
to bear the brunt OF the burden OF sup
porting the State. while the citizens OF
the balance of the State are allowed to
go almost scot free.
It was shown by a report submitted by
George T. Seward, chairman of the Cham
ber,s Committee on State aud Municipal
Taxes, that in 1898 the metropolis had
turned in IS per cent. of all the money
collected by the State for taxes, and that