New-York tribune., 1901-05-07
rs 1T 4 GHOSTP

The latest manifestation against the rapid
transit enterprise in its present form. which
WAS originally spoken of as a protest. is now
apparently assuming the nature of a suit for
damages against the city in the name Of certain
survivors of old corporations. The point seems
70 he that company which has from time TO
time gathered in the alleged powers andl inter
ests conferred on various underground railroad
promoters during 'he last thirty years is pre-
pairing 10 contend that il possesses vested
rights. n considerable sum Of money having
been expended in prosecuting the work which
they were authorized 20 undertake. that the
Rapid Transit act violates those rights and is
therefore null ana void. and consequently that
the company is IN position TO demand recon-
pense from The municipality There Is no evi-
dence that the commission or the contractor is
agitated by this sudden and belated notice Of
an action at law. and the clty's law department
IS evidently not disturbed. for Assistant COrpo-
ration Counsel ConnOly says: Il have heard
'rumors Of contemplated legal proceedings. hut
this is the first tangible evidence of the com
'pany's claims which the city has received
The company is a ghost. a phantom out of
the past and see no occasion for any worry
ION our part
That is not precisely the view Of the case
which the company and the legal advisers with
whom IL seems 10 be well supplied would pre-
Ter TO have the city ana the Rapid Transit
Commission adopt. hut IL is one which the COM
nunity is likely 10 share We would not speak
with disrespect or harshness of anybody who
owns or thinks ne owns. that extremely attrac-
i've creation Of the law known as n vested
tight; and since il is Indispensable that justice
should be done, whatever happens to the
We hon hat nh
snfulflled renown" VIII be able 10 collect every
Collar the city owes them without heartbreak-
ng delay. They have not said how much they
expect or would he willing 20 take and call II
iquare; but they name 100000 as the amount
shich they expended in getting ready 10 do
something in the rapid transit line and il Is
reasonable 10 assume that they think them
~iTes entitled 10 a much larger sum i'm consid-
sration OF what mighI have been. Still. 5000
'annot be regarded as a negligible quantity
wen In times like these. when shoDgirls
saiters, actresses and office boys are well
snOwn 20 be making a great deal more than
hat every day in Wall Street. and I, Is not
impossible that the pending suit might he com
promised al that figure IN case Mr.. Connolv,s
supposed ghost should unexpectedly materlaliza
n a form 10 scare him.
But even then il viii be desirable, before pro-
iucing the money. 20 try the effect OF saving
Avaunt." IN firm and commanding tone. For
Z must oocur 10 everybody that the present
manifestation has been strangely delaved Why
iidn't IL come of during the nervous period OF
apid transit negotiations or. better stin. per-
,sps. just ms Mr. Mcdonald had closed the con
ractl AZ that time people were In a mood 10
De startled. and the bOldest heart might have
suaked az the prospect OF litigation Fortu-
,ately IL may not he necessary 90 wait long for
IN answer 10 this and gther interesting aues-
sons. With a prudence and precision which
'ew statutory enactments display, the Rapid
Transit act provides that any legal proceeding