New-York tribune., 1901-04-24
BRIDGEBILLGOES STHROUGH
AFTER HOT DEBATE ASSEMBLY VOTES
95 FOR AND 46 AGAINST.
GRANT OF wEsT-sT TO NEw-YoRk AND
NEW-JERsEY BRIDGE COMPANY
STRONGLY DENOUNCED.

Albany, April % (speciaD.-The bill Of sena-
tor Raines granting TO the New-York and New
Jersey Bridge Company a franchise for building
a system Of elevated railroads along West-st.
and, as some allege, around the whole water
front Of New-York City, passed the Assembly
this morning by vote of 95 to 46- The passage
Of the measure was attended by the hottest de-
bate in the Assembly in the entire session AS
many as a dozen New-York members bitterly
denounced the bill.
The vote cast for the bill disclosed peculiar
situation. The New-York City Democrats were
found to be nearly equally divided, twenty-six
Of the forty-four voting for the measure Four
Republicans from greater New-fork OF whom
three were from Kings County and one from
Manhattan also voted for the bill
The twenty-six Democrats and the four Re
publicans were backed by sixty-five members
from the upstate counties. led by Mr.. Aids the
Republican leader of the majority. The twenty
six New York Democrats Baum, Burns
Delaney Egan, Fitzpatrick, Hawkins, Hasen-
fug Holster. Honeck Hyman, Juengst Keenan,
Lynn, Mathews. McInerney, McKeown Meister,
O'Conneu Prince. Reilley, Rider. Rierdon, Sand
ers Scanlon. Sullivan and Ulmann.
The four New-York Republicans were Adler
Adams Rainey and Remsen.
Thirteen Republicans and eleven Democrats
from the city of New-York voted against the
bill The Republicans Bell, Bennet
Blackwell. Cooley. Cotton. Davis, Henry. Nor
gan Price, Seymour, sherer, W. H. Smith and
weekes The Democrats were Fitzgerald
Buckner, Dempsey, Dooling Duross Halpin
Harburger. Poth. Richter, ]. E. Smith and Van
Name.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION.
The debate precipitated the mo-
nent the title of the bill was read by the
Or he min itx
moved to strike out the enacting clause which
at once brought Mr.. Bedell, of Orange, to his
feet in championing the bill Mr. Bedell said
that the provisions of the measure merely per-
nitted the New-York and New-Jersey Bridge
Company TO build proper approaches 10 the pro-
posed bridge and that plans for the same had
already been drawn by the commissioners named
in the original charter of the New-Iork anu
New-Jersey Bridge Company.
Mr.. Dooling asked If the local authorities had
given permission for the construction OF those
approaches.
Mr.. Bedell replied in the negative.
Mr. hamburger attacked the bill, ana IN the
course of his speech he said:
The introducers of this measure should be
eIectrocuted II is the most gigantic steal ever
perpetrated in Albany.
Mr.. Bell, Of New-York, attacked the measure
in an earnest and forceful speech He said IN
part:
There was never a more outrageous ana
atrocious piece Of legislation than TINS, Which
understand is TO be foisted on the city OF New
York This company is only asking for this
franchise TO sell it again at the expense Of New
York City. This company does not INTEND 10 90
ANYTHING It has had charter ten years and
has done nothing.
Those who are supporting the measure nave
the temerity TO assert that SSo0OOoeO is behind
this enterprise. and that just as soon as the
bill is passed the dummies will give way and
the real men of power will come to the 5ot. front
Every man here knows that ii is dishonest
measure. 1t has right to be here.
Mr. Elsberg chairman of the Senate Commit
tee on Commerce and Navigation denounced the
bill. although it had been referred TO his COM
mittee and said he could not understand why
il was reported out against the committees pro-
test. He said:
Gentlemen OF the Assembly: We face TO
face with a bill which the Oldest members here
declare eclipses all former bills because Of its
enormous privileges--the privilege Of using the
streets Of New-York without going 10 NewYork
for permission. And yet this BILL despite its
tremendous Importance. is TO be railroaded
through in the very last hour of the session.
s. W. Smith, of Columbia, characterized the bill
as grab" pure and simple. He said that at its
end it contained an omnibus clause wiping out
all former statutes in accord with it, In
closing he said:
The bill does not come in here with a clean
nafu or a clea0 race. No man who considers
himself bound by his vows Of office as a member
Of this house should vote for it.
Assemblyman Morgan made short but
trenchant attack the measure He said in
part
do not yell Steal" at every bill that comes
before US; but have the gravest suspicious as
10 the honesty Of this measure 1 know that it
should not be raiIroaded through here AT this
final hour, without giving the members an op-
portunity Of knowing what they voting on
Assemblyman Davis. who made a stubborn
fight against the measure last night again at
tackled IT this morning. He said in conclusion:
This is local bill in the guise of a general
bill 1t is aimed the city Of New York and
Yet ii evades the authorities Of New-York The
bin is unconstitutional and will he so dac,.ras
In my opinion, by the Supreme Court lust AS
held IN former case, known as the l55 Y
This is a bill which the party that passes il
bill Of 1895.
Mr. Duross said the bill was dishonest on its
face. and added:
II does not provide for one penny of revenue
70 the city for the traffic on the bridge itself
instead the bridge company may charge what
tolls il pleases.
SUPPORTING THE MEASURE
Mr. Aids. in supporting the measure said:
The Governor viii have thirty days to con-
slider the bill II il is a bad bill he can veto II
II IL Is good he can sign it, / think that we
can trust the Governor in this matter
The reason that the bill is wanted is because
expires next July unless $3.50 900 worth of work
has been done in the mean time
Mr.. Aids here attempted to move the previous
question. cutting off all further debate.
Mt. Fitzgerald. leader Of the New-York Dem
ocrats. leaped TO his feet and shouted:
What, the previous question on a 100000 oo0
bill? IN the name Of Justice I object"