New-York tribune., 1901-03-30
MORE ROADS FOR THE CITY
BILL FOR NEW STRUCTURES OF
NORTH RIVER BRIDGE COMPANY.
ELEVATED LINES ON wHARvEs AND
ALONG WATERFRONT OF NORTH RIVER
PROPOsED-TERMs OF THE MEASURE.

ALONG WATERFRONT OF NORTH RIVER
PROPOsED-TERMs OF THE MEASURE.
Albany. March % (SpeciaD.-A bill was in
troduced in the Senate to-day by Senator Raines
which It is believed. arms the NewYork and
New-Jersey Bridge Company with the power TO
build a system of elevated railroads along the
waterfront of New York City which are to be so
connected with the terminal Of its bridge span
ming the Hudson River that freight and passen-
ger trains may he direct from the wharVes
of the North River to the Far West. Legislators
who have examined the bill say that some big
railroad is probably behind the measure
Under one of the bills provisions the Board of
Aldermen would be compelled TO grant what
franchises were demanded within a reasonable
time after application therefor.
The bill also provides for the incorporation
OF a new company which may inherit all the
original rights of the New-York and New-Jersey
Fridge Company. as established by its charter
in 1890. Such company may also receive
the optional privilege of building elevated rail-
roads along the rverfrOnt
The company has practically a franchise on
the whole waterfront of the North River De-
tween Tenth-st and hundred -and-eighty-
nrst-st which are the limits in the original
charter Of 1890 The company. in addition, has
a franchise along all the streets ending at the
may build elevated railroads.
The only conditions imposed the building
Of such elevated structures which will be con-
nected with the bridge proper. and thus permit
trains from New-Jersey. coal and iron trains
from Pennsylvania, and wheat trains from the
Far West TO enter New-York. are the following;
Frst-They shall not be built over public
park. - 49,
Second-They shall not be built lower than
fourteen feet from the surface of street.
Third-The motive power to be used on these
structures must meet with the approval OF tne
State Railroad Commissioners.
Fourtb-Three per cent of the earnings on
both the main bridge and its elevated ralroad
approaches is to be paid to the City Controller.
The bill provides. Furthermore, the condition
that when the elevated roads are built over
wharves the structure shall be rot less than
fourteen feet in the clear above the grade of the
principal or first floor level of any such dock
wharf pier or passageway."
Provision Is also made for the construction
company to lease its elevated tracks TO rail-
road and other transportation companies The
section granting such privilege reads as fol-
lows:
Such corporation may, in accordance with such
location and plans of said commissioners ana oy
and with the consent of the state Board or ttall-
road Commissioners. construct, maintain and
operate railroad tracks for public use q.
upon such bridge. appurtenances, approaches
/
thereof. and may contract with any other cor
poraton for such use thereof.
The bill also provides that the construction and
the operation OF the waterfront elevated rail-
roads is TO he under the superintendent OF the
/ Dock Department
The Controller of the city is empowered TO ex-
anime the receipts and expenditures of the
bridge company in order TO determine what is
the per cent due TO the city for the franchise.
after introducing the bill. thus making 1t i'm
possible to learn in Albany in whose interests
the bill had been framed. BY telegraphlng to
| the Senator at his home in Canandaigua. the AL
bany correspondent of The Tribune obtained
the following telegram. which clears all doubt as
| TO the purpose of the bill:
Canandaigua, N Y
II IS, I understand for the New-York and
New-Jersey Bridge Company.
The introduction of the bill caused consider
able furry in the Senate When Senator Raines
asked that the bill be advanced to third reading
Senator Foley objected. Senator Sullivan imme-
diateIy conferred with Senator Foley and then
| said: The objection is withdrawn. / move the
bill 10 n third reading" Senator Brown then
objected, but after examining the bill. he also
withdrew his objection. and the bill was ad-
VanCed.
James s CIarkson is the president Of the New
Charles H. Swan is the secretary. Directors Of the
company are Louis WindInuller Charles A SmyIie
William II. Ely, Lorenzo duncan. John Laughran
Daniel n. Lockwood John s Runnells John C.
Adams George Young and Thomas H Bauche
Only Of them could be found by a Tribune re-
porter last evening. Mr. Ely said he did not know
much about the bill that had been introduced by
Senator Ranes, but he understood that 1t was in
tended enable the company get the franchise
for the elevated tracks along the North River
front.
The company, he said. had been ready to go
ahead with the work of building the bridge soon
the franchise for the elevated road the river
front obtained The capital build the bridge
and the elevated road is available any time.
Recently the company had hearing before the
Sinking Fund Commission on the question OF the
percentage which the company ought to pay out of
its gross receipts If it secured the franchise for the
elevated roads along the river front. The COM
| mission decided that the company ought to pay
per cent, and the company thought that was ex-
cessive. 1t is contended that the bridge could not
be made pay without furnishing terminal faciIi-
ties TO a railroad. II the railroad trains
| the bridge and make connections with the
steamship lines on the North River there will be
| doubt as 10 the success of the enterprise, its
| promoters say.