New-York tribune., 1902-12-04
TO REPORT NEXT TUESDAY.
prr pA11RoAD COMMITTEE HAS NOT
REACHED DECISION YET-MCALL
SUGGESTS COMPROMISE

The railroad committue of the Board OF Al
dermen held a secret meeting yesterday alter
noon in the of President torneS anu ue
cided to make a report TO the BOARD Oh 'he
Pennsylvania tunnel franchise on IuesoaS oI
next week Apparently there was no agreement
as to the recommendation to be made IN d ma
iority report but the committee Will nave aii
other meeting on Monday afternoon ihiofhia
tion from the committee condensed IN tle
following statement issued by Alueii ie
mer the chairman of the committee
"The committee has decided to report Tues
dav next We have not voted on the main
proposition but by mutual agreement we nave
decided to meet next Monday at ";oo. we shail
then vote Oh the question at issue ana siail
frame the report for presentation to the boaro
of Aldermen
Members of the committee got together yes
terday at D. in an ante-champef anu u"
duged in some preliminary talk oeIore MI
Fornes who is ex officio a member but has no
vote in the committee, invited them INTO HIS
room. Some of the members said they were
willing to have open meeting, but the rest
said they preferred an executive session. Juos-
ing bv the talk of the members before they held
their meeting they were inclined to vote as fof-
lows: In favor of the franchise. Elias GOOD
man (Rep0. James Owens Oem). and w. D.
Peck CRep). Against the franchise as 1t STANDS
John Diemer (Rep). John T. Mccall CDenl.)' ana
Moses j. Wafer Oem1. Doubtful. John c. hiett
CRepp, Frederick Lundy (Rep), and Robert f
Downing Rep)
Whichever way the vote on Monday SHOWS
the committee to stand there will be a minority
report offered when the franchise is reported to
the Board of Aldermen Tuesday. Aldermen
KIett Lundy and Downing said yesterday that
they did not know how they would vote until
fhp1- mad he views of their associates.
Downing is said to be a Republican who takes
advice from Michael J. Dady, the Brooklyn poll
tician and Dady was with Downing when the
members of the railroad committee were as
sembling in the City Hall. Alderman Mccall.
the Tammany leader In the committee, said he
would vote against the franchise unless the
eight-hour clause was inserted.
Perhaps / will waive the prevailing rate of
wages clause and other conditions which we
have been insisting on.'' he said but the eight
hour day clause will stick out for to the last
II was said after the meeting that Mccall had
suggested that there might be a compromise
on that line and that some of the other MEM
bers of the committee were inclined to agree
with him There Will be a discussion on that
point when the committee meets again on Mon
day. While the committee was in session II re-
ceived a communication from Judge Fitzsim-
ons, asking that if the franchise be granted
clause be inserted compelling the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company to take all the property for
which its plan asked the easement He made
like appeal at the public hearing recently.
Alderman Sullivan, Little Tim, who is work
ing hard to hold up the franchise. was busy
about the City Hall while the railroad commit
tee was in session, and he talked about the pro-
lection of labor and the reports of attempted
bribery. declaring that the opponents OF the
franchise were ready to have the fullest invest-
CATION. Senator Sullivan C'Big Tm) who has
been suspected Of being the real leader in the
Ia vliyDr
the franchise. denied yesterday that he
concerned-n the opposition. Then he said:
would insist the Insertion OF the prevailing
OF clause and the eight-hour day clause in
every employed in the construction OF the tun-
mel must be Il citizen OF the United States and a
resident of New,fork The Pennsy ylvania Railroad
Company is a foreign corporation. and its refusal
TO agree to the labor clauses is plain indication
that 1t intends to import its labor from Pennsyl-
vanla and New-Jersey. and pay whatever wages IL
sees fit TO pay.
There has been considera BILE talk in political
circles recently that If the Board of Aldermen
does not pass the franchise the legislature will
be asked 10 change the charter take
from the aldermen all voice in the granting of
franchises and vest the power entirely with the
Board of Estimate and Apportionment. Con-
troller Grout, when asked yesterday for his
opinion the subject, said
think the entire Board of Aldermen might as
well be abolished If any such action is taken. The
composed OF representative men above suspicion.
Even fin the administrations II has been
Board of Aldermen should be abolished now but
do say that If there to be any radical change
such Is suggested the whole board might we'll
be wiped out and all the powers given TO the Board
of Estimate.
URGES ALDERMEN To ACT.