The sun., 1902-12-02
TUNNEL FRANCHISE SCANDAL.
DIENER or II n. COMMITTEE
PUTS OFF 4 VOTE 4 WEEK.
Committee, Which Was to Have Met YES.
tcrday, Won't Meet lntii Tomorrow
Murphy Says He's Given No Orders
is Tamniany Playing Politics:

Yesterday was pay day for the Aldermen.
They all, good, middling and otherwise,
drew their monthly salaries from the city.
But such eyes as have strained from the
City Hall steps for the approach Of the
Penns sylyania pay car couldn't discern
anything that looked like it.
At 3 O'Clock In the afternoon 1t was an
nounced that the Railroad Committee
wouldn't meet until Wednesday afternoon.
This action brings another weeks delay
over the tunnel franchise.
John Diemer, who is in the liquor busi-
ness at 20 Hopkins street. Williamsburgh.
Is chairman of the Railroad Committee
He had said, and other Aldermen had made
the same announcement, that the COM
mittee would meet yesterday afternoon so
that the reports. favorable and unfavor-
able, might both be put before the board
at to-day's meeting.
Aid. Demer appeared at the City Hall early
and drew his salary. Then he went away.
After dinner the other members Of the Rail
road Committee came strnging in one by
one. Aid. Diemer telcphoned from his
home that he couldn't get over for a COM
mttee meeting. but would fix the time
for it, He told the City Clerk TO post a
notice of meeting Wednesday afternoon.
That was just late enough TO occasion a
weeks delay.
An afternoon paper had printed a story
TO the effect that Aid. Diemcr had byen
converted TO the side Of public opinion
through talk with Lieut. Gov. Timothy
l.. Woodruff, who had promised to leLd
his support with the Brooklyn Aldermen
to pass the franchise.
Aid. Diemer denied this. He said he
had not seen Mr., Woodruff in ten months
and had received no communication from
him on this subject. Mr.. Woodruff con-
tirmed this statement.
Aid. Diemer declared last night that
he did not believe the Aldermen would
pass the franchise unit il at least three con-
di' ions had been chan ged.
"The perpetuity clause must be stricken
out" said he. -and an eight.hour clause
must be put In for the protection OF labor.
Also the contract must call for the payment
Of the prevailing rate OF wages for
When the question came TO a vote last
in the board, Aid. Diemer voted
against the franchise. and lac will vote
against II in committee in its present form.
Aid. Demer's excuse for the weeks
delay which he caused yesterday was that
no meeting really had been called for yes
terday and he couldn't find time TO get the
members together.
Yet all the members he'd been at the City
found that Diemer was not coming Aid.
Mccall Uam), who is against the
franchise. but says he thinks Il will pass,
and AID. Owens (TamD, who voted
for II. went up To Tammany Hall and had
a private talk with Leader Murphy.
Assembly. who Ia now an organizer. of
labor unions and has made speeches against
the tunnel franchise, went with them.
When Il was over Leader Murphy said:
I'm not interfering in this tunnel matter,
| have issued no instructions concerning II
do not know what the Board Of Aldermen
will do"
Aldermen Goodman. Peck and Owens,
three Of the nine members of the Railroad
Committee. are committed to the. supper,
Of the franchise. Aid. Downing will
vote as Michael J. Dady directs. Diemer.
Mccall and Wafer are against IT, Llndy
and Klett are classed al uncertain.
Tammany Aldermen tried to give out the
impression yesterday that they were only
playing politics IN opposing the franchise
and that no question of material prosperity
at home entered into their considerations
THE fusion ticket got the labor vote in
the last Mayoralty campaign" said they,
and now 1ammany is playing TO get Il by
holding out for restrictions favorable to
organized labor.
the franchise. said Yesterday that he was
afraid II would be defeated.
1T seems incredible that such vast
public enterprise should be set aside by the
action OF The Aldermen, said he,
President Fornes Of the Board Of Alder
men issued this statement:
think that all these stories about hold-up
and the Aldermen waiting to be- seen" are
doing great deal OF harm. for there is an
old saving that II YOU give man a name and
stick to II, he begins to think that he should
have the game. | sin cerely believe that all
the Aldermen who have opposed the tunnel
have done so on the grounds stated by them
in public. and have no ul,o rior motives at all.
think that the franchise will bc passed
after some delay. wrong impression should
not be drawn from this delay. 1t is not a
hold-up.
! have received ?.2oo petitions In favor of
the granting of the ranchse, as Rainst seven
that are opposed TO it. and that seems to he a
pretty good indication OF the public senti-
mcnt in favor of the project. | think IL will
so through in time.