The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-03
20 VOTES AT $4,000 A VOTE.
MILLION.LbOLLAR RtMOR ABOUT
TUNNEL FRANCHISE.
Jerome Hasn't Got Anything TO 90 On.
lie ss,s-AIderman McCall suggests
Putting Merchants Association Petition
''tnder the Table Where II Belongs"

"tnder the Table Where II Belongs"
District Attorney Jerome was asked last
night II he had any knowledge Of a rumor
that twenty Aldermen had combined 10
hold out against the franchise Of the Penn
sylvania Railroad tunnel and that their
price was &SO.0O each or a million for the
lot; no reduction on taking a quantity.
The District Attorney replied that he
had heard vague talk of that kind,
but nothing definite enough to act on.
i have just heard it," he said just like
any man would who takes an interest In
public affairs. At any time that the Alder
men balk Oh some proposition there Is talk
Of graft
"A month or 80 ago there was a similar
rumor over the extension Of the subway
on Lenox avenue. Then il was rumored
that certain Aldermen wanted CSC, 900 from
the Belmont Mcdonald people 1t was
only rumOr. There was nothing on
which l could base an investigation"
Then you are not investigating this new
rumor?" was asked.
Certainly not" answered Mr.. jerome
with laugh. Il can't start an investi-
CATION without something to start with"
The attitude Of mind toward the bust
ness Interests Of the city maiLtaiI ed by
Aldermen who OPPOSE tEe franchise Was
Illustrated at the mee,irk Of the ooard
Yesterday when a petition, was received
from the Merchants Assoc ia,ion urging
the hoard to approve the graft.
Alderman Douil moved that the COM
mulication I've referred to the Committee
on Railroads The president ordered tina,
| It DE placed on Ale MIR. Doull objected,
but Alderman Mccall, the Tammany leader.
said:
Il hope my friend will not persist In his
| objection to the ruling. but viii allow the
letter to be filed or lie over. or Oh or under
the table, where It belongs
alderman D0uil said no more, and the
petition WAS filed.
A delegation of the Wholesale Paper
Trades association attehded the meet
Ing To urge the passage OF the franchise.
The members of the delegation, which
was headed by Treasurer Thomas Bar
rett talked with many Of the Aldermen.
Afterward Mr.. Barrett said TO Sun re-
| porter:
Il am afraid from what We have been
able 70 ascertain this afternoon that the
franchise will lot rsss. Such a state of
things is unfortunate. because the tunnel
| would be OF the utmost value to the COM
mercial and Industrial interests of the
| city. However. the situation Is not alto
gether HOPELESS. | thik that il will be
pos ,ible to obtain relief from the Legis-
| lature."
| Republican Aldermen did not hesitate
| TO express their anger yesterday over the
method Alderman Demer, chairman OF the
railroad committee, adopted to delay
a vote,
Al the close OF the meeting Of the boar d
Alderman Meyers arose to ask why the COM
| mittee was not ready to report.
could ade,%an Ds%ss dspeS SsO,s he
TO move that the committee he instructed
TO report next Tuesday. but President
Fornes said he could assure the member
that the committee would dot Mr., Meyers
did not seem altogether satisfied with the
assurance and was about insisting on his
resolution. when some ore shouted Move
| we adjourn" and the motion was carried
with Mhoop by the Tammany members.
Politics is admittedly playing q great
part In the situation, The TaMmany
opponents Of the fran chise agree that ore
OF the reasons for their attit ude is desire
to keep the labor vote which went To their
| party last November. They say further
that the more delay there il in bringing
the franchise up the greater the char ces
grow for its rejection, because OF the strong
| opposition that il being organized by the
labor orators.
What motive Alderman Diemer has for
playing into the hands Of the Tammany
members is puzzling some Of the ren Of his
party. DieIner IL a Young man. has never
| exhibited any initiative at the meetings Of
the Aldermen and the belief liz expressed
that he IL acting in obedience TO inst ructio
Whether or not the ma jori,y Of the rail-
road committee will decide at the meeting
to bc held to-day to vote in favor Of the
report il still a matter Of doubt The only
members who would make known the z
position yesterday we're Aldermen Diemer.
Wafer and Mccall who said they would
report against the franchise and Aldermen
Ovens, Goodman and Peck. who will vote
for 1t. Alderman klett refused to commit
| hinself ms did Alderman Downing who
acknowledges that he takes his orders from
Michael j Dady. Col Dady was recently
turned down when he sought reappointnent
as Commissioner Of Elections Alderman
Lundv, the ninth member Of the committee
was absent from yesterdays meeting
Alderman Diemer IL considerably upset at
the reports which have appeared describing
him as a saloonkecper.
Il am not a saloonkeerer." he said yes
terday. "My brother owns the place at
Williamsburg and want to say also that
am not in politics for business The direc-
| tory gives Mr. Diemer's business address IA