The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-27
TUNNEL NOW, OR DEAL Is OFF.
Pennsylvania RAILROAD TIRED
OF WAITING.
Plain statement by Vice-President Green
After . LOnG Public Hearing wherein
the Old Objections TO Prosperity
Were Raised by Labor Orators anu
Men OF light and Leading Replied.

Men OF Light and Leading Replied.
At the close Of public hearing. lasting
nearly five hours. held by the Aldermen's
Committee on Railroads yesterday, on the
PENNSYLVANIA tunnel franchise, John T.
Green, first vice-president Of the railroad,
said:
.If we are not allowed to begin this enter
prize very soon we certainly will not begin
at all. We propose 10 deal honestly and
fairly with every one and all parties in
tArested in this franchise. but | wish to
make IL plain that We have agreed To do
al, that we can do. We have now reached
point where we must be- allowed to enter
the city on the conditions set out in the con-
tract or abandon the project.
After the adjournment OF the hearing MI
Green was asked il he meant that his COM
pany would give up the tunnel unless the
Aldermen approved the franchise within a
reasonably short time.
THAT is the intention Of the Pennsylvania
company" he replied We think We have
made all concessions that could reasonably
he extracted from us and | repeat that un-
less this matter il settled very soon we VIII
sell the real estate We have acquired IN TINS
city and give up the plans for the building
of the tunnel"
The Aldermen's chamber was crowded
when the hearing opened. II was hIled
mostly with men allied with labor orRanl-
cations, but there were present also repre-
sentatives of the Pennsylvania Railroad the
Chamber Of Commerce, the Rapid Transit
Commission, the Board Of Trade and Trans
portation, and the Produce Exchange.
The proceedings began with the presenta-
ton OF a one-inan minority report by Alder
man Sullivan of the Special Conference Com
mittee. The report set forth that the com
pensation the railroad had been asked to pay
for the franchise was inadequate. aSsufl-
ing that the company expected 10 earn
per cent. on it's outlay of 5o,UO,OO. Mr..
Sullivan said il was asked to pay the city only
a little more than $4,000 yearly. Mr.. Sulli-
van also OBJ iected 20 the approval OF the IRAN
chise unless il contained clauses providing
for an eight hour day and the payment OF
the prevailing rate of wages. Mr.. sullivan
added that he did not want 10 be looked
upon as opposing the franchise, but iie
thought that its conditions were not SUI
ticiently favorable TO the city or To the
laboring Glasses
Alderman Doull (Tam). got up with
stack of documents IN front of him 10 make
the speech of his life attacking the fran
chise. Alderman Mccall, the Tammahy
leader Of the board. abruptly rose from his
a,
expostulate with him in an emphatic low
VERY we'll" MIR. Doull said as Mr..
Mccall turned away from hun. Il Will
give way to the members OF the local
ORGANIZATIONS
For the next three hours the labor men
were making speeches They announced
that unless the labor clauses were inserted
in the franchise the Pennsylvania COM
pany would introduce the padrone system
Al l.at 81 nv Ian.
men employed on the tunnel more than
40 cents to 81 10 day; that the men would
be compelled to work ten and twelve hours
a day. and that laborers living in this city
would be driven to seek work in other places
because Of the influx Of what one speaker
called thousands of tramp lahorers."
Phillip Kelly, who represented the Gem
trail Federated Union, in the course of his
speech remarked: we are fully aware
that the tunnel would be great benefit
10 the city, that il is badly wanted and will
bring trade hero. But" he continued
300 900 workingmen in the city wanted
the franchise 20 contain the labor clauses =,
and he insisted that their demands should
lie granted.
Other opponents of the franchise raised
the Montauk Point port spectre. More
than one of those who spoke against the
franchise maintained that the compensa-
ton asked for The closing Of Thir'y-second
street ard the rental of the ground about
rlNlN leI t'll'Hln 'if' -ullt'F was lllhl'-
oua'e. Mora than one speaker thought
that the company should be compelled
10 paw per capita tax on every passenger
il carried through the tunnel and a per-
centage on every ton OF freight.
Alderman Doull finally got in his speed h
For nearly an hour he detained on the
COMPENSATION question and the Montauk
Point hogey.
Il doaf think" interrupted President
Fornes, that NJ q Tearing like this il is
F.. a..,N, La
up The time which belongs 20 the public"
Il am speaking a. repre- 'ytativo Of
ne property owners Of Thirty-nrN str,s I :
said Mr. Doull He said further;
"Insinuat ions have been made that some
Of 'he members Of this board who nro op.
posed to this franchise ar" waiting 10 he
seen II that Is so, nov much have thO-'
Who are high IN authority I'm this admins
trn'ion received TO favor this franchises
II we, who are not in favor Of the fran
chisa. haN" not been seen, then those who
ara h. favor Of it must have boon seen ant
sc.r well
s. &. Mead. secretary of the Merchants
Association. read a petition prepared 10y
that body protesting against the irsor
ton Of the labor CLAUSE, in the tranChiS'
because II would dcicat aN improvement
that would h" of ouormouS benefit To nv
civ, The iniu-'io" If subordiuating tM
iuter'si~ of 1,0p,"m peopl" in the city anC
suburbs t. the interests of 1880 MON
cut.
GIN 'av II Schwab presented the ro-o
i"fGr- OF tho Chamber of Commerce
which favored III" tunnel because 81 m
great commercial and industrial h"po'i,
it, construction would b'lng To- the city.
L am surprised" MIR Schwab adCicC
that the venerable Illusion with rcgar
20 Muntauk Point has been ro~lrrcCtCc
] know something about the stoamshi
business, and | can say that any stoan-hi
company would have to bc considered
having taken leay" of it, ~ou-cs If il ser
orsly considered "a Use Moutauk Point
port for transatlantic Transported lot
The cheapest kind Of transportation
water transportat ion, and I rather fame
that the Pennsylvania will find II the chr1I
est method To distribute its freight on IA
side Of the river 10y water and not by raj
road"
j. HarSen Rhoadcs, whs also spoke a
behalf Of the Chamber of Commerce. said.
The growth of a great city derend- IN,
the transport alton ftcihi It j. provide
with The more facilities the city has q
more people WI come her" and the more 1
city VIII grow IN W,tlt N and imuortnnC, =,
the more that wealth and importance groy
the more the Neopl' Of the Cry VIII
benefited
William /. King of the Merchants As
citation said that the association sent q
petitions for citizens to fl and To send
their Aldermen urging the representa- l.
Of their district to vote for the fra
chise Twenty-Five hundred of these pei
l.. i