New-York tribune., 1903-04-06
ATTACKS BOSTUTCK Bill
ET-SenatOr Ford Tells {. +. II. The,
Scheme Is "Most Infamous"

The Central Federated Union held its mees.rx =
the Grand central Palace yesterday beeauss
labor fair is in progress there with which n y,.
ed to show Its sympathy. Ey-State Senator g.
occupied good part OF the time OF the rnaa.t. |.
praising the Elsberg bill amending the arsso-.
Rapid Transit act. and denOuncine the Fos.,.a,
Rapid Transit bill Mr. Ford was accompanIsd =
A. j. Bouiton. Of the Citizens Union ana .+ ,,
Bouitons request received the privilege ~ -
floor He began by saying that he had had so,.
share In the drafting Of the BILL but not 80 Iar,
a share d Mr.. Boulton.
The greatest franchise in the world he said h,a
practically been given away for seventy-hvs wear,
to the Belmont syndicate The present RAJ,
Transit act provided that the fare could never h.
less than FIVE cents. and more subways were HEN,
arranged for under the
My authority for stating that the BEL
mont syndicate has already cleared go GDoens il,
profits from the subway and that s3G0C0co0 more f
in sight Is Edward NJ Shepard. counsel FOR n.
Rapid Transit Commission be said The present
Rapid Transit act gave Mayer Low. Mr. starfn
Mr. Orr. Mr.. Steinway and others autocrat tic oor-
ers not exceeded BY The most eespOtic potsntstr
II has given the contractors for the CONSTRUCTION
of the subway power to operate II nominalIy for
fifty. but in reality seyenty-ve. years or Two and
a half generations
The Eisberg bill. he said. instead % this vestsi
q good deal Of the power in the construction Of
subways by city money in the Board OF Estimate-
Under its provision school children could travel fr
if IL was so decided and the fare could be reduced
to three cents
Yet last week" he continued. "a bill sent
10 Albany which Mayor Low is supposed 70 be re-
sponsible for At first II thought that the old
Rapid Transit Commission was responsible for g.
Bad as the old Rapid Transit Commission wa.
however its members disclaimsd all connection
with H. according the newspapers We havs
Controller Grout trying to have Fire Commissioner
sturgis dismissed on the charge OF giving
for over 81 OG0 without advertising for bids, Jet
FSost wick bill does worse
He then read the following extract from ths bill
THE said Board OF Rapid Transit Commissioner
NAV in its discretion without advertising for pro
posaIs as herelnbefore provided. enter into cor
tract or contracts with any person. hrn eorpo-
ration which at the time OF the execution and cs-
livery OF such contract contracts Il actually
engaged in constructing or operating a road Or
roads constructed at the public expense or b.
virtue Of a previous contract or contracts made b.
the said board
He supposed, 1f-. Ford added. that they wanted
10 give the Belmont syndicate chance cf making
another $50 900 900 or s500Ooo0 Then he continued
Th. scheme is the most infamous I ever knew Of
to this All other matters. compared 70 this stupen
dous steal. were petty larceny
After Mr.. Ford had diIated for some time On ths
merits of the Elsbers bill. he asked the Central
Federated Union 20 indorse the bill This was
done ard committee TdS appointed 20 90 70
Albany TO support it at a hearing tomorrow.