New-York tribune., 1903-04-10
MAYOR DENOUNCES THEM
CALLS VOTERS TO ARMS.
Says "Grab Bills. Must Be Killed
WW Take .4ction.

a
snent, yesterday denounced the so-called street
hallway grab bills now pending at Albany de-
Claring that they should meet with the most de-
sernined opposition from every voter of this
city who for the welfare of the city
Interests Mayor Low says that great thanks
due TO the newspapers for the work they
have done in exposing the true inwardness OF
the vicious measures. and specifically treats the
objectionable bills. His statement in part was
as follows:
s Of thes S bills @ % S ntToScsd fTas9 ey
GOodse who stouuy affirmed that IT had no rel
erence to Nev-fork. Later the Senator consented
se have the bin so amended that ii should not
Gut this BIN alone would not accomplish all that
desired. aid. therefore. various other bllis
other. were introduced by Senators from different
drawn BY master hand. with the evident purpose
cR revirine street railroad rights that had EXPIRED
ssnasor asa oodses Vf %fllinsness omit
xinoes that these were inIende6 to apply 10 'e
L Snion Railway Company in The bronx; 49,, ,.,-o-
Suction ot these bills. The Board of Estimate and
has been RI &c feT eTs5ted to
he SnGn RaWsS "a Dam Brdee W At one Of
these hearings resident Of The -02 BT0nfB .Siuax
simpson openly charges {as 1ne Of The Bronx
without the necessary consent Of the local athori-
s M % has Se 81 sFh the
was then present. made what struck me at tn, the
that these particular bills born OF that Incl
dent
Ii was evidently felt to be too hazardous to pre-
first single bill for the accomplishment OF
sInmediateiv recosnized Senator Goodsen
- - paTt oT the work senator l. FIommedieu in
.roduced another. and Senator Grady. Tammany
other Senator Goodselrs bill and Senator Gradys
@ have been in seG toeG bt IN the nsT orsna Di & Bis
have not been abandoned Senator L H9mmedie1 @ "a
hands of the Railroad Committee Of the Assembly
m NY m esep ~ 5 y Il s6G of he state With
belief. which / conceive TO be we'll founded. that
siS by bs8e orSe;te5 or Which have Ispsed
and s-hsch under the present charter of the city
and laws Of the state. they only regain by
fed ore ''Huckieberry Road scandal in the his
soTy Of NeW-York City. and we do not want an
I think IT not unlikely also that these amend
The incompete franchise Of the Peoples Traction
Company. which received the eonditional consent
The very unfrankness with which these matters
pretence that they affect only other cities in
other parts Of the State, are enough to condemn
them ana especially when It is knSWn that 7 the
pany. which. with the Union Railway COMPANY
Is psrt Of the Interurban system: has been in Al
cali on every public spirited organzation in the
& snd of esg enSc WITH -ffa their 6G nd
Assemblymen. protesting against the passage or
terest Every single bill lets down some bar which
has been erected-either by thu amendments TO
senerai raiiroaa iawfor the protection Of the pub
c 81 nos d ma vii seg the Senate and
Assembly until these bills are killed beyond resur-
rection.
MY INQUIRY into thi. subject has led to the
discovery that the Union Railway Company has
10 secure by indirection what it cannot SECURE
ton Of the General Railroad law in relation to
the forfeiture OF corporate existence was amended
in this significant fashion: Section originally pro-
IF any domestic railroad corporation shall not.
ton is fled begin the CONSTRUCTION Of its roads
and expend thereon 10 per cent Of the amount OF
put it in operation within years from the time
Of fling such certificate. fits corporate existence
By the act referred to. Chapter sos Of the Laws
1901 this significant amendment. with one other
provision applying 10 steam railroads. was ADDED
this section:
face railroad company incorporated prior 20 July
:: 1888. which has obtained or become the owner OF
of the first or second class given under Article
avenues o highways for the construction and op-
GRAFTON OF railroads thereon"
1859: the Peoples fraction Company in 1895. prior
70 July There is no apparent & should IN ahe have
been excepted from the salutary provisions of
wilcox's bin should pass still more exceptions
would be made in favor of some companies, and
Propose la to 5N send to NJ Whitman the ctys
@ IT G at sA of M aR so aes e to to ceep coP thePe
companies 10 again come under the salutary pro-
passed. I Go not conceive that the public is obliged
70 content itself with simply beating off attacks
regain from corporations prvileses that they have
obsned by such an amendnent as this s. Now is IS
for all, that no more public franchises shall De
that no old franchises be revived with the
citvs consent by legislation intended to set aside
law. a originay passed and Of the constitutional
amendments Of 1874