New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-18
SOME RAILWAY BILLS.
READY FOR LEGISLATURE.
One Measure applies to Granting
Transfers at Cro7cded Corners.

Transfers at Cro5cded Corners.
Albany Feb. 17.-Fiye important bills affecting
street railroads viii be introduced by the chairman
o. the Two railway committees OF the Senate and
4 Rouse to-TnorroT. The bills intended to rem
edy certain hardships in the railroad law and pro-
tect the Interests OF investors IN street railroad
bonds.
The first bIi is designed to make It possible for
investors 10 ascertain whether corporate powers
have been kept alive that would menace new
read and that such corporations have legal exist
ence, the second to confer on the state Railroad
commission the right to abolish the giving OF
transfers al any crossing where there is corges-
uon o. traffic and when human life IS feopardized.
Inc thIcd does away with the per cent interest
payable on arrearages Of percentage on gross earn
mss substitutes 10 per cent year. provides that
ehe Attorney General must sue for forfeiture and
allows the defendant pay the arrears before final
judgment Tie fourth allows a company TO remove
us unused rails. with The consent Of the Mayor
without impairiag its franchise and again lay out
It's route with the consent OF local authorities so as
10 meet changing conditions Of traffic.
The fifth gives 10 a city's financial board the
power to make contracts with street railway COM
lanies for the payment O. street Improvement as
sessmcnts. This bill was favored by Mayor Low
and Controller Grcut.
The bills are sent here by the law firm OF Guthrie
SIaFath d Henderson. who say in an accompanying
-e''eT tAat they are to assist in protecting invest
oTs IN street railroad securities and remedy certain
haFdshps n the existing Jaw" Inss memorandum
the DIS are explained as follows:
-. r lrst-BiH 10 amend Section in relation to fer
80 -. SgIioiale powers. This b IS INTENDED
"a ,a1 me present !aw p;uyides that II 4 railroad
me- 49,, NJ "lli!lh hNs wears after It's ceE-
Suucuon or Its road. its corporate powers shall
powers would in such a case not ipso facto cease
ny Wol!d be subject TO forfeiture the suit Of
present state Of the law II Is often ifclt II not
:
have been kept alive.
THE OBJECTS OF THE AMENDMENTS
lbj The amendments at the end OF the bill are
Polauons wh.ch have actually cons r,.cted their
!laGs' or winch have been consolidated or mergeG
lacto consultations or Tncrsers and are operating
investors in railroad securities TO be certain that
me corporations by which securities issued have
difficult. even after the fullest investigation to be
certain that all the provisions OF law have been
second-BiI to amend Section Ioi in relation to
the Board OF Railroad Commissioners the power in
special cases after an appropriate bearing 10 eX-
transfers az Intersections where such exemption
IoC'S tc Pubic cement ~ dinlnlsEinE me aaIFer
That IL is wise that some public body should have
gropr'ate body seems 70 be the Board Of Railroad
Third-Biu 10 amend Section Is. TIT, bill Is IN
tended 10 accomplish the following things: (al To
terest Is Ter cent Ter month payable upon
Of percentages on sross earnings payable 6y street
rational rate ~ 10 Der cent Per year. 90 To pro
not follow iFso ,acto, But oaIy IN case Of suit by
TIE Attorney General lc) TO provide for an op-
Jayi-- the arrears Of interest bef5-e hraI iudE-
nlert Tie changes seem necessary to protect con-
% computing percentages or the amount payable
Fourth-Biu 70 amend Sector, ~. in. relation 20
d3r ,Fa s S- 1,.tgs . To 10 Ter1
street railroad company. with the consent q yhe
obsrsTiaro ~ Useless Ines Without lnpaiinr rs
Franchise At the present tire there are nuInter
laid under valid franchises. Guou which the street
railroad cornpa1.es are compelled in slc-proteetou
franchises alive FOR use in case they should here
ioTes, that ne company should Dc tree. win The
ecen, ~, % re coS5f,i0, - .be .t-ee, f7a b.
inIroved The cqmpanss W e = uiEw VII -
he preserved such uill was favored by the Low
administration.
AMsTERDAM-AyE SITUATION CITED
The situation Of Amsterdan-ave. in Sew-Vorh.
furnishes an excellent illustration of the need Of
this change IN the law On A-nztcrda u-aye- there
are four tracks two owned By one company and
two by another one company is quite willing 10
discontinue the use OF i'F tracks and use the
, = it S r3or5gaee t,,at II tha track were 70
moved the f-auchis, would De lmperhlcd.
Fifth-Bu 10 add new section. 10 te Kn9Vn ss
AUTHORITIES particularly New-Yu-k City. the power
"a present complications que 10 the
ccvfictIrE provisions with tef'-eurE 20 payments
a. me citv under the various franchises now en-
braccd within a large street railroad conblna-
ticrs.
II Is believed that the hill 20 empower the state
Railroad Commission 10 exempt the street railway
CornrauIes from giving transfers al congested
rofrtg I'm order prevent accidents. IS meant 70
relieve the Inrerlrbau Street Railway Company %
the necessity Of giving transfers at Broadway and
Tventy-third-st. SiXth-aVe. and twenty -thlId-''r
and a lew other points IN the city Tho lnteruroan
months 90 gave transfers at many other points N
the CITY after suits had bce- decided against IT,
lrlf insisted that the crowded condition or the me
IN Twentv-thir5-st made II dangerous TO give
transfers TO and from that li~e at Sixth3Ne ana AT
Broadway James :. Lehmaier. counsel Tor "A com
rnittee OF one hundred. who had been making a
ggbt for more transfers. kept NJ the fight how
ever and a large number Of additional SUITS were
begun against the company. .,, - -,--.
few weeks ago the company dec.oea GEO, 70 60,
transfers 1t the couVestad points. but thls aclio
was believed 20 be taken TO siavc Oh sulJ I'M. ~
como legislation could he obtained 10 enaple TIC
cor71auy TO refuse transfers a those points aBal
Nv I bugaier was IN washington last nlsht a.o
counsel who prepared the bill we're said 10 De OUT
Of the city also.
pIE4 FOR DOWLING BILL.