New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-18
CONSENT TO A HEARING.
ALDERMEN FIRST FIGHT.
Dir. Griggs to Gather Information
AbOut Port Chester Scandal.

in the Board Of Aldermen yesterday voted down
a resolution presented by President Haffen OF
The Bronx that the committee be dlscharSed
from further consideration of the Port Chester
Railroads application for a franchise. and that
the application should go to the Board Of Es-
innate and Apportionmept Then the TamTnany
men killed a resolution calling for a pubhc
hearing on the application Monday after haro
fight IN which Alderman Mccall opposed his
chief Little Tim" Sullivan. who left the chair
TO castigate the unruy majority leader. The
Railroad Committee having been appeased by
this slaughter of resolutions. Chairman Hag-
gertv announced that he would call n public
hearing the Port Chester application lot
Monday at 8 p. m. IN the aldermanic chamber
When the aldermen got TO discussing these
resolutions there was plethora Of words with
perhaps a paucity of ideas at times, No one
could complain that the aldermen expressed
lack of faith in each other. While each side
wanted TO know. in the heat Of debate. just why
the other side should support certain views, it
was certain collectively that shade of guile
could darken the fair fame of the aldermen.
Alderman Downing however, declared In the
midst OF an impassiouei harangue on news
papers citizens associations and investigators
in general: we want to know II we are honest
menr' This was rluch even for the dig
nifty OF the board
The debate revealed I'm some measure the
limited hostility the Investigations OF the long
delay I'm regard 10 the Port Chester franchise
have raised. Even when President Haffen.
member Of the majority tried to get the appli
cation out of committee he voted down and
condemned for venturing 10 question any act
of the Railroad Committee when 1t was under
public censure. President Haffen's declarations
that he meant nothing in the least derogatory
o hardly
him in the good graces OF the TammaAy men
OF the more violent sort
the Port Chester discussion proper began
when Alderman Goodman tried 10 get from,
the table, where IT has been for three yaeks
his motion to ask the Corporation Counsel ro-
an opinion on the legality OF the Westcbester
road. Alderman DouII tried TO have The morton
declared out OF order. Alderman Goodman in
sisted that the aldermen had the right TO ask
the Corporation Counsel for an opinion ION any
/ thing at any time. II the request were coucb46
In decent language" Little Tim" who was I'm
the chair, sustained his original ruling that. as
the Westchester application had been sent 10
the Board of Estimate and Apportionmen. the
aldermen could do nothing more with t. and 4
vote sustained him, iG 10 13
Not until the end Of n long and until. tba.
time. unusually dull session did more Port
Chester discussion develop. Then Borough
President Haffen offered his first resolution and
Alderman Gass sustained him. urging that the
Port Chester road get the same consideration as
| the Westchestec had received.
MCALL DEFENDS THE COMMITTEE.
Alderman Mccall was sorry 20 soc this resolu
tioE offered he said. for in his seven years I'm
the board he had always opposed the discharg-
ing of a committee which doing its work.
lie was particularly sorry that President Haffen
offered the resolution at this time when the
Railroad Committee was under Investigation bv
three bodics-the committee Of aldermen the
District Attorney and the professional cit-
Zens." The Board Of Estimate and Apportior-
ment held that the aldermen must send the ap-
pcation to that body TO have the rate of COM
pensation fixed he said but he held that the
aldermen must fix the compensation themselves
/ The Board OF Estimate had no authority at all.
Also public hearing had been held on this
the alderman went on, which he considered very
important. lie maintained that it came with
bad grace for any member of the board to ask
that the committee oe discharged while it was
under investigation. lie asked that President
Haffer's resolution be referred to the Railroad
Committee.
Alderman Goodman agreed with his opponent
that the Board of Estimate hadn't power in this
case, but he would vote for President Haffen's
resolution. he said. though nc was voting
/ to discharge himself a member of tie Rail-
road Committee AS he had introduced the
| luton when the Westchester's applica tion was
up asking the Board Of Estimate to fix terms.
now he would ask, not that it fix terms for the
| Port Chester. but that it recommen2 terms for
! the aIdermers consideration.
II in favor OF anything which will end
| this long delay" said the Republican leader.
| Il have sought this opportunity to answer
! charges made against 1t said that
| acted IN bad faith in my advocacy OF the Port
Chester Show that the Westchester COM
! pany has Il legal charter. ard I'll vote for it..
Iii vote for both, If I'm told that both are legal.
It's been said that I'm playing to the galleries.
/ am. The galleries want favorable action
this franchise. and I'm with them. The galleries
are filled with citizens OF The Bronx, bleeding
! for transit facilities.
Its been said that I interfercd in The Bronx
! affairs. This question is far larger than one
section of the city. The entire city demands ac-
ton. 1t affects the homes of the poor in all
! sections to have this application delayed, and
the welfare of Richmond. just as much as The
Bronx is concerned. It's said I've acted
partisan I hurI that charge in the teeth OF
those who made il. My record since 1894 dis
proves .hat-when 1 refused to go into union
! against the Tammany men because L wanted to
! he AZ liberty to vote for any decent ordinance
they n,Isht move. There not two sides to
! This question Everybody favors the Pert Ches-
tor road becsuse Il has what IT claims. and the