New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-20
rEY rrLBGnarH TO THE TRrBuxE.l

oupr Niagara
Tocor, and Ontario measure of last year, the first
,e in This list belongs. IN his veto of this meas
- 1sst YEAR Ex-Governor Odell touched one of the
10 ,.f,a questions affecting such measures name
IA that concerned in giving away State franchises
-;,,,,,, any compensation The other important
,,oe,ion is that concerning the rights of local
,,tborftiss 20 decide the entrance within their
limits of power companies and the terms be
secured OF TIE four power bills now before the
LEGISLATURE the Cassidy. waddell and two Leggett
measures, not one deals With this question in any
form
The Cassidy bill has been amended many times
in its original form it omnibus measure
affecting the whole State. making provision for
action OF local authorities and carrying the
demnation powers of public service companies
such as railroads, TO power companies. Some pro-
visions regarding the control of local authorities
later inserted, but the effort get hearing
the bill made by its opponents has been uni
formly unsuccessful, and last week the Miscel-
isneous Corporations Committee reported the bill
in such fashion TO provoke general comment
and increase the suspicion directed toward a
which had at the outset the alleged purpose
Of henehting some local power company of Elmira
But il is well understood that grab" bills when
investigated provided with a similar certificate
OF good character and insgnifcance. The report
OF the committee last week puts the bill on the
calendar as dangerous and living measure.
AN INTERESTING SITUATION
Next in line TO the Cassidy bill are the two meas
ures introduced by Assemhlyman Leggett of Nj
egara- one Of which names the Niagara Power Com
pszy as its beneficiary while other extends it's
Eratuity to all power companies of the State. The
FORMER opens up interesting situation. AS orig
inaly incorporated. the Niagara Power Companv
had for its charter purpose the object of supplying
the city Of Lockport with pure water then the
power attachments we're added. All this time the
company controlled by and a majority of
its directors We're business in Lockport The
Niagara bill of last year was introduced bv the
Niagara representatives, Senator L Hommedieu and
Assemblyman Thompson the request of their
constituents. and, whatever its shortcomings was
advocated by the entire pcpu1ace Of Lockport with
out regard to political lines
But when the bill was vetoed by the Governor
then the situation changed. Outside financial in
terests purchased the Lockport interests and pre-
pared to organize a power corporation with
rights that would entitle il to be holding
pany for all the power interests OF the State and it
was understood widely that the General Electric
was behind it, In this plan Lockport for
gotten. and bill was prepared eliminating Lock-
port and granting the same powers the vetoed
bills Of last session This bill the Lockport repre-
sentatves promptly declined TO introduce but AS
semblyman Leggett stepped into the breach and
put in the BILL worse in many phases than last
years measure. To oppose this bill half the pop
UIation Of Lcckport will be at the Capitol this week
al a hearing. The defence urged last year that
The oill was local measure is thus broken down
and il becomes grab, pure and simple. Last year
the friends Of the bill accepted amendment ex-
Guiding New-York City; this year even this little
provision is left out
The second Leggett bill is the most remarkable
measure OF the session Its contents were fully
discussed in these dispatches last week It is
summed up in the brief statement that having
specifically excluded Coney Island Concourse and
Niagara Park Reservation it opens the rest Of the
state TO the wholesals condemnation ravages OF
power companies. specially providing them with
power To use anything they may need TO g11y I'D
their poles and to CIT down any trees that may
even threaten the safety of their wires. This bill
Is the redrctio ad absurduIn Of the whole power
proposition, Finally there is the modest little
Naddell bill. assembly prototype Of the Cas-
Shy bill. which wrestes from a corporation point
q Jew. with the same cnnd 9mnation problem
i is worthy OF notice that all these different at
tempts to deal with the condemnation question
seem 10 indicate that sooner or later there will
have 10 be declared State policy on this SUBJ
3ect.
FEWER RAILROAD GRAB BILLS
OF railroad grab bills the number is smaller than
in any recent session. In fact. the reception As
semhlyman Bedeu's initial effort of the session
met with, is likely TO discourage the annual
activity Of this member in this regard. There are
however. three measures all Of which are severely
criticised The most dangerous is that bearing the
name OF Senator Elsberg. already adopted by the
Senate Railroads Committee. which IS in reality
responsible for the bill il now stands Senator
Elsberg introduced the bin by request at the out
Set This bill is familiar IN purpose and word
ING but 1t has a startling application at the
present time. For many years there have been be-
Iore the legislature bills which patched up def
Gent franchises and provided clutches for lame
grants. for which railroad corporations never paid
St!tnlng In all cases these defects could have
bten repaired by local authorities If the company
were willing to pay for the increased
There are. everyone knows scores of these
AN! aine corporation franchises in New-York City.
gone lapsed through time, void because of
Among these the NewTork Ea a6d
a. g Is believed TO be and this belief has led
pAeston &c attack the charter OF the company as
5 VOC; Tor such defects Two years ago Senator
Tribune At the time, which supposed to reach
this case but il is generally believed that it did
not Now the ElsOerg bill proposes that wherever
certain papers necessary to validate charters are
lacking they shall be filed. and such hng is TO
De as u the papers had never been lacking.
ne Elsberg bill and the attack the West
chester charter because it lacked a certain paper
came TO Albany the same lay Not even Sena-
tor Elsberg questioned the fact when it called
e his attention. that his bill would the West
Chester ailment
COMMITTEE ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY
But said he. in perfect good faith ct will
smend my bill that IL shall not apply to any
pending litigation" AS a matter Of legislation his
ehl would still have been assailed by civic bodies
which have for years opposed this principle but
when he attempted 10 amend his bill the Senate
Railroad Committee perhaps better informed on
The amendment and reported the bill in it's simon
pure grab form, thereby axsussfng full RESPONSE \
Two other suspicious railroad measures have
ne pretext Of changing the grade Of lines under
rlster for the Erie Railroad" II was glibly ex-
plSneo, actually grants a new franchise for the
completion on more favorable lines Of the Stein
corns Tunnel me. under the East RIVER which would
S-fiace railroads with the subway lines in New
aFs5 Inc. Inc other likewise a Goodsen pill and
ne Belmonts now in control of the surface lines
1rpp with