New-York tribune., 1907-05-10
BAD BILL PUT THROUGH
PASSES THE ASSEMBLY.
Schoeneck Measure Would Bar
Letchr0rth Parks Beauty.
Try Telegraph to The Tribune. !

[
Albany. May 9.-The Assembly passed today
| the Schoeneck bill. which amends the charter of
| the Genesee River Company ana gives 1t rights
! that' the opponents of the bill maintain. would go
! far toward destroying the beauty Of Letchworth
! PARK. The vote 81 to q. This bill aroused a
| storm of unfavorable comment when II vas first
reported and AT that time it was thought that the
measure had been killed. but the Rules Committee.
| OF which Speaker Wadsworth who favors this bill
| is chairman, reported II again.
! Both Democratic and Republican Assemhlvr1on n
attacked the bill with vigor. and Assemblyman
schoeneck was at loss satisfactorily to explain
some Of the provisions Of the that were
heId to be most Objectionable. Mr.. OBrian Of
BuHalo. pointed ont provision of the hill which
says that the "acts OF the incorporators as such
| are ratified and confirmed"
what are these acts?" he demanded. why Is
II necessary for company to have it's acts ratified
ny legislative enactment? I insist on an answer
and a satisfactory one to these questions Yet Mr.
Schoeneck has not been able reply to them
cogently."
This provision was attacked by Assemblymen
ANeflH and Glynn. Mr. Moreland made the closing
speech making a long address for the company
lie admitted that the Legislature had given the
company almost unlimited powers and wanted the
Dill passed that those powers might be further
guaranteed. Mr.. Moreland denied that the bill
would destroy Letchworth Park
rev minutes later, on the final rollcall, the
Assembly was treated to tho novel spectacle of
seeing Paradise Jimmy" Oliver rallyinE TO the
''tiiu"d oL Ile opposition leader and fieTCelV
tacking members Of his own party who had voted
against the bill, oharacterzing their attitude as
coWardly and unfair
residents OF the Genesee River Valley have
begun determined fight against the bill, which
many OF them regard bad in the extreme.
Among many similar MESA ges the following teIe-
gram mas been sent to one man here:
,nifb6pe to ave Senator'S Armstrong and Grady
Rer @ IN 9Pp9sfon to 6 TO amend the Genesee
Wiii ,,0 80 st uestr2y me LetchWorth park;
powerful Politicians and capitalists are behind it.
t oeieye e 6i so indefe3sibe it will be defeated by
ule senate or vetoed by the Governor, who GER
poratfon legislation.
An officer of the Scenic and Historic Preservation
Society of New York City gives the following his
tory OF the bill:
A Mr.; Connor. of Mount Morris an attorney of
p9nttcal aspirations. has told the Legislature in
forty doars invested SFS the chaT2r a24er
ons most honorabS t5a Mr f1 Iechworth rGfT nen
year ago talked with them about taking some of
he then projected on his property Under the
T1ge9 Pg situation he wants the act OF the Genesee
,G mGd me h impression has been created in the public
ii'ti that the act has been so amended that the
b 2roper'y cannot be in any way affected
What he said about Mr. Ietchworth was most
Mir etchwort should take iaf 6ons ne m 6e tnat
prise to afford an income to his proposed charity,
ana Mr. I1etchworth neither disclosed that he had
did he commit himself on any Of Mr. Connors
propositions That Mr.. Connor understood at that
time time that Mr. Letchworth had not committed him
ser IS apparent by his statement that and his
I1ends had put In some $4,000 IN the enterprise
ana they were not going lose It, Since then tho !
amount has dwindled down TO $4,000 and II |
appears from Mr.. Connor's statement and that OF /
others connected with the company that they were
so ousy over prospective profits that they quar-
IeLed and huEated among themselves until their /
time 70 do work expired. Thus It that a year |!
ago they got their extraordinary extension OF time
from the Legislature
NoW they want from this Legislature legislation |
equally remarkable. have just received a copy OF
Mr. Schoenck's bill Amendments are introduced {
that are very suggestive. Tho purpose and effect
or these amendments are to authorize the company
TO use all tho water of Genesee River. and thus |
they can destroy the waterfalls OF the Letchworth
property. There is not word I'm bill that will
entie the state IN have the usual supply Of water
No argument win be necessary 10 convince anv !
lawyer or intelligent layman that in the language
used in the bin there is nothing that safeguards !
the I4etchworth property as has been stated