New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-22
18th AVE. BILL PASSED.
Bears Sare's Name, although He
Repudiates Measure.
IBv Telegraph 10 The Trihnne !

Senator Page, who termed it the most absolute
giving up of the rights of the people ever pre-
scented to this Senate" and Senator Sake, who
repudiated 1t, the Sake bill repeating the Elev-
enth avenue track remov al law of last year was
passed by the Senate to-day. Amendments
which Senator SAKE had offered to the bill while
il was in committee were presented again on
the floor. but voted down 26 to 13. The
vote on final passage % to IS.
The debate was notable for spirited defence
of the original bill by Senator White chairman
of the Cities Committee. though Senator Page
declared it was precisely what the New York
Central wanted. and an outbreak from Senator
McCarren against this sort of senseless legis
lation."
The bill passed by the Legislature last year
Ill advised" declared the Brooklyn Senator
angered by the previous debate with its strict
ures the railroad and the city authorities.
This bill is also i'll advised but there's use
leaving anything to the public utilities bill The
people will find that it will take twenty years
before anything be accomplished under that
bill. The commission will be involved in con-
fiict with the local authorizes constantly.
New York City is being fettered and impeded
by the most senseless kind of legislation here
year after year. The rapid transit legislation of
last year will prevent the city from getting any
subway improvements for the rest of its eX-
istence. Yet men who present practical, reason
able and workab Bile ideas are aside. The
tracks Eleventh avenue will remain there
until the youngest man here is gray haired, UNI
der this legislation. This sort of thing is
travesty on the popular form of government"
Senator Saxe's bill was a special order on third
reading, Immediately after the disposal of AS
sembly messages. He took up in detail the
situation along the Central's tracks from Spuy
ten Duyv down to St Johns Park, the freight
terminal below Canal street. He declared that
the bill reported from the Cities Committee,
though IL had been agreed on by the city au
thorities the railroad and the Committee of
Fifty which was working for the removal of
the tracks, had been criticised severely Many
Of these criticisms, he went on, just, and
he had presented amendments to meet them.
These amendments he offered again. since his
amended bill in committee.
Senator Cobb interrupted him TO say that the
public utilities commission would be empowered
to handle all this problem; and Senator White
said that, since the utilities bill to become
law, there little in wasting time
this legislation. Senator SAKE, however. said he
wanted law which should specify a definite
time for the removal of the tracks and Senator
McCarren said that the track removal might
make necessary expenditure of the city's money.
which the utilities commission could not reg
ulate.
Il have information from sources which I con-
slider reliable" declared Senator White, that
these amendments presented by Senator Sake
would defeat the whole scheme"
well, that remains to be seem retorted Sen
ator SAKE. "Of course, the Central doesn't want
them; but believe that It would rather take the
bill with my amendments than undergo the con-
demnation proceedings pending under the
existing law"
Senator White again came TO the defence OF
the unamendcd bill. declaring his belief that in
that bill the city authorities struck splendid
bargain with the railroad people. Senator Nc
Carren voiced his opposition to the "senseless
legislation" and advocated rather the abolition
of all government by commission" Finally.
Senator White suggested that Senator SAKE
withdraw his amendments and the bill be recon-
mitted. thus practically killing it and leaving
the situation to the utilities commission. sena-
tor Raines pressed for vote the amend
ments, though. saying that the bin should be
disposed Of to send it to the Assembly and the
Governor.
Thereupon Senator Page declared that the
Cities Committee, which was not willing to put
it's name to this founding, had sent 1t to the
Senate. though Senator SAKE repudiated it.
at is perfectly easy TO introduce a bill one
half page long said he which would compel
the sinking OF the tracks at the company's ex-
pense. All that question has been passed on by
the Court Of Appeals when the electric wires
were removed from the streets of New York
City. Connecticut passed a law compelling the
railroads TO abolish grade crossings at their own
expense, and the United States Supreme Court
held that il constitutional.
THE local authorities seem to think that they
have got TO buy off this railroad-to give them
valuable privileges in exchange for removing
their tracks This is the most absolute giving
up of the rights of the people to this railroad
ever introduced into this Senate 1t gives the
railroad three times what il has now What do
the people get In return? That the tracks shall
be put into a subway. They have got the power
now to compel that. and when the public utiIi-
ties bill becomes law the commission will have
power to take the railroad by the neck and COM
pei ii to subway the tracks. / can't see why the
city authorities want this bill: can see easily
why the railroad wants It,"
Senator Saxe's amendments were lost IL 10
26. A motion to recommit the bill was lost. II
to 90, and the bill then was passed The vote
was:
Ayes-Ackroyd, Aids. Armstrong. Boyce Burr.
Fancher, Franchot, Gates, Grattan, Hasenfug
Heac cock. Human, Knapp, Mccall, McCarren,
White. Wilcox-29.
Frawley, Fuller. Gilchrtst, Harte. Hin Hooker.
MuIlaney owens Page, Ramsperger. SAKE. Sohmer,,
TAYLOR, TraVis-lS.