New-York tribune., 1915-03-26
Disapproves Measure to
Authorize Building of
Disposal Plant.
MEANS 81 400 600
LOSS, SAYS mitchell
Mayor Declares Act Would Have
Given New York a Profit
on Its Garbage.
ryrom . STAR con.spona.u, of tn. rnsun.. J

Albany. March 25.-Governor Whit
mans first veto was affixed to-day TO
tho LockwoodEl enbogen bill, provld-
ing for the building Of refuse dis
posal plant for New York City. The
bill was drafted as the result Of an
Investigation Of the refuse disposal
matter by Mayor Mitchell, Mr.. McAneny
and Senator Cromwell, then Borough
President Of Richmond.
The measure was passed in both
houses by an almost strictly party
vote, the Tammany legislators voting
against it solidly, as they did In 1918
and 1914. When the Governors mes
sage attacking the bill was sent to the
Senate this morning the jubilation Of
the Tammany members was unre-
strained.
"Will you re-introduce the bill and
attempt to pass it over the Governors
veto?" Senator Lockwood, Republican,
was asked.
mo-" Mr.. Lockwood replied
Blind Bill, Says Governor.
"This BILL" said Governor Whitman's
message, seek to invest the Commits
sioner Of Street Cleaning. subject TO
the approval Of the Board of Esti-
mate and Apportionment of tho City
Of New York, with power and authority
to contract for period not exceeding
fifteen years with any person. firm or
corporation for the equipment, maintsn-
ance and operation Of plant or plants
for the final disposition of all classes
Of refuse collected in the boroughs of
Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn.
he nj - h. -
this bill is hopelessly obscure. II the
city administration is in need of new
and necessary powers, their enumera-
tion in the bill before me is far from
satisfactory. They are neither spe-
citic nor is their meaning manifest. It
is stated in the bill that the contract
may provide either for the payment of
a stipulated sum or fixed unit price
to the city for the privilege Of the
final disposition of refuse.
"The important subject of the con-
tractors allowance is contained in
clause ir which it is stated that such
allowance shall be made out of the
gross receipts q the plant or plants, or
stipulated sum for operating ex-
penses as defined in the clause, or
sum to be arril ed at as in said con-
tract provided. and for a division OF
the remainder of such receipts between
the city and the contractor in such
proportion as may be agreed upon IL
would be hard to evolve a sentence in
which uncertainty and obscurity are
more hopelessly interblended
Refuse Valuable Commodity.
at was contended at the hearing be-
fore me by representatives of the city
that it would be impossible to interest
private capital in the subject of garb-
age and refuse disposition for so short
q period as five years. 1t was, how
ever, clearly brought out that the
city's refuse is a valuable commodity,
and that the city is to-day capable O.
developing a considerable annual rev.
enue from the sale of refuse and garb-
age.
1T is certainly questionable whether
tho city should lend its c-edit or its
funds TO the erection and equipment
of aL enterprise in which private in
dlviduals, firms or corporations con-
cededly will derive substantial in
come az the expense of the city's
legitimate income.
"The striking growth of the city's
annual budget, which seems to defy all
efforts at reduction or control, and the
mounting aggregate Of the city's debt
certainly impose upon every public
official who is called upon to ct with
reference to this subject matter the
duty of rigorous conservatism"
81 don't understand il at all. am
sure the Governor must have acted un-
der a misapprehension," said Mayor
Mitchell yesterday, when he was told
that Governor Whitman had vetoed the
bill that would have enabled the city
to enter into a contract for the final
disposition of its refuse.
"The veto will cost the city s1,400,-
600 year," said the Mayor at was
very important bill as means of
saving money to the taxpayers and
measure of economy, especially at
time when they are considering a di-
rect state tax"
When it was suggested that the
Hearst influence had been thrown
against the bill he replied:
well, know that considerable mis-
representation has been INDUCED in"
To those who have been watching the
relations between the Governor and the
Mayor the veto of the bill seemed to
be an indication of the feeling that
has existed between the two execu-
tlves since they were rivals for the
mayoralty nomination in 1918.
"The bill would have given us power
to get a profit from the disposition OF
garbage instead Of paying Sl,400,000 a
year for it," continued the Mayor. THE
Governors statement in vetoing the
bill SENS TO show a misapprehension
of the present situation and the pro-
visions of the bill.
"The city now paYs 81 400. 900 a year