Year: 1859

FIRST BRANcH.-Present-JoHN t. FORD, ESQ.,,
and all the members.


MIR. HAMILTON presented an ordinance relative to
the table,


Mr.. WooD called up the order of the day-an Or
dinance Incorporating a company to lay down
railway through certain streets.


Mr.. GOD, on behalf OF the President, presented
substitute for the ordinance which was the mi
nority report of the Joint Standing Committee on
highways, granting the right of way to that COM
pany which offers the largest consideration to the
city.


Mr.. NEWMAN offered substitute for the bill, au
thorizng the Mayor, Comptroller and Register to
apply to the next Legislature to be Incorporated
for the purpose of laying railroad track through
the different streets of the city.


Mr.. Balm moved to adjourn which was LOST
yeas A. nays Is.


The minority bill of the Committee on High
ways then came up.


Mr.. BEALE said that when the propositions for
City Railroad were first presented to the Commit
tee on Highways, he was the friend OF the omnibus
men, but he was compelled from Justice to oppose
their proposition. The bill which is introduced by
the minority report never came up before the Com
mittee on highways. The proposals which the ON
nibus men had offered had been considered by the
Committee, and the Committee, with a unanimitv
rarely equalled where a difference of opinion did
exist rejected their proposition, because the inter-
ests OF the city would have been sacrificed had the
Committee reported in their favor The proposition
OF the minority report came before the Committee
after the chairman had been instructed to prepare
the bill which was reported by the majority 1t was
too late then to act in the matter, and the Commit
tee would have done injustice to the gentlemen who
composed the company, in whose favor the majority
report was made, had this informal proposition of
the omnibus line been considered after their first
proposition had been rejected. Why did they not
make their last proposal first Why did they offer
but $40 per car license when they are now able to
offer $50? They said they could give but SlO but
now they offer $50? But they only propose to place
fifty cars on the road, which, at $50 per car will
give an annual revenue Of $1,000. Now, the ma
lorlty bill contracts to place one hundred cars on
the road, and to pay $50 per car, which will
amount to 900, precisely equal to the offer of the
omnibus line proposition. Beside paving the IL
cense, the company of the majority report offered
bonus to the city, for the right of way of Sis 000
and bind themselves to purchase the horses of the
omnibus proprietors. The Committee felt COM
PEELED, as honorable men, to give the preference to
that company which offered the best conditions for
the interest of the city, and it would have been un
fair to have considered the informal proposition of
the omnibus proprietors after they had already of
fered three previous ones all of which were inferior
to that of the company in whose favor the report
made


Mr.. MONTAGUE said that his vote would 90 to
that contract which would best tend to the interests
OF the city. He was not welded to any particular
Company, but he thought the Branch was acting
hastily in the matter, and he had understood
that other propositions would come before the
Branch which would offer greater inducements
sn"u those pieseHteu. he thought tne arguments
of the gentleman of the Seventh ward could be
easily controverted, and before he entered upon their
consideration he would ask that gentleman if pr oper
notice had been given to the effect that the receiving
OF propositions would after stated time?


Mr. BEALE-'If the gentleman will allow me,
Will inform him. This matter has been up before
the Branch since the first day of the extra session.
and all persons were that it would receive
speedy attention. The Committee acted on all the
propositions, and it was only when certain parties
had failed to the grant that this counter pro-
prositon offered"


Mr.. MoNrAGuE-"My question is not answered
YETI


Mr.. BEALE-"We informed all persons that came
before the Committee with propositions that the
Committee would report at the earliest possible
day."


Mr.. MoNrAGUE-sYet nv Question is not answer
ed."


Mr.. BEAcHA1.-W will answer the gentleman's
question. / informed the clerk to notify all par
ties interested in this matter to give it immediate
attention, and by other parties sent word to those
Immediately interested in the matter of the neces-
sity of immediate action. This subject has been
consuming the time of the committee for weeks