Year: 1870

QUEENS COUNTY TCRNPIKEj.--The South Oyster
Bay Turnpike one of the toll roads recently in
dicLed lnrough the cxertlons OF the indeatgable
District Attorney OF Queens county. It runs from
Hempstcad IN tGe Vicinity Of Stewards recent pur-
chase 10 Babylon q distance OF eighteen miles, and
1or most or the way IL III sgnt or the beautiful bays
on the south OF the island. The country Is dotted
with delightful summer residences, and along the
road are situated many OF the beautiful trout lakes
which makes the south side Of Long Island SO ce.e
hrated. TINS corporation was chartered forty three
years ago, and for the last fifteen years hardly any
repairs have been made upon the road or bridges
They have been repeatedly indicted but as the line
mere nominal one tS250) must be COLLECTED from
the properly OF the corDOraton and the corporation
represents 10 property IL can be easily seen that the
fear OF an indictment worries but lutte the ancient
president and the more ancient directors At the
last session of the Grand Jury, when the periodical
complaints were made agalnste this corporation
District Attorney Downing brought the president
ana treasurer OF the turnpike corporation before che
Grand Jury, who ADMITTED that the road and bridges
were in poor condition. but they had not collected
toll Tor the last year neY thOugh5 the responsibility
ought not 10 rest on them. They further stated
that 1t was the Intention OF the director TO
abandon the road to the public. The matter did not
rest here. communications were frequent between
the District Attorney and the officers or the road
4 few days since the directors OF the corporation
took official action and refused to ratfy the promise
OF thelr ocers II is said, on account OF the recent
agitation on the subject OF buying the roads by the
county. Thursday the Board OF Supervisors Of
Queens county met &c Oyster Bay To take action
upon the matter, and alter hearing large amount
or testimony ordered the District Attorney to imme
dlatey lay The evidence taken before the Grand
Jury, the action OF the Grand Jury and the tcst-
mony taken by the Board before the Attorney Gene
raj Of the State anu request That an action be mne
diaely commenced for the forfeiture OF the fran.
chse.


The testimony OF William Floyd JONES' fully sub
s.antared BIZ others, was that the road had been
olt OF repair for fifteen years: that twenty-five Of
the lwenty-seyen bridges were dangerous, and the


live In good repair had been replaced by the citizens
at their own expense taat for the last three years
not days work had been performed on the road or
bridges at the expense OF the company that
the citizens living along the road, acquainted
with the danger OF the ~brldges, would in-
yarably GET our OF the carriages ana walk
common, and serious ones not unfrequent !:
q short time since horse ana rider lell
through one or the bridges; the horse was drowned
ana the rluer rescued with dlflcuty that travel on
the road In the night time was entirely suspended,
and that property along the me was greatly depre-
ciated on account Of poor condition OF the road
The lceng OF inhabitants the line or the turn
pike is intense but they are powerless to act until
The road Is abandoned 10 the Lowns who willing
to put the road and bridges IN good repair.