Year: 1873

that we reside among an Intelligent 40
fbs ,crhls wrorgs which elsewhere have been neapeo
upOn the people, and the vengeance VIZ, DO otberwise
nan TINS abOrtve Investigation as one Vi
the bOlest efforts at sell ta tno stand here i'm
messed Even now. "a this Commt.ee ,hesn 1 men are
vindcaon of these bridge speouIators seSc S Xbanv
confessng Judgment by asking I'M ont apy mere OF
t Wncn ~ W. ,,ncy and vet leave them the coptrol 0i
additional subscription Of the CITY ior "n0n 'uo' wiz
soon ASK tn,s enterprise ia to seeOOoO es


mated ny % STn" RSeblng in 1874 or s2O0OOOOO much
more nrobable figure II the enterprise IS c0nthueu III


h Of the present ring, II Is clear that in elher
ono the public are deeply interested IN the past
and future conduct OF the enterprise UP 10 tls te


las brought 10 light the transactions OF the directors
The charter of the Company Is without any oil ne SAW
ssnch a corporation. Properly otherwise these
private stockholders, who themselves drew the the
the millions which must be paid by the public, and they
are bound by no accountability whatever. Their meet
When. alter months of resistance their part their
books finally forced before tno pu1ne, Snc 90
their number waived his claim TO S2O0OOOO, which ne
the Company had agreed to pay nun 6S 6 Sac
$4,000 which had actually been paid him on tho
same contract


The report concludes with the following resoutions


issue any more bonds EewYok Bridge Company unit. all other


subscribers have paid an equal per cenq with the o O DfO'"n


Rope That Legislature the state Of NevYork be earnestly
re- Ses Of he COMPANY shall be Interested directly
@ 5 BE- 9pssi pDn 10 e Is pSo 20 III. al upes Sa


5000 shall be purchased upon bids advertised for days four ph


RESOLVED Thai he Iegsur. be earnestly requested not TO allow
the private stockholders reduce the amount OF their subscriptions
nor the amounts which they have heretofore or
may hereafter pay on the same. ,,,,.
that any private sOkhod shall forfeit his stock and all payments
M w % G 10 ssys the paymsn OF bis assessment upon said stock


Re,OIpsd Judgment Of this Board the City of Brooklyn
hop assume Of the bridge until either
M aaas the Bridge Company thoroughly investigated by


tie Company passed other hands than those now in con-


R;oed That the Legislature requested appoint committee
with full power investigate all the Affairs Of the SewioTk Bridge
ssr quantity quality aud price Of all materials used in It's con
Of rooe1 paid for land and to the same has been paid


Also how the subcres By BroCElyn and New "1
Of said Directors has been honest and open and


Bs,oiSsd and Members Of Assembly from Kings
such legislative action as IS Ddcatedn theSe eso
d That the CITY Clerk be and he hereby directed forward


to Legislature from Kings County copy Of the fore
guns AN ANIMATED DEBATE.


At the conclusion OF the reading of the minority re-
port Alderman Ropes arose and IN an excited manner
attacked the report claiming that 1t imputed wrong
motives who prepared the majority report He
said that Alderman wylie into the Committee with
his verdict already formed and had never reconsdered
It that he came with an impression that every man
TO be examined was villain, and had adhered TO 1t
without regard for evidence He put on the Com
mttee because it understood he had valuable es-
timony to produce he failed 10 show it, Every wit
William NSis mo M Tweed and that the Committee
took for a Joke. When important witnesses were 10
be heard he had stayed away n spite OF promises 10 De
present. The investigation was closed at the tlne
agreed upon and the fact was known to him. because he


s asked 10 be present when the evidence was read.
with view the preparation OF the report When ne
asked to listen 10 the reading OF tne report ne sara
port The speaker then became very bitter IN his re-
MARKS and the surprise of the spectators was un-


Alderman Wyie said he sorry the last speaker had
right to be heard any other member OF the Board


He then explained the remarks made as to his absence
from meetings, showing that on one occasion he had
been away from the city and another engaged In
other important business The Committee had done him
An Injustice refusing him copy Of the report while
il was furnished 20 the newspapers. Whatever sugges
tons he had made TO tho committee were almost
universally voted down. Statements he had
made as testimony had been omitted from
the evidence. Promises were made OF an exposure OF
the manner in which legislation had been obtained, but
nothing had come of them. Many things were not
report because the Committee did not have
the facts and did not seek tor the me speaker was
willing to maintain everything stated IN his report
without regard TO intimidation or tne remarks OF others
and would say boldly and without Iear OF contradiction
that no investigation had been made aud the people
were not satisfied, and would not be until tribunal
that had full power should investigate the matters OF the
East River Bridge Company.


Alderman ROdman member OF the Committee OF In
vestgatOn sad that he thought few sober words from
an impartial might not be amiss, but he gradually
armed and reiterated Alderman R0pes's accusation
that the conclusion OF Alderman Wye was FORMED be-
forehand. The Committee had been nominated at the
ms
among the most honorable and impartial men Of the
BOARD None Incorporate or violent IL had been


ere very great and they should not be considered in
the midst of violence, or crowded by prejudice Alder
man wylie had preferred the LoSt wholesale eharSes
against the Bridge Company before he was added to the
Committee. lie was hardly a proper juror but no


mind that the mana cement Of the Bridge Company
eoTupt to the core, as well every man connected
with It, The Committee mad been in session from week
TO week for months, and the doors had never Oeen
closed 10 any one and 1t was gross injustice 20 say
tba he was ever excluded The speaker accused Alder
man Wylie of being III the habit OF making charges


thouf due scrutiny OF their foundations and said that
i'm doing so fell far short OF his duty The manage
the Bridge Company was 10 the hands 0i honest
would Judge which report was right.


Alderman wylle charged Alderman Rodman with


Alderman Richardson said the question involved was
OF such interest that no citizen could fail 10 desire


wise solution this question The question Is raised


whether men who have stood at the top OF their profess
sODs are the honest men We believe they are
renrf of the majority but with much less TO the report
of the minority lie thought the investigation was not
snmmarily closed, and believed that quick report
Only iustice 20 men who had been unjustly assalled
Alderman Wyle had said before he was added TO the
Committee that he had evidence Ihat the tower on tne
mittee no such evidence was produced by him.
The speaker upheld the payments 70 the superintendent
ana the of the Company In that respect and COM
Dared them with the payments 10 arcnltects employed
mon the Capitol Washington. He had always thought
nat bridge between two such large cities should be
fr and offered resolutions to that effect and that the


ure prosecution Of the work should be at the public
expense, and that the private stockhoiders should


alderman Taylor made few remarks similar TO those
of Alderman Richardson, vindlcang the report OF the


At The conclusion OF his remarks Alderman Richardson
moved the adoption OF the resolutions contaneu IN tne
Alderman Wylie dissenting. resolution thanking the
members who had made the majority report Tor the
faithful performance OF their duty, was adopted Dy
similar vote, whereupon the Board adjourned in con-
fusion.