The New York Herald Newspaper, February 5, 1879, Page 5

SAFETY AT SEA. The Dangerous Quality of Iron As _ Building Material. ABOVE AND BELOW THE WATER LINE. Contrasts of Temperature and the Force of Expansion. THE THEORY OF NORMAN WIARD. PAL aS Recently returned from Japan, Mr. Norman Wiard fa now stopping at the Grand Union Hotel, After getting ready to start for home he waited about two months longer in that distant land in order to obtain passage on a wooden steamer, so yreat is his distrust of those which ure constructed of iron, Mr. Wiard’s prominence as an inventor and engineer would give to his views on any mechanical subject an importance and interest commanding wide attention. As is well known, he was connected during the re- bellion with the building of s number of vessels of war for the government. His studies have been more or less directed during many years to the improvement ot marine architecture, and his ob- teryations have resulted in an original theory of the best method of insuring the greatest degree of sufety nt sea, In view of the general discussion awakencd by the investigation on the part of the Hinaxp of the practical operation of the bulkhead system in steam- ships a reporter yesterday called upon Mr. Wiard and solicited from him a statement of his conclusions upon this subject. ‘The ideas which he imparted will doubtless inter- est the public and may have a good deal of influence in inciting the important improvements which are needed in marine architecture. follows the subjoined cut has been carefully pre- pared. Tt exhibits a transverse section of a bull, which it is intended shall be composed of two kinds of material, deriving from one the requisite strength and from the other the quality of stability. SKCTION OF COMPOSITE SHIP-—YRAMRS AND BEAMS OF IRON, WITHOUT YORK AND AFT CONTINUITY—FORK AND AFT STKKNGTH OF Woon, A, Wooden keol. F. Wooden wales, B, Wooden keolsons. G. Wooden inner skin. ©. Wooden fore and aft . Iron frames in sections stringers. of 15 feot fore und aft D. Wooden outside s! Jength. E. Wooden water wa: I. Iron deck beams. ‘These two materials are iron and wood. As may be seen by attention to the above referencen to parts of the structure, the whole:frame, with the exception of the keel, is to beof iron, The keel, keelsons, stringers, strakes, water ways, wales, plarking and decks are to consist of wood. Thus the fore and aft strength will be entirely furnished by a material that is far less susceptible to changes of temperature than any kind of metal. The advantages of the plan will be found to be more precisely explained in the language of the inventor, especialiy in regard to points in which it diffcrs from all others that haye ever been tested. “I have taken a great interest,” said Mr. Wiard, “in the articles which have been published in the Herat in relation to ocean steamships. They have evidently been written by some one with a very fair technical knowledge of shipbuilding; but I observe that he has entirely omitted the consideration of what seem to me the most important facts. I have made what {deem a very valuable discovery affecting the qnes- tion as to what is the best material for the construc- tion of ships. Ido notdesire that my individuality should come prominently forward in-this statement, but merely to give information ta the public which may result, as I believe it will, incompletely restoring the shipbuilding interests of thiscountry. It is here that are found the best materials in tho world for that purpose, A great mistake has been made in England as well as here in adopting iron so generally in the place of wood, and my impressfon is that the ship of the future will be built in this country.” TRON SHIPS VERSUS WOODEN SIUPS. “Do you not think, then, that iron ships ‘are as seaworthy as those of wood?" «Let me cite some facts in relation to the lives of iron ships. In an article which was published in the Henatp some time in October, 1873, it was men- tioned, I think, that of nine iron vessels which had sailed from Quebee during a single month not one had ever been heard from afterward. Their names aid destinations were given, and it was stated that nearly all of them were loaded with grain. It has been my practice for nearly twenty years to collect’ in scrapbooks all the pub- fished facts thet I could find regarding shipbuild- ing. I at ono time had ‘a list of forty- hyve iron steamers which were rogistered at Lloyd’s, antl which departed from English ports, all in one year, never to heard of again, in’a book written by Mr. Plimsoll, a member of the british Parlia- ment, I have scen a list of twenty-one or’ twenty-three iron steamers belonging to a single shipping company in England and comprising their whole fleet, out of which nine, according to my recollection, have remained so long unheard from that there is no doubt of their having been lost, with allon board. Mr. Plimsoll, in his agitation of the question of steamship inspection before Parliament, attributed these disasters to carclessness of inspec- tion, which permitted the vessels to yo to sea with excessive bi and otherwise in wn unseaworthy condition. It ismy opinion, however, that they were rather duo to those mechanical reasons which I hull bree rad explain to you. In a discussion before the Jnited Service Institution, of London, afew years ago, Captain Sullivan stated, 1 think, that about seventy iron steamers had been employed as transports dur- ing the Crimesn war, and gave # comparison of thoir lite ane exes, re Spee of 9m oatal number of wooden ships, declaring his superiorit, of the latter over the former, a . Attor any theory in reyard to wieamship c iy any ry to steamship construc- tion Lad first assumed in my mind a debuite shape I ‘visited the Victoria Bridge at Montreal. 1 saw there @bridge of many spans, the groatest of which is an iron tube 400 feet long, one end of which rests on rollers. ‘Lhe ditference of aaa caused by chanye of tempera- tureis thas provided for, «o that there is no danger of its causing theoverthrow of the piers. Of course euch an enormous mass of iron, obedient to the diflering temperature, would expand and contract with great force. During the time that I there I was occupied in observing its effect daily and nightly. From the hottest moment of the to the coolest moment of the night the variation the length of span was about «six inches. An at. tendant was always present who moved and replaced pieces of rail or frogs upon the track, so as to keep it continuous for the passage of trains. In the Gee! morning, when I stood at the end of tho span looking through tho tube, the sun shining on the right hand side caused it to assume a curved shape, bulging in that direc- tion, About nine or ten o’clock the curve had greatly increased, the tube sometimes being deflected some 81x OF Seven inches from its regular aligninent, At noon, the sun shining nearly perpendicularly, the tube would be arched in the middle. In the afternoon the curve would gradually shift to the Jort hand side, PATAL RIVET IOLES, “It should be remembered that this tube was im- mersed in only one clement, nearly uniform in tem- peraturo—namely, the air. In view of ye theory I conceived this efivet to be the result of the sun shining upon the top of the tube at the same time that the bottom was cald, yot of @ temperature not uite wo low us the water owing beneath it. Now, bought I, if the tube were lowered so that halt of section were immersed in be hill the id ge ot sagt ged Fn onen.tog 9 8 8, wou! urally be still greater. If, however, “the 5 wholo length of the tube wero homogeneous in material and of equal strength tho strains apon the structure would not be very much greater upon being immersed than they would be previous to immersion, Although the curvature ‘would be Glasticity of the Inctal at the median Hue between the lines‘of ox tromeheat and extreme cold would bo sufficient to provide for the tension of the tube, and when taken ‘out of the water or sunk until entirely immersed it would rocover its previous alignment, But if it be prem that all of tho structure is made up of Binall shoots of tron fastened together by rivets, it will be apparent that it would strength and .elusticity than solid tube, iron steamships are now constructed the porfo: tions through which tho rivets are inserted take awa: firty-seven one-lundredths of their Ms pes strength, One side of the sbip would resemble yery much a blvet of postage stamps, All of tho extension con- oawese much leas of As To illustrate what sequent upon s strain would occur within the very siuall proportion of the leugth occupied by the rivet holes. the same is the case if you pull upon a sheet of postage stamps with both bhauds. It would break on a line marked by the holes and nowhere else, OPVOSITE KXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE, “Imagine a structure in the form of an iron ship sailing through the Gulf Stream, where the tempera- ture is at times as high as eighty degrees, Suppose, also, that her propulsion requires the bufning of forty or fifty tons ot coal every twelve hours. It is easy to conceive that the temperature of the entire Structure might be raired to a point considerably above eighty degrees, and especially in the upper part. ‘the deck beains and the inuer and outer skin of the ship would, in consequence, be in- creased ip length until the upper part would excec that of the keel. If there shoud be any athwart np or tore and aft bulkheads, these, having the hot air on each side of them, would be also expanded almost as tauch as the deck beams above. Thus there would be a tendeney to widen as well as to lengthen the upper part of the bull, while the bottom would be restrained from expanding, even in the Gulf Stream, by the lower temperature of the water, Thus there would be a very severe strain exerted which would tend to separate the bottom from the keel. THK YORCE OF EXPANSION. “Now, suppose that the ship ewerges from the Gulf Stream and comes into the neighborhood of an icoberg. For 4 great distance, and in all directions round about the latter, the water is reduced in tem- perature to, say, forty degrees, The consequent eifect upon the ship ‘is that hor bottom is yet more con- tracted, and that with suddenness,.too, ‘Lhe differ- ence of density in the parts is so great that their adjustment is destroyed, they pull apart aud she goes to the bottom, taking everybody with her, und her fate remains forever a mystery, A bar of iron one inch in thickness aud one foot long is increased 1-5,000 part of its length by an increase of temperature of elght degrees, Au equal extension in length occurs when a weight of 2,000 pounds is sus- pended by it. Consequently it expands with the force of 2,000 pounds for every tnerease of tempera- ture of eight degrees. With an increase of tempera- ture of eighty degrees the force would be equal to about sixteen thousand pounds, With this proportion of temperature to force in view it is easy 5 conceive what must be the enormous strain upon 4. ship when the bottgm is so much colder than the top. In building irvou™$hips far less than this rate of tension is allowed as a margin of safety, ‘Lhe revular test is to make a ship strong enough to support its own weight if suspended Ly the stem and the stern, but this standard is without reference to the unequal expansion.” “What system would you recommend to obviate this dangerous weakness in iron?’’ “{ wouid recommend the building of composite ships. ‘The frame should be of iron, set upon a wooden keel. The frameshould be made in sections? each section not more than ten or filteen feot in length. The outer and inner sk‘ns, all the fore and aft strakes, the keelson, the waterway, the wales, the decks and the planking should all be of wood.” “In a ship so constructed would not the pulsation of the wood snd the iron conflict tosuch adegres us to prove injurious?” fk “No; if the keel were of iron it would do #0; but where it is of wood there is no such danger. Bulk- be be as many watertight compartments as might be required, They could be vithdr of iron or of wood, as the lateral expansion would not be injurious.”” “Could you suggest any plan by which the ainid- ship compurtment could be made smaller?” “I do not know how heed gery could be made to gectupy less space. It would doubtless be an advan- tage if they were separated from the boilers by a wa- tertight buikhead.”” could be applied to advantaye, and there could | « NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, THE NEW BARGE OFFICE. CONGRESSMAN MULLER COMES FROM -WASHING-" TON TO SEZ THE TITLE TO THE LAND PEL- FECTED—WHAT HE SA¥S ABOUT THE BUILD- ING AND ITS PROSPECTS OF ERECTION. Mr. Nicholas Muller, member of Congress for the Firth district, came up yesterday morning from Washington to look after the passage of a resolution by the Board of Aldermen perfecting the title of the* United States gov- ernment to the land at the Battery intendod for the site of the new Barge Office. Before leaving Wash- ington Mr. Muller had 3 communication from Secre- tary Sherman, in which the Secretary, after pointing out that under the present condition of the law the Barge Office, if relinquished for any other Uses in the future than that of a Barge Office, wonld revert to the ciiy, remarked that it was manifest the interests of the United States required that there should be as few restrictions in the deed as would be consistent with the authority of the Common Council, and that the Duited States should be guaranteed the privilege of holding the property in the event of turning the building to other pur- poses than those originally intended.’ The resolution proposed to meet this difficulty, aud to be presented yesterday to the Board of Aldermen by Alderman Barns, of the Pigst ward, did not see the light, as the Board adjourned until’ Tuesday next tor want of @ quorum. “With the resolution passed Isuppose the coast will be clear,’ said 4 Hrnanp reporter to Mr. Muller, as he waited in the corridor of the City Hall, aax- jously awaiting the action of the Board. “Yes,” replicd the member from the Fifth beam of joyous auticipetion in bis e; God, all the trouble will be “And has there been mii trouble?’ “Why, no end of it. When I firs question of buliding a new Barge Oile an endo the complaints about the terni! in this city, I knew I was on the right trac every sensible and patriotic man agreed with 1 such # thing was wanted, aud that the existing Barge Office was a disgrace, but 1 never thought I'd have such a heap of bother in yetting where I now nd. Everything looked lovely when tho President signed the bill, but lo aud behold! the troubie was ouly beginning.” Up came a dispute about the title to the land, and the Secretary of the Treasury had to request ‘Attorney General Devens to Uireet istrict Attoruvy Woodtord to undertake an examin#@on of the tiie fo the laud adjoining that now belonging to the United states aud next to the new Waiteball Doat slip tor the pur- pose of securing a Proper location for the new Barge Oflice. A crowd of opinious were given trom diter- ent lawyers confusing the whole subject ubout title, but finally we got cluar ont of the fog, and now we only want the Board of Aldermen to ignor tu- ture claim to tiie land to make the title pert THE PROJECTED BUILDING. “Are the plans for the building all ready ?” “Yes; the plans were furnished by Supervising Architect Hill and approved by the hous of the ‘Treasury, Interior and Post Office departments, these forming the permanent board ror the approval ot the plans for alluew public buildings. It will be a nand- “Wooden ships are far tho safer,” said Mr. Wiard, in conclusion. “I have known wooden ships that have sailed constantly for one hundred and ten and one hundred and fitteen years, and yet, when they were at last laid up in the dockyard, they were just us sanne in their timbers as the day when they were yuilt.’” A STEAMER’S SEAWORTHINESS TESTED BY HER REPUTATION—A BECORD OF MISHAPS PRO- POSED. New Yonx, Feb. 4, 1879 To THe Eprror or THE HEenatp:— A man must be blind indeed not to see in tho HeRaLp the embodiment of every quality that is a coustituent of push, enterprise and devotion to the welfare of the American people. Your articles on “Safety at Sea,” “Bulkhead System,” &c., are pecu- liarly important, illustrating as they do acareless- ness that pervades the whole merchant marine in re- gard to the absence of regulations for closing bulk- head doors, and which demands the immedtate en- forcement of new rules $o provide against this grave danger. I would like to suggest, in connection with this subject, a n of the travel- ling public. It is that cach sicamer entering the port of New York be obliged to exhibit promi- nently in her cabin a memorandum of her present classification at Lloyd’s, the times und places she has been ashore or stranded, the number und manner of her collisions and the time and place of change from sidewheel to propeller, it such taken place. With these requirements in force owners of steamers will take pains to have them commanded by most careful navigators and rigid disciplinarians, and an ocean voyage, when mude on a vessel with a clean memo- randum, will be surrounded with the fullest sense of security. G@. CAMMACK. ANOTHER SUGGESTION, q New York, Feb. 3, 1879. To tHe Eprror oy THE Heratp:— If the door or valve in the watertight bulkhead subdividing the ocean steamship was attached toa rod, which moved a tell-tale on deck in such a man- ner that every passenger could see recorded whether said door or valve below was open or shut, would not such @ simple precaution tend to the Lage 4 of the ship? D. Be DAVENPORT'’S DEFENCE, EX-UNITED STATES DISTRICT ATTORNEY BLISS ON THE STAND—HOW PRISONERS WERE CON- FINED ON ELECTION DAY. ‘The investigating committee met yesterday to hear the continuation of the defence in the Davenport case. The first witness called was Charles S. Strong, acting deputy marshal in the Tenth Assembly dis- trict. , He testified that about one hundred warrants were issued in his district and several parties arrested were in the act of voting; some republican voters were arrested afterward; @ few others who voted the combination ticket were arrested, but their names had escaped his memory. - “That's all,” said Mr. Davenport; “step round and get your fee, $2.” *A-voice in the crowd—"That's right; no discrim- ination in the payment of fees,”” Michaol Tay, deputy marshal of the Sixth Assem- bly district; William H. Corsa, of the Ninth; Charles H. Trainor, of the First; Victor Heinberger, of the Twelfth; John N. Hamilton, chief deputy of the Six- teenth, and several other deputy marshals, gave tes- timony as to the impartiality which was observed toward all voters on election day. The printed in- structions which were handed them came from the Chief Deputy Marshal of the Southegn district of New York, and not trom Commissioner Davenport. Colonel eat Bliss, ex-United States District At- torney, testified that he had held oftice from 1873 to 1si7; it was always the practice that warrants for arrests on election day should be handed over to the supervisors of election and by them to the deputy marshals for execution; the practice in selecting marshals was that Tammany Hall and the repubili- can party took haif and half of all the appointments, Mr. Davenport—Did you ever know me to interfere in the appointment of any officers on election day ? A. Yes; [ think there were some isolated cases in which ‘you recommended @ change ig some of the selections of supervisors, Q. Did you sce the manner in which the “63” apers were manufactured in the Superior Court? Colonel Winyate—I object. ‘Tne commitiee held # short consultation, after which the Chairman asked witness, “What office, it any, did you hold at the time you are about to refer to?” A. I held none, but was well acquainted with the judges and sat behind them on the bench; in 1868 I was in the Supreme and Superior courts every day of naturalization with the exception of the firat two or three days. Mr. Prye, of the committee—Mr. Davenport, do you know what committees Mr. Bliss testified be- fore? A. Yes, sir; be testitied fully on the Lawrence and Cox Congressional committees, Mr. Frye—-Then would it not do just as well to submit his sworn testimony as given there? A. Well, I don't much mind; but I would prefar that this commitice should hear him testify now. THE SLAVE RN. After recess Commissioner ia took up the subject of the “slave pen,” where the prisoners were confined on election day. The committee were in- Yited to inspect it personally, and did Thomas *“Pitzpatrick, Orlando Yates, nat} hals Miller, Holmes and others variow in the federal building on election day number of prisoners in ¢! from fifteen to twenty, and they were supplied with chairs and water. Colonel McAfee, custodiau of the federal buil that the sive of the cage was 12 by 16 feet, and the room 21 by 42; the room was thoroughly cleaned the night Comunissioner Devel was recalled to contradict the testimony of Mr. Quille as to the alleged intimida- tion by yputy Marshal Mack. Witness «aid be did not know if any of the 779 cases that had been cou- sidered were sent before tho Grand Jury. ‘The committee thon adjourned till ten o'clock this ati that the average “emge’’ on that day was ‘| morning. a TILDEN'S TAX. ‘The case of the United States against Samuel J. Til- don, the well known income tax suit, was called in the United States District Court yesterday, before JudMigthoate. Mr. Vandorpoel said for Mr, Tiiden, “Weare ready for trial,” District Attorney Wood ford said he thought it would be unjust to press the conse for triel at this term of court, as after oxamin- ing the depositions opened by order of the Court, he domed it only just and fair that a bill of discovery shouid be fled. Such a bill was being prey dd, ant coyeting some five hundred pages. It would not be reikly for Ming until fo-day. Mt Porter, Df tho’ de- some building, combining several orders of archi- tecture, and room will be provided fur the deputy surveyors of tho Custam House.” “When will proposals for bids be issued ?”’ “Right away atter the validity of the title is estab- lished, and the building will be pushed to completion as rapidly as’ possible. It will take Dex haps: wu year and a half. Lexpect to seo it constructed by days’ labor, Last week I introduced a resolution in Con- ress providing that hereaftor all public buildings to e erected or in process of erection in the United States shall be done by days’ labor.” “Do you. think it will pass?’ “Of course it will. Itis a proper and sensible res- olution, aud the result will be that we will have o better and cheaper building than any in the country put up on the other plan.” “Will it be any considerable size?”’ “Well, not quite as large as the Post Office or as expensive, because the main buildthg will be of brick, 108 feet front by 32 feet deep. It will be two stories high, with raised centre pavilion and a tower on the northwest corner about seveuty-tive fevt high, to be used as a lighthouse. You'll be able to see # light trom there clean over the harbor. At the rear will be a large structure of iron and glass made to tit the shape of the lot, which is like what the Post Ottice is built on, und that will have a frout of 176 fect on the adjoining “lot and 163 feet on the river. The outside enclosure of the building will be of rolled beams, filled in with cor- rugeted sheet iron. ‘he root will be of iron and glass. Piles will be driven down to secure the foun- dation. Zhe shed part of the building, it is believed, can be made available for business purposes—that is, for the landing of passengers and the examination of baggage—about four months trom the time the build- ing is commenced; but the muin building and the sea wall can hardly be finished in less time than a eur and a half. Within the shed portion there will every convenience for tie examination of baggage und the comfort of passengers, in great contrast to the way passengers and their buggage are treated now. On the river front there will be a large entrance for passengers, and on either side of that two smailer ones tor bagg ‘A roadway is intended to go around the building, so that passengers and their ‘baggage can be moved off in a hurry without confu- sion. THE GRAND STREET FIRE je. his CHIEF BATES TO PRESENT HIS REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONERS AT A MEETING OF THE BOARD TO-DAY— THE DEPARTMENT EXONERATED FROM CHARGES OF: INEFFICIENCY, Chief Bates, of the Fire Department, who, for the past week, has been investigating the alleged remiss- ness and lack of discipline of the department at the Grand and Worth street fires, will, at the weekly meeting of the Board ‘to-day, present to Presiden: King «report of the result of his investigation of the Grand street fire, His report contains @ detailed ac- count of the action taken by the firemen and their chiefs to cate” the flames; the condition of the building previons to the conflagra tion; its peculiar construction and liability to falla prey to the devouring eiement under certain untavorable conditions. The report is emphatic and pronounced on the main question at tssue—namely, that there was no responsibility to be laid at tho door of the department for the destruction ot the vuildings, This conclusion was arrived at from the testimony of unprejudiced experts who had testified during tie progress of the investigation. Stress was laid upon the delay of sounding the fire alaria and flames before the avtival of the hromen, The system in existence of offering a special reward to the Vive Iusurancé Patrol for extinguishing fires without the aid of thw Fire Depa: meut was deprecated as dangerous to the security of property, as overything depanded upon a prom! notification in the incipient stages of 4 fire, as eve minute increases the danger and renders it wore dificult to subjugate the flames. The fire brigade is complimented for their zeal and gallant dehavior in the face of danger and difficulties of a startling nature. Reference is made to the death of Fireman Reilly as a proof that yreat risks had been taken to combat the flames, and that the men did not shrink from danger in the performauce of their duty. The report of th» investigation into the Worth strect fire will be presented at the succeeding imvct- ing of the Board. “BURNED OUT. Aconflagration which came*near resulting in tho loss of several lives oceurred at Baiting Hollow, Long Island, on Monday night. Tne residence of Mr, John Corwin caught fire ig some mysterious way while the family were sleeping, and, the wind be- ing high, it h ery rapidly, so that when (he members ot the household were awakened by a sense of sul- focation, they were almost completely hemmed in by the daimvs and had to get out without taking time to gather up 4 single article of clothing, The Louse dud everything that it contained wus reduced to ashes. ‘The loss is $7,000, Tie homoeiess ones found shelter with the neighbors, The settlement is with- out fire apparatus of any kind, Mr. Corwia is par- tially insured, POISON "IN THE SCHOOLROOM, Complaint was recontly made to the Health De- partment of Brooklyn against tho foul odors which } permeated the class rooms of Public School No. 1, corner of South Second and Tenth streets, Williams- burg. Sanitary Inspector Pendleton, M. D., was assigned by the Board to investigate’ the ject. Yesterday the latter official presented a report at a mecting of the Board, in which he sets forth that the school is in an unhealthy condition in consequence of the foul odors arising from the privy yeults, ‘Lhe Board requ that a committee ot the Board of Education examine the school, in conjunc- tion with the Sanitary Inspector, and devise an imme- diate ly for the evil, MYSTERIOUS SHOOTING. Aman named Thomas McCabe was found wander- ing through Eleventh avenue early yesterday morn- ing, suffering from a pistol shot wound in his right wrist. Officers Butts and Goetzger, of the Twenty second precinct, took him to Roosevelt Hospital, as his injuries seemed to be serious. He admitted to the officer that he bad been engaged in # fight with two men, one of whom shot him. Not long after McCabo was met by Officer Butts, Officer Casey, of the ‘Iwenty-secoud Fre arrested John Sulli- van, of No. 831 Kieventh avenue, and Ric! Casey, of No, 637 Eleventh avenue, wi wore in a fight on the corner of Eleventh avenue and Fifty-soventh street. In the possession of Casey was fount a re- volver, oue chamber of which had been emptied, Both Suilivan and Cascy were taken to the hospital yester- day to be identified by MeCabe, He said that it was Sullivan who shot him. They were both held by feuce, consent the cave Went over for the term, Justice Morgan, at the Pifty-seventh Street Court, \ yesterday ‘moun Lor cxau ination, the consequent destructive fury and spread of iho | RAPID TRANSIT. GOOP PROSPECTS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE “1” RATLROADS—WORK BEGUN ON SECOND AVENUE "THE OLD PORTION OF THE NINTH AVENUE “‘L” ROAD TO BE REBUILT. » ‘The great public interest centring in rapid transit ap- pears to be specially fixed just now upon the Second Avenue “L" which is about to be built, and which, erally hoped, will afford permanent relief to ast side of the city. Such being the fact, the etfortof the Second Avenue Horsecar Company to forestall the “LL” by their new steam motor car has been widely discussed, and # reporter of the HrxaLp was sent to ascertain the views of the oflicers of the Metropolitan Company on the subject, Vice-President José F. Navarro was asked whether, ‘in his opinion, these steam motor cars could possibly compete with the “L” trains, Mr. Navarro smiled and said that even if these steam motor cars could run at the rate of thirty miles an hour and carry passengers for oue cent it would do the horse car company little good so long as the legal resiristions as to speed compelled them to run very slawly. ‘Lhe horse car company,” Mr, Navarro remarked, “haye had a charter to ran Siem cars above Forty-second street for some time past, but they have not ran them for the very good Yeason that they were not aliowed to exceed seven myer an hour, and everybody knows that any greater sp on the surface of the streets would greatly en- danger life.” Mr. Navarro added bumorously, “I only wish that they would invent some cheaper wnothod of rusaing cars by steam at a high rate of speed than we know of xt present, so that we might be able to reduce the very high cost of operating our road,” PROGRESS ON THE METROPOLITAN ROADS. ‘The work on the Metropolitan “L's,” on both sides of the city, is actively going on, the operations op cast side being, of course, still of a preparatory acter. ‘he foundations are_ progressing rapidly a way up to [10th street, on Ninth avenue, and to 169th street, on Kighth avenue, Above Eighty-third strect, on Nioth avenue, the first tron girders have been laid on the ground, and about fifty car loads of ivon ure awaiting shipment at Aluboy to this city. Within a few duys the first columns will be set up above Kighty-third strect, and Geueral Manager John Laird expects that the construction will thenceforward go on without any interruption until the completion of the line to Lu street, The new section to Vifty-third street and hth ave- nue is to be opened next week, and trains will be run alternately to Fuity-eighth strect and Sixth avenue aud to Piity-third street and Kighth avenue, the run- ning timo to both termini beiny about the same, ‘The Eighth avenue station is the most commodious and the hindsomest on the entire line, and it is ex- pected that it wili attract passengers from the entire vicinity of Seventh, kighth, Ninth and Tenth avenues, between Vittieth street and Fifty-ninth street. The Commissioner ot Public Works has already approved the foundations as lsid out on the Allen street sec- tion of the Second Avenue “L,” upon the condition, however, that no excavations are to be opened until the foundation stones are on the ground. This will probably delay the inning of the work on the east side line for a couple of weeks. THE THIRD AVENUE “'L."” Mr. Hebor RK, Bishop. one of the principal directors of the Third Aveaue “1,” who is specially in charge ot the construction work, stated yesterday that work was being continued on the new “pockets” which were being constructed at Chatham square, Ninth street and hiy-fourth stres As soon as these are finished trains can be started from these points simul- tancously with the through trains, The large terminal station at the South ferry and the Chatham strect branch are to be opened about the middle of March. ‘The almost endiess delays in reference to the com- pletion of the City Hall branch have put et rest all eager popular speculation prevailing formerly as to when it realiy will be finished, The terminal depot at Ninety-cighth street, for switching off and storing cars, will be completed next month, and then, Mr. Bishop says, the thirty-eight udditional cars’ now veady for shipment at Troy, N. Y., can be put ut once on the fine. With the 147 cars now running on the east side Mr. Bishop says tho Third avenue “L” will have a total complement of 185 cars, a suflicient num- ber to accommodate the travel comfortably. The foundations along the live of the Thirty-fourth street branch are now nearly all open, and Mr. Bishop ex- pects that trains will ran to the foot of T! y- fourth street in June. This branch will be a special convenience to Coney Island excursionists, the trains -ting at Thirty-fourth street with the Brighton ‘the Manhattan Beach Company will also probably ran boats to Thirty-third strect. YEE NINTH AVENUE “L. ‘The New York “L’’ Company have wisely resolved to rebuild the old portion of their Ninth avenue structure, the extremely rickety and dangerous character of which has been so often pointed out in the columns of the Henatp. Mr. Bishop said that the new structure would correspond in point of strength with the Third avenue road and be capable of bearing a pressure of 2,000 pounds to the lincal toot. This resolution ot the company will cause auch gratification among the patrons of the Ninth Avenne “L,” many of whom have been, and still are, in daily fear of their lives in travelling over portions of the road where tho vibration is so perceptible as to be alarming. NOT DEAF TO COMPLAINTS. Despite the many complaints against the New York “L” Railroad it will appear from the following letter that the company is dispdsed to protect the travelling public as far: as in their power lies in the matter of their treatment by employés of the road:— Nxw York ELgvatep Raf-roab Company, New York, Jan. 11, 1879 H. F. Kesnepy, Esq., No. 401 Broadway, cit; ‘Drak Stu—Please accept our sincere expressions of regret and sorrow that, through no error of your | own, but solely from an almost unaccountable ‘mis- | take of our ticket seller, you were subjected to such undeserved treatment by one of our conductors last week, r knowledge of all the facts has convinced us you were placed in a ver, mortifying position, aud are entitled to and shall receive all the reparation justly due you. I would say here, however, that we strive constantly to greed. in a most jealous manner the rights and privileges of the travelling public, aad not tolerate in our employ for a single moment any servant whom it can be proven is unnecessarily authoritative or treats the patrons of our road in any other than a courteous, civil and becoming manner, Representations of the contrary conduct to this oflice are sure to be carefully and promptiy investi- | gated, and we solicit from passengers statements of any rude or disrespectful treatment they may re- ceive, to the end that their interests, comfort and privileges may be protected as far as is in our power. Will you kindly accept this explanation of regret in | the frank and sincere spirit in which it is made, and acquit us of knowingly or intentionally permitting any one to receive from the bands of any employé of this company any other than the courteous and gen- tiemanly treatment which is pro senger? Very respectfully, . R. BISHOP, Chairman Purchasing Committee. GARBAGE .IN THE BAY. The Board of Pilot Commissioners met yesterday, Ambrose Snow in the chair. A communication was read from the Police Commissioners denying that the tug Johu J. Stevens (reported on January. 12 as having had acows loaded with garbage in tow and “dumping the same in the harbor) has been in their employ since the close of the year 1878. Inspector Joseph Conway reported to the Board that in the day time on Monday he discovered the tugboat Don | Juan, with four scows in tow, discharging refuse muterial ia the lower bay, in the main sbip channel, Chis tug, he waid, “was in the employ of the Street Cleaning Bureau. A complaint was ro ceived from citizens of Staten Island — settin, forth that B. J. Brown, contractor for the Centr. Railroad of New Jersey, was dredging mud at Eliza- bethport and depositing it in Staten Island Sound, thereby obstructing navigation and destroying the oyster business. The Board will investigate the matter, and if they find that the proper jurisdiction ts vosted in then wil take steps hob nngec the evil Shore Inspector sap) ore the Board and Telsroted st statements of tho daly dumping of garbage in the lower bay and even above the Narrows. The Board decided to lay thoir griev- before Mayor Cooper, and, for thia purpose, following committees was appointed:-—W. 0, | u hompson, Ambrose Snow, ward Hincken and Samuel Harding. The Mayor has decided to hear the committes on next, BUSINESS TROUBLES. ‘The report of the suspension of 8. & H. Sayles, of Dayville, Conn, and SL, & T. D, Sayles, of Versailles and Mechanicsville, the largest pri- vate corporate woollen manufacturers in the United States, caused much surprise in this city and was the chiet topic of conversation in the wool trade yesterday, Mr. Harriman, of Low, Harri- man & Qo., the New York consignees, said that a member of the firm had gone to the mills to examino into the affairs, and his firm was not affected at all, Perhaps there might be @ small debt balance on the books, Bho fy sold the goods rigbt along and had adv as much money as the mills demanded, He thought there was very little due in New York, and the greater part of the indebtedness was due in Boston, where they were very large buyors of wool. ‘Yheir embarrassment was mainly due to deprecia- tion in stock, wool and real estate, and losses sus- tained by the washout ten years ago, amounting to $100,000," All agreed that ‘the indebtedness in New York wae vory small, So tar as could be ascertained Samuel Thompson’s Nephews & Co. are the only ercditors in the wool line, and their claim was under $500. Among the Boston firms who are reported in this city as vreditors are Moas, Denny & Co.; How- land & Luce, Hilton & Weston, Nichols & Dupee, One Hoxton house is reported # creditor for $110,000 and another for $60,000, John Levine made an assignment yesterday, with- out preferences, to Moses Levine, whe im the matior of tho assigament of that through the over-zealousness of our employs | rly due each pas, 1879.-TRIPLE SHEET. \ Archibild /Seott and Sussn Mervin, comprising the to Cieorge W. Wing ave stated at $58,071 U7, nom- and real asscts at $83,408 74. AND THE POLICE. THE MAYOR WILL MAYOR COOPER REMOVE THE COMMIS- SIONEKS?--WHY 11S HONOR'S PRIVATE SECBE* TARY WENT JO ALBANY. ‘The question a8 to whether or not Mayor Cooper will remove apy or all of the members of the Police Board is the one that is at present being discussed among local pgliticians. A gentleman who is a well known friend of Mayor Cooper said last evening that the Mayor would have taken a more decided eourse but forthe fact that he was waiting to see whether ex-Collector Arfhur would return to the Cus- tom House, “Do you know apything,” ashed the Heraxp re- porter, a8 to the rumor that Mr. James £. Morrison, tho Mayor's private secretary, has gone to Albany to advise with Governor Robinson as to the removal of the entire Police Board?” “We wuswered the gentleman, as he took from his inside coat pocket a telegram dated Vebruaty 4, “I think I can tell you something on that point. Mr. Morrison went to Alvany ostensibly on pieasare, but exactly what the pleasure trip consisted in I don't suppose many persons outside of a very select few know. It is said that he went with a body of Masons to attend a meeting of a chapter at the State capital. Again, it is assorted, that he went with a party of college students whom he know whet he was a tutor in the College of the City of New York. Now these’ stories may all be true, Dut in my opinion the main — object of Mr, Morrison in leaving the city at such @ time as this was to have a little private chat, not with Gov- ernor Robinson, but with his son, Mr. D. C. Robin- son. ‘The last named gontleman is the private sec- retary of his dist uguished father and enjoys his con- fidence to +n ahnost uniiimited degree. “Nhe private secretary of Mayor Cooper and the private secretary of Governor Robinson could talk over matters and report to their respective chieis the result, 1¢ the Governor should give'a pledge through his son that he would indorse any action of Mayor Cooper in re- lation to the Police Board row, why, the Mayor could act promptly and decisively. Ihave here in my hand @ despatch from Albany thet I re- ceived only a few hours ayo, in which, as you see, itis stated that Mr. Morrison wus scen to enter the Executive Mansion, and remained there for some time, iam kept informed of all these matters by friends of mine at the State capital, In conclusion pety to you that in a very short time you wall seo some fun, The signs of a coming storm ure darkly Visible in the political horoscope, but it is too eariy to say who will be slipwrecked and who will be saved.”” re Mayor Cooper will probably send a communica- tion to Commissioner Erkurdt this afternoon in reply to the one reveived from the Commissioner a tew days since, in which he declined to furnish specifica- tions of the charges he had made against his col- leagues. POLICE BOAKD MEETING. ‘The Board of Polico held along session yesterday, but transacted no business of importance other than routine. A communication was received from the Mayor asking it the places No. 37 Bowery and Egyp- tian Hall, in Thirty-fourth street, were proper places to be licensed as theatres. The matter was referred to the Superintendent of Police. POLIC Two delegates from each police precinct met yester- day at Military Hall, Bowery, in relation to the matter of reduction of police pay. The following were appointed a committee to confer with the four in- Bane to-day and complete arrangements :—Captain: McCullagh, Sergeant Bird, Roundsmen Martin and Weigand, and Patrolmen O"Keefe and Ely. MAYOR COOPER AND MR. GREEN. Ex-Comptroller Andrew H. Green visited the office of the Mayor at five minutes after ten o’clock yester- day morning. His Honor Mayor Cooper had not yet bad and Mr. Green left the office on ascertaining this fact. MAYOR COOPER'S POLICY. A VIEW IN FAVOR OF IT, To rae Eprror or Ta2 HERaLD:— Your “Complaint Book’ has been kindly open to all your readers for the venting of grievances. Will you permit a lifelong reader to file his complaint against the Henazp? With surprise and regret I read this morning your editorial comments upon Mayor Cooper's letter to Comptroller Kelly, giving his reasons for declining to sign the pay warrants of the city’s employés before the end ofthe month. You take issue with the Mayor and seem to think that in this matter he was overparticular. Far be it from me to set myself for- ward as the defender of Mr. Cooper's acts, He is capable of taking cage of himself, What I wish to say is that a great journal like yours should en- courage, not condemn, a strict compliance with the law on the part of every official. The great trouble for years in the administration of locul, State and national affairs has been this very disposition on the part of officers, chosen by the people to carry out and administer the laws, to evade the letter of the law, when convenience, ‘self-interest or the demunds of friends called for such action. At the last two meet- ings of the Board of Apportionment of this city, in reply to questious by Mayor Cooper asking for information why certain things had been done which wore in plain violation of the city's charter, Comptroller Keily was foreed to confess that “it had been the cust to do these things. In ret- erence to these pay Warrants the Comptroller says again, ‘it has been the custom” to sign them days before the end of the month, “An audit is final or it is nothing. It is the act upon which, under the law, warrants are authorized to be drawn, and that act must be complete.” These are the Mayor's words, and the people of New York after so many years of misrule, ought to fecl glad that the city has at last a chief officer who seems to know what the law is and has the courage to see that the law he has sworn to uphold is not disregarded. We see to-day the Sheriff, the County Clerk and the Register of the City aud County of New York arraigned before the people, the Register on trial before the Governor of the State, for just such acts as Mayor Cooper declines to countenance. These officials have been constantly doing and _permitti illegal acts, and the only excuse they offer is tha it has been the custom of their office, or of their predecessors, to do what they plainly’admit t0 be is it not a good time to put a stop ta this easy castom of evading or setting aside the law? How long would an officer of any of our large cor- porations hoid his place if he assumed the right to ignore the orders of his superiors whenever he felt itconvenient? I know notbing only from hearsay of the splendid system which has made the manago- ment of the HexaLp an exainple which other journals are glad to protit by, but L doubt very much that this success has been achieved by a convenient nou- compliance with the law for the transaction of its business, as laid down by its enterprising propricto lfirmly believe all good citizens will euconrag the Muyor in putting a stop to the sitpehod way of doing things which has so long pre |, and it is hard to tndorstand why the careful attention to de- tails, which is essential to the success of any large or small business, should not be given to public mat- ters where the people’s money and interests aro at stake. It seems to me the press, so potent in ail things, should uphold the Mayor ih the work he hus inauyurated, 5B. Sunpay, Feb. 2, 1379. . THE OTHER SIDE. To rns Eniron oy vite Herato:— Anumber of employés of the city have carefully read your editorial in yesterday's issue with regard to Mayor Cooper's action in refusing to sign the sal- ary lists, avd bog to thank you for your well timell advice to that official. It will go unheeded, how- ever, so long as Andrew H. Green remains at thy heat of the kitchen cabinot, for he is @ firm beliover in circumlocution and has a few old scores to setile with Mr. Kelly. When the Y le of Now York elevated Mr. Cooper to yoralty tho opposition press warned the electors that such would be the case, and now look out for obstructions in every quarter that will tend to encourage litigation and block the wheels of our well organized Finance Department. For the first time in three years the pos eee find Lng Med habe rca cd heed ont ular pay day. The pretence is flumsy, an employs might die between the 27th and dist of the month and the city treasury would be victimized theroby. How could the defunct sign the payroll aud receive hie check? This fact seems to have escaped the notice of Mayor Cooper, as also that the per can, one and all, recover interest from the city for every day their salaries are delayed? Yours truly, TRUE REFORM. FINANCES, ‘Tho misfortune which has overtaken Elizabeth in the matter*of her financial management and the statements made in a fecont issue of the Henann re- garding the deleterious effects of rapid tran: sit ou New Jershy towas have caused somo anxiety in Newark as to its financial condition, Por ten ears «= past «othe «(exact amount of Newark’s debt has been # mystery. In 1873 Mayor Rivord declared his inability to procure & reliable statement. The ent Mayor, Mr. Hen: J. Yates, places the debt less than $9,000,000; but Alderman Donnelly declw at the last meeting of the Coungil that rt was $14,000,000, Mayor Yates said yesterday that there was not the slightost cause for alurm about Newark's flaancial condition, It was able to moot its obligations dollar for dollar, ‘The city bonds ali bring handsome pre- wiums, some as high as thirteen above par, 4 VANDERBILT'S WiLL. The Caee Resumed Before Surrogate Calvin. TESTIMONY FOR THE DEFENCE Some Men Who Believed in the Commodore's Good Seuse and Sanity. ne “The legal contest over the will of the late Commo- dore Vanderbilt was resumed before Surrogate Cal- vin yesterday, William H. Vanderbilt occupied a seat immediately behind his counsel, Messrs. Heary L, Clinton, Joseph H. Choate and ex-Judge Comstock, He watched the proceedings closely, and frequently made suggestions to his lawyers. Mrs, Le Bau sat near her counsel, Mr. Scott Lord, as did also her brother, Cornelius J. Vanderbilt. Mr, Jacob Vander- bilt, brother of the Commodore, was also present during the forenoon session. Zenas ©, Priest, a division superintendent of the New York Central Railroad, testitied that on the 29th of January, 1572, he had a conversation with the Commodore, who spoke of his son Cornelius, and said that he had trouble with bim; that he had fur- nished him with a good deal of money, which was lost in gambling; he also said that when he advised one of his children and his advice was not heeded he let them go. and when he did let them go it was for good; every time the witness saw the Commodore the latter spoke about William H., and asked him “ow Billy got along,” and whether he would make @ good railroad man; the witness had told him’ that he thought he would. Mr. Priest was allowed to go without being cross-examined. : James ‘Tillinghast was next sworn and testified that Le was the General Superintendent of the New York Central Railroad, and had held that position since 1869; im 1873 he had a conversation with the Commodore in regard to how the business of the roads was to be cpnducted after the Commodore's death; the Commodore told him that William H. would have control of the roads then and that mate ters would go along in good shape; after the con« solidation of the roads in 1869, when William H. was made Vice President, the Commodore gave instruce tions that all orders should come through him; he said that William H.'s management of the road was mecting entirely with his own viows; the actions of the Commodore were rational upto the time of his death. THE COMMODORE IN CANADA, * During the cross-examination by Mr. Lord the wit+ ness, on being asked how he came to be at the Com- modore’s wedding in London, Canada, replied that the Commodore had asked himto go. The witness further stated, in answer to the interrogatories of counsel, as tuilows:—When the Coramodore sent for me to Saratoga he said, “We want to go over there’’ on acertain day, and then spoke of the kind of. railway carriage he would like to go to Canada in, a0 as not to attract attention; the Commodore said nothing on that cecasion that would lead me to think” he was going to London for the purpose of marrying Miss Crawford; the reason why I knew that it was the Commodore was going to London when he said “We want to go over there” was because these people were over there. A. Mrs. Q. What people? Crawford and her daughter. Q. How did you know they were there? A. Because Thad furnished the car that took them there, under the Commodore's directions. Q. When did the Commodore tell you he was going to marry Miss Crawford? ‘A. He never told me so. Q. Did you know, when those ladies went on @ special train to Canada, that the Commodore was in- tending to go there and marry Miss Crawford? Ob- jected to by Mr. Clinton, and objection sustained. Q. Where did the Commodore set out from when he went to Canadatobo married? A. He startedfrom Saratoga, and 1 met him, by previous arrangement, at Albany with a special car nearly @ month after Miss pase inten mother went to Magnes Q ever give you any reason for marrying in Canada? A. No. “HE CALLED HER ERANK.” Q. By what name did he usually call the lady he married when speaking of her? A. He usually called her “Frank.” Q. Did you ever hear him speak of her as Mrs, Elliott? A. I did not. c Did you know that she was a married woman and that her husband's name was Elliott? A. I did not. }. Had you never seen Mr. Elliott? A. No. . Did you have any previous acquaintance with the lady the Commodore married? A. I had been introduced to her and Mrs. Crawford at Niagara Falls. Q. By what name was sho introduced? A. There ‘was no name given; they were introduced as relatives of the Commodore., Q. Who iutroducad you? A. TheCommodore. Q. What did he say when he introduced you? & He said, ‘These are two relatives of mine.” Q. And you considered this sufficient to warrant you in speaking to them afterward? A. I did. ‘The witness further testitied:—It was some time in a 1869, and not 1868, and before Mrs. Vanderbilt died, that I was introduced to the two ladies at Niag- ara; lafterward met the ludies in the evening and talked with them; I also conversed with them on the following mgrning, when we rode to Buffilo on the same car; don’t know that L addressed them by any name; afterward learned their name by hearing it nd seeing it on their baggage; the baggage was marked “Crawford ;” do not recollect the name of the clergy- man who performed the marriage ceremony. Mr. Clinton here informed Mr. Lord thut the offici- ating clergyman was Rev. William Witness—That is the name; I now recollect it. “I 6EE—I SAID TOO MUCH.” ‘The Surrogate—Had you any knowledge that the ae on was going to London for the purpose of marr; Witness—I suspected so from a cirenmstance that happened in the June previous; the Commodore thought I bad an idea of what was about to take place, and asked me how I knew that he was going to be married; I said to him, “Why, in riding twen- ty-six miles (from Niagara to Buffalo) you came and told me three times that those ladies were relatives of yours;" he then remarked, “I see; I said too much.” ‘(Laughter.) ‘to Mr. Lord—On arriving in London, Mr. Schell and I went after a clergyman, and that was the first positive evidence I had that the Commodore was going to be married; it was not made public in ra the marriage was going to take place ere. William C. Wetmore, a lawyer, was next called. He testified that he had had business relations with the Commodore during many years of his life, and thas their business relations continued to exist down to 1873 or 1874; in couversations with the Commodore the deceased told the witness that he had made ample rovision im case he should be called away to lu is successor, William H., carry out the railroad bi ness on the same plan that he (the Commodore) had pursued. The witness said that during the conversa- tions he had had with the Commodore the latter's views and answers to questions were always clear and direct. Ex-Governor Morgan testified that he had known the Commodore during his lifetime and had had bus- iness transactions with him; in 1875 the Commo- dore and he had @ conversation about « loan which the Western Union Telegraph Company were about to negotiate; the witness was a director of that com+ pany, and the Commodore on the oceasion referred to at first said he would subscribe for $100,000 worth of the stock, but after some turther conversation askod the witness to put him down for $500,000; all the acts and conversations of the Commodore impressed the witness as being. perfectly rational; the witness had never observed slightest change in his meutal cal ity. “CLRAR-HEADED, SENSTBLE, OBSERVING.” Ex-Governor Hoffman testitied that be had been uainted with the deceased during his lifeime, and had met him sociaily several times at the house Ot Mr. Horawe Clark, at Saratogs and elsow. be witness related portions of ® conversation he had had with the Commodore at Saratoga in tho summer «ft 1875, It related to Horace F. Clark, whose death the witness had alluded to, On being asked to describe as well as he could the mental traits and character- istios of the Commodore, from the conversation he had with him in i575, ex-Governor Hoffman replied as follows:—“He impressed me with being # clear headed, sensibie, observing is all l can say about him.” The cross-examination of ex-Governor Hoffman by Mr, Lord was brief and unimportant. An adjourament was ordered until to-day, THE LIFESAVING SOCIETY. ‘The New York Voluntoer Life-Saving Society is now in working order; and Mr, Franklin Edson, Prosident of the Produce Exchange, has accepted the position of President. It has been decided that “Nan, the Newsboy,” and his twa companions, are each to re ceive a salary of $260 for the first year. Work has beon going on at the life-saving stations, and it ia proposed to build three—one to be placed at at the foot of Dover street, another bove, and the third at pier 4 Hast ‘The first mentioned will be compietod this week; that at ptor 8 will be placed in position by February 15, and itis expected that the third station will be Anished before tho end of the present month, The stations will be one story high, twenty- five feot long and sixteon feet wide, and will be sup- ee with stoves, hammocks, bathtubs and every- hing necessary Tosuscitating drowned persons, At oach Ne jon bonts will hate iy _ g° on “4 rescue ot drownin ons, The subseription $3, and th shawl Aten the same. It tho fund should warrant it more active members will be added to the corps next year and the salaries us the boys will be inefeased