The New York Herald Newspaper, March 24, 1879, Page 5

TUNNELING THE HUDSO Explanation of the Bill Now Pending Before the Legislature. INTERVIEW WITH ASSEMBLYMAN HAYES. AM the Railroads of the North to Concen- trae in Mew York City. Saicineniamtiapeaeal EXTRAORDINARY COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES, A reporter of the Hxratp called upon Dr. I. I. Hayes, member of Assembly, yeaterday, to obtain some information in regard to the Tunnel bill now Pending before the Legislature, and the provisions of which authorize the construction of tunnels under Cities dnd villages of the State tor railroad purposes. The Doctor being in the city only forty-eight hours to enjoy rest from Albany politics and legislative labors was uot overanxious to review pending legis- lation during the Sabbath hours; but upon being pressed and informed that the readers of the HERALD take great interest in any project that guarantees to New York city its permanent pre-eminence as the Jeading commercial emporium, which this bill seeks to further, the fatigued Assemblyman at lust con- tented to be interviewed. “Well,” ho finally said to the reporter, “go shead with your question: the following valuable information of importance to all who have faith in the continued prosperity of Wew York was obtained :— fa THE PURPORT OF ‘THE TUNNEL BILL. Rerortex—In the first place, Doctor, allow me to ask you whether you think the Tunnel bill as pre- sented in the Heraup of Saturday morning will pass and become @ law? Dr. Hayzs—The bill to which you refer was intro- duced by me into the Assembly some weeks ago; and after having been duly considered in the Committee on Cities was favorably reported to the Assembly, ‘where it is now on general orders and will probably be reached during the week. I think it will passand Decome a law. ’ “Has the bill any special reference to New York city?” “It is general in its provisions, as much so as the general railway act. It provides for tunnelling un- @er cities and villages of the State for railroad pur- poses, but, naturally enough, its chief bearing will be ‘upon New York city.” “{ understand it is proposed to tunnel the Hud- son River, and a tunnel therotore under New York would be of no use unless the river tunnel was made.” “It is proposed,” said Dr. Hayes, ‘‘to tunnel tho North River at some convenient point from the Jersey shore aud to enter New York at a point as nearly opposite as possible; but with the details of Bich a tunnel I have no concern. I have taken pains, however, to inquire fully as to the practi- eability of such a project, and have no doubt what- ever that it is entirely feasible. The bed of the river, Tam informed by competent engineers, is composed of stich material that a tunnel can easily be dug twenty feet below its bed with , comparatively little cost, and can be made perfectly securo and watertight. That you can tunnel bencath the city needs no argument to prove. Having satisfied myself on these points, I have simply gone about Preparing a bill that will give anybody, any com- pany, railroad or railroad corporation, having the necessary means, the right to avail themselves of the privilege of entering Now York under the Hudson River or the Harlom, or from any point where o tunnel can be made. That is allI have to do with the matter. I believe it to be a great scheme in the interest of the commerce of New York, and if availed of will redound greatly to the benefit of the State. ‘I know of nothing which could conduce so greatly ‘to the commerce of the metropolis of the country, and if I shall not succeed in passing it this year some one else is sure to do it not long hence. And in this connection I would like to observe that I havo also pending before the Legislature another scheme ecarcely less important than this—a measure which Tintroduced into the Legislature last year—I1 mean the project of free canals, which to accomplish re- quires an amendment to the constitution. With these two encouragements to commerce New York would indeed be not alone the metropolis of Amer- iva, but the greatest trading mart of all the world.” THE GREAT RAILWAY TERMINI. “You have spoken, Doctor, of the great advantage ‘this tunnel would be tothe city; let mo ask you to specify more particularly?” “The great trouble and complaint concerning New York,” said the Doctor, ‘‘is in her terminal facilities. The great railroads which centre in or about Jersey City are obliged there to doliver the vast quantities of freight which are brought by them to the seaboard from the great West, and to receive their return car- goes, The enormous expense of delivery to and from the shipping on the East and North rivers is a great Grawback. It is necessarily done by boats or lighters at great expense, and, in the distribution of com- modities upon Manhattan Island from the wharves and piers, beside the water transportation about the harbor, is a serious expense.” RYPROT OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES. “This would, you think, be obviated by the tun nel?” “In & great measure, yes. If a tunncl should bo constructed under the river and a landing made un- derground in the lower part of the city, somewhero above Canal strect, then the Delaware and Lacka- ‘wanna Railroad, the Erie, the Midland, the Pennsyi- ‘vania Central, the New Jerscy Central and other Hnes would enter it and deliver their froights and passengers at a convenient point of distribution ‘without any of the cost and hindrances of water transportation, and their joint grand depot would be grand indeed, And, more than this, my bill pro- ‘vides, in tho latter part of the first section, that any other road, as, for instance, the New York Central, which detivors ite freight at the immense depot in St. John’s Park, may unite with it. Were this done steam surface railroads in the city, with all their an- moyances and risks, would be at anend. The surface tracks of the Contral road down Hudson street, on the west side of the city, would be sunk, the ht would be received at St. John’s Park depot un ground, and @ tunnel connecting that ox grand te of the other roads would unite the rail- ‘ways of State in mplete circuit. Should this ject be carried out the city would, in course of be tunnelied throngh to the East River, and Snothor grand depot of the Central end. ather roads ‘would be formed there, and that ornamental, costly and useless structure called the East Kiver Bridgo would very soon be supplanted by a tunnel that ‘would directly connect oklyn, rail, with the oat Wont,” e “This is, a project. Do you think tt prectieabte mong @surediy, It is but a question of money and bs git wkill, That there aro no insur- want obstacles in the way, so far as yoo a mo ing is concerned is ven by niumerous ex) ments in other countrios. No difficulty has im tunneling the Thames. ‘The Alps and tho Hoosac Mountains have boon bored through, and the only question is will it a As to this, Lam ae- od with Sr see their willingness to prove faith by their subscriptions, that it is settled beyond adoubt. But with this, as I have said be- fore, I have ndthing to do. business {8 to make we, not to make tunnels, I dosite in*to give lative cathonity to the inecrs and the capi- ists, and if they do not avail themselves of it, and that very quickly, Lam much mistaken; and it New York doos not then take at once # great stride in pro- gress I shall have no faith in en 0” WHO WILL OPPORE THE TUNNEL. “Yo Mch ascheme for the promotion of the in- terests of New York commerce I should think there would be no opposition, judging from your stand- point. Let me ask, do you anticipate any?” “None that is foun on reason, T have been told that the New York Central would oppose it, bat Ido not so. 1 am satisfied t the Central il see that its interests are as much involved as of any Other road, and, as I have always tnain- tained that free canalx would help the Gontral, «0 1 ne that this project will be the means of greatly croasing its business.” “Allow me to ititerrupt you here, Doctor, to ask whether your asscrtion that free canals would help the Central is not 4 little anomalous?” “By no means; and seons rs Bon somewhat alt) ene it iw to me te aepore of your in ger: I will say that the New York Central Railroad 4s prospered When the Erie Canal has prospered and has retrograded only when business on the Erie Canal was injured. The greatest blow the Central Rail- road ever received was when, in 1575, with a imis- taken nation that the Erie Canal was her natural enemy, she forced freights down so low that the itimore and Ohio could underbid the water transportation to the sea, aud Baltimore by that act has grown in four years to be a great com- mercial mart, and that, too, at the expense of New York city, Lhere never yet was a wise commercial policy, cither inland or upon the ocean, which was nota broad and generous 904 The Erie Canal is and will continue to e the key to the commerce of the Atlantic seaboard, and to promote its welfare is to promote—strange though it may seem—the vast railway trafiic that drains the products of the West into our seaboard cities, Holdiug the Erie Canal New York holds the power to compel traffic into her matchless harbor, and, notwithstanding legislative blundering, lack public spirit and shortsighteduess in policy, she will continue to hold her high rank among the great com- mercial cities of the world,” ‘THY COMPETING LINES, “Then you would claim that the success of one tne ot transportation to New York is the success of si “Undoubtedly, The management of the New York Central and Erie and the canal may rival cach other, as they will, The simple truth is that everything that helps New York helps Srona bor or every com- y that brings anything to New York, Their in- pve By are bhieeg mutual, however sharp may be their temporary bids for trafic.” “Then suppose the Erie should by means of tho tunnel obtain an increase of the carrying trade, would it not be at the expense of the Central?” “According to my view it would but increase it. Everything that stimulates traffic toward New Yor! stimulates every agent of traffic in that direction. You may get tothe sea cheaper by Baltimore and Montrenl, but it is not yet the fashion of ships to go from the ocean to those ports, and there is no suc- cessful commerce without return cargocs.”” ‘THE TUNNEL COMPANY. “To come back to details, is there any company organized and ready to do the work of tunneling?” “I am told there is and that the laws of New Jersey have been fully complied with. A shaft has already been sunk on the Jersey shore and work commenced by the Hudson Tunnel Company. Their capital is $10,600,000, ag Ilearn, and all they need is to be in- corporated under the laws of New York, as they are already under those of New Jersey. ‘The president of the company is Mr. De Witt C. Haskin, with whom T have had two or three interviews. Mr. Haskin, I am satisfied, knows what he is about. and, at auy rate, if he does not construct a tunnel, will not, at all events, saddle the city with a burdensome debt like that created by the Brooklyn Bridge. If my biil becomes a law and he and his associates undertake the task and fail then nobody will be hurt but them- solves. But I cio not believe such a project can fail. ‘The cost compared with the advantage is so tritlin, that it must succeed. Mr. Haskin is a gentleman o' large experience and well known to the commercial public, He has been identified with many of the great pemniccie 4 projects of California, where his name stands high among the men whose engingerin skill and enterprise have developed the gold and sil- ver mines of the Sierra Nevadas.”” “Suppose the tunnel is construcced; will it be de- voted to any other purposes than railroads ?’’ “Lapprehend not; though there is really no rea- son why a tunnel might not be constructed that would be profitable for a carriage road or for street cars. t, I believe that you and I will live to see not only one but more tunnels under the Hudson River. It is as easy and hardly more expensive than to build s bridge. For the present, however, I do not suppose any tunnel will be constructed except for the purpose of carrying into and from the centre of Now York freight and passengers by steam.” ‘THE WORK T0 BE ACCOMPLISHED. “How long will it take to construct a tunnel like this 2” “I am assured that it can be done within two ears,’ * “Do you think we have the engineering skillin this country to construct a tunnel under water?’ “I do not doubt that we have; but, if not, we have the whole world to choose from, and there are plenty ot engineers who have shown their capacity in simi- lor undertakings in other countries.” “Doctor, without desiring to annoy you too much with questions, have you any idea how the tunnel people will get their moncy back?” “Of course from the railroads that use the tun- nel, by the tolls to be charged on the freight and passengers. NO MONOPOLY FOR ANYBODY, “Would there not be danger of the tunnel being monopolized by a single company?” “My bill specially provides that all roads shall have equal rights of transit, thus destroying all chance of monopoly,”” “Ts it contemplated that the railroads entering the city by the tuunel would in any place come to the surface?” “The bill specially provides that they shall be under ground.” “They cannot, then, be in any sense street rail- roads nor elevated railroads?” “Not at all; the bill forbids it.” “How will this tunnel be constructed?” “I have told you all I know about the project. I am not familiar with the details of construction, and as I have told you before, my business is onl: to provide such @ law as will retain tor New Yor! city that pre-eminence in commerce to which she, more than any other city, is entitled, and her pros- perity always necessarily increases the prosperity of the State.” “Have you any idea that the provisions of your ein will availed of in any other part of the tate?” “I should think they would, It certainly would, as it appears to me, greatly benetit the New York ntral road if they could tunnel under Rochester, aud while I do not think of any spocial locality where the law would apply, its Laspebos provisions are for the general good und to the advantage of in- land transportation; but the great eo is that it would concentrate the railroads of the North in one grand depot on Manhattan Island, and it takes no prophet to foretell the consequences.”” ‘NECESSITY OF BEITER TERMINAL FACILITIES, “You have spoken, Doetor, of New York's lack of terminal facilities. If not troubling you too pes would like to ask you to specify more par- ticularly.” “What I mean is that there is a groat lack of facili- ties for receiving and distributing freights, of which there aré in a general way three classos—freights that are to be transshipped to other ports, freights that are consumed in one way and another in the city and freights that are sent away by rail to the South and East. Both of these tWo latter classes should be us far as possible distributed under ground, while the wharves should be left as free as practicable tor the first class. It may all be ex- ressed ina few words, We have not the proper ilities for handling passengers and freight in the quickest time and at the lowest cost. There is a reat deal of talk about laws concerning discrim- {Getion im rates; bat’ what i really wanted, il New York is to retain’ ker commercial oy y, is provision for what I have just tol you. New York is to-day probably the s ureatest recciving and distributing poiut in the wor Tho wildest dreams of the imagination can hardly exceed the limits to which she may attain. It is all very well to say “let the future take care of itself;”" but success in the present is very often de- pendent upon the evidences that are shown of prepa- ration for the future. New York is in this situation now, ® selfish policy for the present would be the exhibition of generous policy for coming years in new lation to anticipate those which we would invite. Wo are tao apt to look only to our matchless water front, aud, while thinking of the narrowness of the island, disregard our internal needs. ‘To say nothing of our local distribution for manufacture and cousamption, our wharf conveniences are really not sufficient for our foreign shipments. The moro classes of goods go to stores ware- Louses away trom the water, and the meens are utterly inadequate to meet what has come to be a necessity. The handling of the freight which is received at the wharves to be again aupRet at the wharves, to- ther with the room required for ferryboats, steam- Boats and other local vessels, occupies nearly all the water front space, and this demand is on the inerease faster than our Heh ogee dock system t provides; and therefore it is all uses of the ‘water fron less ‘stem ot undergro! » and every known facility furnished on the water tront, such as good wide slips, broad wharves, ¢lovators for grain, warehouses for storing freight, and, in course of” time, ee basins for the convenience of «hips, iow York would be prepared, as Governor Alvord would say, for the “coming future.” If these are not provided within the city the class of freight to which 1 refer will of necessity go to Jersey City, Long Isiand or rival cities that will furnish the proper facilities. MOW TO RELIEVE THR WATER FRONT. “The question, then, is simply how to relieve the water front of the aggregation ot freight at the many railway stations and other landing places on the river und to reduce the cost that now accompanies such xy received, sent forward and to be distribuwd in the city, reserving the water front for the freight which absolutely neels it? I think you will find tor yourself the obvious answer, which is to devise somo ‘way by which such freight can be brought into the city without reaching the wharves, and vice versa, and that) such freight can be moved and distributed throughout the city without so much cost for cartage and Toss of | time, It is evident that .this can only be ctfected through the use of @ railway, and that this rail- way must be built under the surface of the ground. ‘The question then would be how should a railway be lovated to meet the wants of the classes of trafic needing it, and it is as evident that all freight for the city coming the Weat or South or qorny to the West or South should pasa under the Hudson River by meaus of @ tunnel, and for frvight from and to the Bast under the East River b; eh; that all freight from the North on reavhing the island bo brought into the city by inveans of a tunel; that the location in the - should be such that the vast centres of traffic in the city can be reached; that the rail- way passing under the river should have con- venient secess to such Brey tunnels in tho city, If sueh @ plan can vised it would relic ve the water fronts, saye largely tho cost of handling aud expedite the delivery of freights, It will also be ‘an item of importance that such railways can be most profitably used for the transportation of passengers, ‘The limits of the present elevated railways in the transportation of passengers will be very shortly reached,end either more elevated railwayd will be built or advantage taken of undorground railways, Give the city of New York the freest use of her water fronts and the best means of handling treights for ‘NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1879.—TRIPLE SHEET. her commerce, foreign and domestic, and give her & well devised plan of underground railways for pas- | senger use, and for the gathering, delivery and dis- | tribution of freight witiin the city limits, away from the water fronts, and the commercial supremacy of the city of New York will be established beyond the power of competition to affect.” THE MODE O¥ CONSTRUCTION. Thanking the Doctor for his lucid information in regard to the Tunnel bill, the reporter succeeded in obtaining from other sources the following details in regard to the mode of construction contemplated by the engineers in the employ of the Hudson Tunnel Compan — It is proposed to work from each side of the river at the same time, In its plan of consiruction no ex- pensive coffer dam, caissons or Brunel shiclds will be needed, The use of compressed air introduced into the face of the tunnel with sufficient pressure to hold it in place, or keep back and prevent the irruption of silt, cluy or water, will, it is believed, overcome the ordinary difficulties. An air pipe will conduct com- pressed air from the surface to the heading, This air pressure is expected to assist in keeping out water aud upholding the root of carth during excava- vation, in front of the masonry; also to sup- ply air for the workmen, who will work in considerable numbers on platforms. The tunnel walls will be constructed of tho best hard brick and cement three feet in thickness, circular in form, twenty-six feet in width and twenty-four in height, Pricey white inside and lighted with gas, with a jouble track railway, heavy steel rails, upon stone ballast five feet from the bottom, The entire length of the tunnel and approaches will be about twelve thousand feet. The entrance on the Jersey side of the river will be from Jersey ave- nue to Fifteenth street, Jersey City, thence to Hud- son streot on the river, thence under the river, curv- ing five degrees northward to the New York bulk- head live near the foot of Morton streot, New York city. The grand depot will be not far from Washing- ton square and {ts floor about sixty feet below the surface. The delivery of freights to the surface will be by elevators, BUSINESS NOTES. American trunks are in great demand in Ireland. The sales of New England cotton goods in China have increased to a very flattering extent during the past year, A general révival of business is reported in the Ohio iron regions, and manufacturers are overwhelmed with orders at advanced prices, Nashville, Tenn., shows signs of awakening pros- perity. According toa local journal ‘$250,000 will not cover the cost of the houses now in course of erection and to be erected during the year 1879.” The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company are building, at the Mount Clare shops, twenty-five on- gines of the “Mogul” pattern, for use on the grades of the Alleghany Mountains, and 200 freight cars. * A Newark (N. J.) paper say: “Sash weights are now manufactured so cheaply from scraps of tin— Obtained from various manufactures—in this city, that no country can compete with them in cheap- ness.” Tho consumption of rubber by our manufacturers continues as large as ever, the imports amounting to aboug twelve thousand pounds per annum, chiefly from South America. The price ranges from twenty to fifty cents per pound. _ The Milwaukee (Wis.) Bee reports that the an- nouncement of new buildings for the present season are coming in so fast that the papers do not get time enough to dwell upon the details before their atten- tion is called to one next. ‘The Cincinnati Gazette has interviewed a number of the representative business men of that city with reference to the business outlook for the spring. It finds universal cheerfulness and a large increase of business over that of last year. Among tho branches of business which will be affected by the new Canadian tariff is that of trunks, The Newark (N. J.) Journal says:—The new Canadian tariff operates against the trunk manufacturers in this city, as to that country they have been accus- tomed to look for an important market.” Salem, Mass., sends encouraying news in regard to the shoe trade.” The Post, of that city, says:—“The spring trade has everywhere the fullest indications of being better than it has been for years, and all there is wanted now is for the people to fully realize the situation and the wheels of business will ‘just hum.’”* A Lewiston (Me.) paper reports that “business at the Lewiston Machine Company’s works is now livelier than it has been in years. Every available space in the works is in use and a very large force is employed. ‘The foundry is crowded with work. Alarge quantity of cotton machinery is being turned out for the Cabot Company, Brunswick; for the Hal- lowell Mill, for the Pontiac, for the York, ot Saco; for two mills in Lawrence and for a mill in Atlanta, Ga. A very large order is being filled for a mill at Atlanta, chiefly looms and shafting.”” The Boston Post prints a bright picture, as fol- lows:—"The factories are generally resuming or making ready to resume work, and if the foreign market could be still more rapidly extended by in- telligent legislation their prospects would improve ata much more speedy pace. But it is all certain to come right in time, Even real estate, which is the last to rally, feels the effect of the reviving trade impulses and improves its figures and pretensions together. We have reuchod a stage, in fact, at which further movement is possible in but one direction. Everything must now go forward. The country is evidently about to enter on acarcer of prosperity whose splendors have hardly yet been imagined.”” ‘The business outlook on the State canals is excel- lent. In the opinion of the Buffalo Zzpress the pros- pect for the season's trade, looked at from all stand- points, is very encouraging both to vessel owners and the managers of propeller lines, and if reasona- ble cerrying rates are established in accordance with the demand tor room there is no reason why ship- pers and owners should not all wear smiling faces, It is estimated that there are at present 20,000,000 bushels of grain in store at the upper lake ports; that the amount of lumber which has been cut during the past winter, and which now awaits ship- ment, is larger than ever before; that miners have been unusually active, and immense quantities of copper and iron ore and pig metal aro ready to be transported. These are what constitute the down freight. POLITICAL NOTES. Philadelphia 7imes:—‘‘The country demands rest.” The Toledo (Ohio) Blade mournfully remarks that “there are but four Union officers in the Senate.” St. Louis (/ole:—“Democratic means nothing else than the government of the country by the South.” In Ohio the democratic papers mention the names of Bishop, Rice, Ewing, Southard, Follett aud Ward for Governor. W. P. Fogg, editor of the Cleveland Herald, is spoken of as a republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in case Judge Taft is nominated for Gov- ernor. ‘The Troy (N. ¥.) Times would like to seo “Congress gauge its extra session by the length of the Presi- dent's Message, transacting its legitimate business and going home; but it is too much to expect.” The St. Louis Republican is in a devout framo of mind, It says:—‘Looking back over the struggle of eighteen years democrats can, indeed, ‘thank God and take courage.’ Their party has demonstrated not only its right to live, but its right to rule.” St. Paul (Minn.) Press:—"Of all the utterly fanciful and’ delusive anticipations with which imaginative nationals amuse themselves, that that they have any- thing to expect from the republicans in the way of furtherance of their schemes is the least likely of realization.” Tho Columbus (Ohio) & :/esman discovers ‘‘soine indications that the stalwocts will not bate it all their own way. Hays,” it says, “has a host of friends in the party in this State who recognize the ‘Vaft movement as a direct insult to the President’ and they will do some lively kicking when the time comes.” The Troy Times is alarmed. In its opinion “tho solid South comes to the front with ite army of ex- Jonfederate brigadiers in @ way to suggest reflection. It is evident that the Committee on Appropriations has been constituted with a special eye to misehict. Throo of the five democratic members are from the South, and the other two are intensely Southern in their sympathies, All are extreme ahd aggressive partisans, tully primed for evil and well nigh reck- less a4 to conseq nenvos.”” The Nashville (Teuu.) American laya down tho fol- lowing programme for its party in Congress :— “With able ana prudent leadership in the Senate and | House, with mon trained to be slow to anger, calm in discussion, able to smile at tho efforts of a bafited ond waning minority to provoke personalities, pas- sion and strife, with a bold and determined pursutt of the right, with measures directed alone to the good of the entire country, this special session will tide of political action and demonstrate the title of the democracy to rule,” The St. Louis Globe gives this explanation of the Sherman Presidential movement:—'Before many months roll round it will be discovered that the real ‘Sherman movement’ has no relation to the Presi- deney at all, but isan adroit little schome to allow the Secretary of the Treasury to become a Senator again, John dropped into the Cabinet just in time to save himself from defeat for Senator, and now he wants to yo back to his old place. Garfield thinks he has the Senatorial race all to himself, but he will find out his mistake in a short time. We doubt, however, if a republican Legislature would elect Mr. Sherman to the Senate.” ALDERMAN AND CONGRESSMAN, If the programme of the regular democrats of the Brooklyn Common Council is carried out to-day at the meeting of that body # resolution will be intro- duced by one of theix number declaring vacant the seat now occupied by Alderman O'Reilly, the repro- sentative of the Twelfth ward. Mr. O'Reilly, who is also a member of Congress of the Second district, is an independent, and ashe has invariably cast his vote with the republicans and in opposition to the regulars of the democratic party the members of the latter faction are desirous of ayailing themselves of the provisions of the Brooklyn charter, which make it illegal for a citizen to hold two political offices at the same time. The Alderman- Congressman will, however, také his seat among the City Fathers to-day, as usnal, and he will contest the right of his fellow members’ of the Board to oust him. His friends claim that the provisions of the charter do not extend to federal office-holders. As his vote ia essential to the republican majority of the Aldermen to give them the necessary two-thirds majority to override the veto messages of the democratic Mayor, Mr. Howell, it is be- lieved to be more than probable that the republican Aldermen will ‘cast their votes against au resolution that may be offered to vacate Mr. O’Reilly’s seat. Should the resolution prevail, however, a special election to fill the vacancy will be ordered ‘to be held in the Twelfth ward, which dis- trict having a democratic majority of upward of 2,500 would furnish material for a lively spring political canvass. SOCRATIC DEBATING. THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE DENIED AND AFFIRMED—REY. C. P, M'CARTHY AS SO- CRATES. At the corner of Fourth and South First streets, Williamsburg, stands a rather shabby looking frame building, three stories in height. A placard on the wall informed the passer-by that “The Religious Socratic Debating Society’’ met on the top floor every Sunday afternoon, at half-past two o'clock. Two flights of stairs led one to the hall where these sessions are held, and where a reporter of the Herarp seated himself a few moments before the appointed hour yesterday afternoon. The audicnce gradually increased in numbers till the room was about one-quarter filled. Then Mr, McCarthy arrived, and, divesting himself of coat and hat, sat down ona chair slightly elevated between the two front windows. Then he borrowed a watch, and, glancing over his spectacles "at the meagre at- tendance, announced that in the absence of the president he would occupy the chair, Mr. White, a portly middle-aged man, with mild eyes end patriarchal beard, was then introduced, and occupied the allotted thirty minutes in affirming that the Bible is ‘a mere human composition, und not divinely inspired.” His opening remarks were, however, delayed @ moment by an old gen- tieman, who had amused himself before the meeting began by looking at the pictures around the room. “T understood,” said he, “that the question to be diseussed was the unreliability of the Christian re- ligion, not merely of the Bible,’’ and being informed ot his mistake he bustled out. Mr. White then pro- ceeded io disprove the authenticity of the Bible, first telling his hearers to “treat every mon as his brother and every woman the same.” Abraham, he con- tinued, lived some hundred years before the Bible was wrote, und yet his history is here, ‘the his- torical part of the book begins with him. It shows that he was a man given to fraud, as when he tricd to pass oif his wife as his sister, Isaac seems to have been a pretty good man. Then there was Jacob, and here fraud and deception begins again. He de ceived his father by point out and fetchin’ in a kid or a g and said the Lord had he him to find it soon, So he fetched the Lord into the deception. He was the first repository of the Bible, and all the people who had it in those days were men who liked to defraud their fellow mon. Jacob's sons went down to Egypt and tised deception there. Moses came ot Ris family. He don’t give us much account of his first forty years; only that when he was # baby, Pharaoh's daughter saved him from bein’ drownded. Next we hear ho killed an Egpteyan. Then an angel set a bush oa fire on @ mountain where he was, but the bush didn’t bura. And in a few verses the angel turns into the Lord and tells Moses to go down to Egypt. But on bis way down the Lord meets him at an inn and tries to kill him, but don't doit. In Egypt he does wonders before Mr. Pharaoh; but then we've only got his account, and that's one-sided. Moses tells us that God made two lights, one for the day and the other for the night. Now every one knows that the moon is a dark body except when the sun shines on it. Mr. White then accused Moses of having spent forty days on the mount in carving the tables of the law which he ascribed to God. That he might not be detected in the fraud he puta chalk mark at the foot of the mountain and told the people not to pass it. He knew they'd make the golden calf and that would save him the trouble of. tuxing 600,000 people. All he had to do was confiscate the calf. It was Moses who slew the Midianites and took their valuable motals. That was butchery aud thievery. Here the speaker stopped, and | Mr. McCarthy, or, rather rates, said that if he were rich he would offer him $1,000,000 to find the passage alluded to. He had read the Bible in three or four languages, and had never seen that passage. Find it or acknowl- it is either there or not there. edge the falsehood. After long was found and read. “Oh, uo, «you said he slaught protested that he had done nothing of the sort. young man in the audience caine to his defence, but was immediately silenced by Mr. McCarthy, who ex- claimed, “Excuse me; this is the Socratic method—a very simple one, The question lies between Mr. White and me.” ‘The proceedings terminated with a collection, FISHING, BUT NO FISH, PATIENT SEARCH FOR COD IN THE LOWER BAY—SCULPIN AND TYKE, Sad is the tale of heroic effort spent in vain, and if anything should have commanded success it was surely the smart little steam yacht Seth Low, which courtesied and carcened down the bay yesterday morning under the command of Captain Sam Morrell, and in the handling of those three illustrious fishers, Messrs. Al, Fred and George Foster. She laughed to scorn the frowns of the prim vessels whose furled sails and sprace yards marked their strictly sab- batarian principles, and though the mist at first lay low upon the water yet the sun soon gleamed upon the distant sands and belted the horizon with a golden zone, Her mission was to canvass the various fishing grounds which lie along the coast, and to get the opinion of the cods, lings, basses and other voters of those parts regarding the campaign whieh will open in May. Her crow was composed of eat, all the veterans who have spent the winter in tracking the unfathomable cod to its lair, including Messrs. Ernst, Peldtman, Stumpf, Henke, Purdy and the brothers Volkmann. but though the sportsmen were ready the sport was coy. ‘The preparations for its reception were conducted on the grandest seale, Overails were donned and clams opened pb a fishing tackle was hung over the vessel’® side; the anchorage was moved front piace to place; the Bunsby of the crew delivered vague utterances about the season, locality and storm of the preceding night, and still the fish declined to respotid to polite invitations, and everybody was convinced that though the light waisted cods ot the Cholera Bauks might gad about on Sundays yet their severer sisters Of Monmouth Peach meant to stay placidly at home, At length off Seabright 4 tremen- dous tig was felt by Mr. Bunsby himself; a dozen willing hands helped to haul in his line, and landed, after many squirms, the solitary capture of the voy- oge—a gigantic seulpin. THE DOU AND THE SCULPIN, There happened to be » Newfoundtand dog on board who, When the seuipin lay quiet on the deck, proceeded to examine the brown specks on its back with a view to immediate consumption, and wag amazed when the mottied creature sprang up with a fy in its yellow eyos. ‘hon ensted a strange com- bat, fought in three rounds, and worthy to n= | icled, The dog lod off with his lett paw, but the sculpin countered heavily with his dorsal fin and ni made his antagonist howl with pain. First ble for the seulpin—claimed and allowed, ‘Th oon th closed With his teeth; but here the fish's two horn which were sharp as needles, seryed him in ge stoad, and he shook himself free. The seuipin now rose in the betting and was fast becoming a popular when the dog inthe closing rowad seized y below the belt, fastened his fangs in the pin's white vest, aud though the tail wagged furiously and the goggle eyes gleamed savagely, fairly shook the life out oF him. This ineidenht to make the fishermen forget thetr ill luck, and when one of their number had sung a senti- ment to aster another had recited a scene from ‘Hamlet’ they landed gayly at the Bat+ retrieve any apparaat loss of prestige, turn back the L tery With hoarts as light as their baskets, { CONEY ISLAND. The Improvements To Be Made for the Coming Season = ENLARGING THE GREAT HOTELS. Increase in the Facilities for Reaching the Beach. « ‘There are no extensive schemes of improvement for Coney Island this seeson, but the work of adding to and rendering more available and enjoyable the at- tractions thut already exist there gocs on apace. The magnificent plans pondered over last year by the Manhattan Beach Oompany are not be carried out till next year, These embraced the construction in the interior of the island of lakes for still water bathing, tho laying ‘out of a park, of archery grounds and a variety of other things, but the company has resolved to take up these enterprises at its leisure, feeling satisfied that it has accomplished enough for the present. Every season. brings its suggestions of improvement here and there. Last year there were several matters forced upon the unwelcome attention of the public which will be remedied this season. The crowding and detention on the Manhattan Beach Railroad will be avoided; the bathing facilities will be greatly in- creased; a railway will spare people from the imposi- tion of paying fifteen cents for a half mile wagon ride on the beach; the restanrant charges are ex- pected to be generally reduced, and steamboat faciii- ties to the island will be muitiplied and improved. No new hotels are talked of, but the leading ones will increase their accommodations, RAILROAD EXTENSION 10 THE WEST END. The extension of # railroad track to Norton's Point at the west end will render that region more accessi- ble and distribute the patronage of the beach more evenly. ‘Lhe people of the ancient village of Graves- end, who claim tv own the fee simple of Coney Island, are greatly exercised over the monopoly of the land by the railroad companies. In their wildest dreams they never imagined Coney Island would become a watering place where in a few years over fifteen millions would be invested in improvements. . They wake up now to find what a magnificent opportunity. they have missed. Several railroad companies are striving to get down to the west end of the island, and their rivalry has brought the matter in litiga- tion before the Supreme Court of the district. The Sheepshead Bay and Coney Island Railroad filed a map by which they proposed to take about a third of the island to themselves ut the west end. In the meantime the honest citizens of Gravesend would like to know where their conrpensation comes in. They have appointed a commitiee to act with the lessees, of whom there are eighty on the island, and sell the common land at such an appraisement as may be determined on. They hope to have an act passed by the Legislature authorizing the sale. RESURRECTION OF OLD CLAIMS TO LAND. Recently a complaint was served on the Com- missioners of Common Lands of Gravesend in a suit begun by Nicholas Johnson, who professes fo be an heir of one of the original patemtees of Coney Island, and accordingly eutitled to recover four, thirty-ninths of the land now owned by the town of Gravesend on Coney Island beach, and the same gare of the rent and profit which has-accrued to the town since 1860, 1n 1860 the number of patentees by grant and descent had.greatly increased,.and the town of Gravesend, to protect the rights of afl, undertook to manage such parts of Coney island us had not been surveyed or released by the patentecs, and therefore executed leases to various persons and col- lected the reats. The plaintiff claims that neither he ,nor his ancestors or grantors ever sanctioned this exercise of authority the town, and that he and other patentees haye b; always objected to and protested against it. He" claims $10,000, with interest from Janu 1, 1879, and asks judgment for the possession of the prem: ises, and that the defendant be perpetually enjoined and’ restrained from exercising or assuming to exer- cise the menayement, leasing, releasiug and collection of renis or protits on the premises. ‘This suit does not involve tue titleeither to Manhattan or Brighton beach, but how many more of the same kind may be started it is dificult to say, for the Gravesend folks believe they have been sadly taken in by iepedignn, thee beach to go for a song, when its very sands have proved to beas precious 4s gold. AN IRON PIRR PROPOSED. It is rumored that a project is on foot-to erect at the west end of Coney Islaad an iron pier, similar to that in course of construction at Long Brauneh. The west end was formerly the chief poiut of attraction, but when the large hotels were put up it was com- pietely dwarted. It is thought that the erection of a pier would be the means of counteracting the flow of summer visitors to Long Branch, which is so much curtber by water, and that Coney Island at its west end has just as many attractions as the Jersey watering place. DOUBLE TRACKING A RAILROAD. The work of double tracking the Manhattan Beach Railroad from ond to end has been commenced and will be carried vigorously forward so as to be com- pleted by the Ist of May. This.will give great addi- tional facilities for the ‘transportation of: passengers and the vexatious delays that frequently occurred last season by the overcrowding of the single track will be avoided, At the present time dive miles of the road, extending from the junction to the beach, are double tracked; but the remaining twelve miles have but one track. Twenty drawing room cars will be placed on the road resembling, in their interior fittings those on the Metropolitan “L’’ road, with the difference of being a trifle more elegant. “They have oval glass coupé fronts which give them a bright and airy appearance. INCREASING THE ROLLING STOCK. Three more locomotives will be added to the roll- ing stock, making # total of fifteen, and for the gen- eral passenger accommodation there will be 100 cursion cars. Two terryboats in place of one will ply between Greenpoint and three different points on the east side of New York, including Twenty-third street. On the Bay Ridge route the boats will be run ou the North River the same as last year, but an ad- dition will be made ot two boats which are to run to Bay Ridge from the Battery, where they will connect with the trains of the elevated railroads from the cast and west sides. Six ferryboats in all will ply in connection with the Manhattan Beach Railroad, It is designed to build the Marine railway from the Manhattan to the Brighton Beach Hotel and to erect « handsome station house at either end, ‘The fare will be five cents and trains will run ix minutes, ‘The charges by wagon last sea- ten and fifteen cents, and then when crowd was on hand there was an insutlicienc: wagons. Tho railroad will remedy this and ad other to the varied attractions of the isiand, of an- The Marine Railway to the east end of the island will be improved and station houses erceted at both ter- ‘Lrains here will run every fifteen minutes. INCREASE OF THY BATHING FACILITIES, ‘The bathing company contemplate extensive altera- tions and improvements in th grounds, mini. bathing houses and ‘The present accommodation ts 1,600 bath- but this is to be increased to the num- 500, and 200 tabs for hot. and cold salt water to be provided within the building, A new 1g Toor, sunptuously {urnished, is to be con- structed for the ladies and made os private and ex- elusive as possible, At the main eutranice to the malo department a room is to be built, 50x80 feet, where tickets ay be bought under she the open air, as during last season, company has arranged to divide the beach into three parts—one for ladies’ bathing alone, one for gentiomen and ladies together, and one for gentiemen alone. Tho whole bathing establishment is to be overhauled and improvements applied wherever there is room, The hotel will be enlarged by the erection ofan independent building at the cast end, especially designed tor fishing partics who love to go out in the early morning to angle in the waters of Sheepshead Hay. It will accommodate about two hundred addi- tional guesis, IMPAOVEMENTS AROUND THE PAVILION AND noree, ‘Phe Pavilion, which has heretofore been open at the sides, and a decidedly cool place in breezy weather, is to be enclosed in framed ¢lass so that in case of & wind or rain storm the guests may not be fncopveniouced, In tho oast end of the pavilion, on the ground floor, which has herotolore been devoted “to no particuiar use, a dining room will be laid oat capable of accommodating 60) persons. The grounds in front of the pavilion and hotel and those intervening will be laid out in lawn and shrubbery, In the centre of the plaza beture the hotel a new music stand will be erected. The hotel will probably be extended 100 foot on the west end, and this project is now under consideration, Auother story will be added to. the entire structure of the hotel, giving # total lodging accommodation of about four hundred rooms. The dining and restaurant capacity Will be enlarged one-halt, 1 HOTEE, be exiended sixty foot in front, with a wi back 120 feet, ‘This part of the establish: be devoted to lable Whote business tor permanent guests, while the test of the lower part of the house Will be used for a (a carte, the same as last year, Vhis addition will give sleeping accommodation for 150 guests above the ground floor, making a total lodging capacity of about dive hundred. It will also divide the perm: nent crom the transient guests, The accommodations for bathers will also be increased, and it is probable that the present bathing establishment will be te: iuoved to some other point, The Executive Commit- 3 tee of the company have propositiens for suck a change now under consideration, ee gootnds im front of the hotel will be eats with yountains, flowers and shrubbery, and at_ night will be illuminated with the electric . _ For the ace commodation of New Yorkers special srrengement- are under consideration for the running of # steam boat line direct to the beach. ‘The Brighton Beach Railroad Company have contracted fora number of ueW passenger cars and locomotives. Most of the curs will be the ordinary open ones: in use last sum- mer, but there will also be @ score or more palace cars fitted up regardless of expense. The number of trains will be largely increased and despatched every ten minutes from Flatbush avenue and every twenty minutes from Prospect Park. ‘fhe iacilities for landing and embarking passengers at the termis nus of the road at Coney Island will be largely ine creased, and the inconvenience eaused by the collece tion of crowds about the entrances which was ex perienced last season will be obviated. RALLROAD ACCOMMODATION, The means of reaching Brighton Beach are to be improved by utilising the old tunnel of the Long Island Railroad, which runs down to theSouth Ferry an. connecting it with the Brighton Beach and Couey Island Railroad. Anew music stand is to be put up and an orchestra of sixty-five pieces selected from the Philharmonte societies of this city and Brooklyn. The forma! opening of the ri and hotel will take place in June, although trains will be runas early and as frequently as the season des mands, Messrs. Breslin und Sweet will run the hotel as they did last season. Mr. Breslin said he expected that, providing the summer is warm, the visitors to Brighton Beach will be half as many more as there were last year. On a given day then he calculates they had 30,000 guests in the hotel, and this time it may jgo as high ax 45,000. They will be better able to meet and cater for this great host than last season, as they will have increased accom. modations. AT THE WEST END. At the west eud of the island Norton & Murray waiting the decision of the court, which is id to be reached soon, iu regard to the exe of Culver's road down to the Point from Cable's Hotel, It the extension is to take place im- provements will. be commenced at once. Speakin to Mr. Michael Norton about the prospects for the on he saxd:—“Coney Islaud is owned by a lot of am-digyers, and they siand in the way of the right sortot improvements. Lhe people of the town of Gravesend are so frightened about the railroad mon- opolies that they are talking of selling the land to the lessces. Robert Furey, of Brooklyn, is lessee ot the lands that I occupy, and the are now trying to get there to confiscate them, while the monopolies at the cast end of the island—Brigh+ ton and Manhattan Beach—are seeking to defeat this through the agency of the authorities of Gravesend, so that no improvements should be made at the Point to interfere with cheir interests by attracting peopie that way. We intend during the season to run a boat trom } York to the Point every thirt: minutes, from seyen A. M. till halt-past ten P. Me We have 1,000 bathing houses, and we calculate to muke all the improvements necessary to accommos date the public should Culver’s road be extended, We claim that a portion of these lands should be kept in their natural state, an® that the Point proper should be laid out in walks, plants and shrubbery, ‘Bhe extension of Culver’s road will be of benefit to Cable's Hotel and the Atlantic Garden, as it will bring many people up that way who come by steam- boat to the west end.” ‘The Atlantic Garden is to be extended toward the beach, and various improvements made in its ine terior. A number of South American palim trees are to line the middle of the garden, and it is to be mada to resemble as much as possible a tropical conserva- tory. An addition of fifteen men will be made to the police force, and Judge Voorhis will hold court, as Betore, in an embowered recess of the Atlantic Gar- den. Most of the smaller hotels intend clesning up and making themselves as attractive as possible, It is believed the charge tor ascending to the summit of the observatory will be reduced to ten cents. The Aquarium will come out with renewed attrace tions, and the season, on the whole, provided the weather ia favorable, will surpass any previous ong of which Coney Island has any remembrance. THE LECTURE SEASON, SOCIALISTIC PRINCIPLES DENOUNCED BY THR REY. A. SCHWENINGER. Rev. A. Schweninger, the editor of a Roman Cathoe lie German weekly, addressed quite a large audience at Cooper Institute last evening on the subject of “Socialism.’’ He maintained that, notwithstanding all. the noise that this question made to-day in the coun- tries of the Old World, there really was nothing new in socialism. Some had asserted that Adam and Eve were socialists. However, we were not living in Pare adise, and it was well to look questions like these square in the face. Catholics had been charged with being encmies of the Republic, so had been the French priests; but the truth is thatthere is no more intolerant party than those very radicals who insist upon making a monopoly of their own pee ‘@uliar ideas. The lecturer did not find fault with every phase of socialism. In times past it had served its purpose and effected some good, In the six teenth century, for instance, when, all over Germany, the industrial classes came into existence, municipal rights were secured which tended to ameliorate the condition of the people. It was only during the French Revolution of 1789 that the labor question first came to the fore- ground, and since that time, simpiy owing to the oute rageous manner in which the laboring man had been, treated by some capitalists, the labor question had become indeed a burning question, and gave force and strength to the social democracy. the capie talists understood the wants of the masses this labor question would never have entered socialism and the latter would have died prematurely. The reverend gentleman then related the workings and efforts of Lasalle, Marx and Schweizer, showing the influence they exercised in their respective spheres, but contending that the socialistic principles y preached were destructive of society ine imipel to Christianity. The laws of “mine” and “thine” were defied by these men, who to-day hat their followers in the Liebknechts and Bebels of Ger- many, with Bismarck us their secret ally. Ay, tho 500,009 votes cast by the socialists of German; at the recent election could never have been obtai: but for Bismarck’s secret aid, who used these men for his own purposes to defy the Established Church, which alone could in due time inspire those princi< les of rectitude among men that would lead them ta: happiness and salvation. ‘The lecturer then criti cised a recent article in the Nort American Review,, which attempted to show the danger attending the influx of German socialistic ideas in this country. and maintained that the s1x millions of German cite izens resid: in this country were law abiding, religious and loyal to the Republic. IRELAND'S PATRIOT GRAVES—LECTURE BY THR VERY REV. M. A. HUNT. “Patriot Graves” was the attractive title of the lecture delivered last evening in St. Teresa's Churche corner of Rutgers and Henry streots, by the Very Rev. M. A. Hunt, of the Oblate Fathers in Englands When “Charles the Fat,” the grandson of Charlemagne, was in power, two Irish monks visited France. One of them persuaded the other to appear with him in the public market place as wisdom sellers, and having been summoned by Charles theyt announced that their mission was to preserve in a God-forsaking people the law of Mount Sinai. Th is a glory that is national and » martyrdom that is national. Ireland is the fraitful mother of martyra; and heroes. One of the things that Ireland boasts of is liberty, which God gave her and of whicly sho was deprived but only for a time, The first grave to be noticed is that of Brian Boroihme, whose struggle was like that in, our own times for “happy homes and& altars free,” and whose remains rest in the cathedral at Armagh. He fell at Clontarf on Good Friday, im, the year 1014, when his army numbering at the com=, mencement of the battle 20,090 drove the enemy inte the sea, his battle gave freedom to Ireland. Ti men who feli at Clontarf did not die in vain, No man dies in vain who falls for God or country. The, riod between Godtrey of Lyrconnell and Art MeMurrough was full of great’ victories for Tres. land. ‘Chen we come down to the days of the Ger. aidines and Silken Thomas, tho ancestor of Lor’ Kdward Fitzgerald, Situated smid the “short grasa’ of the county of Kildare is the bloody fleld of Mule laghmast, « name connected with more intamy oy any in the world tor centuries, Four hundred o: the Irish nobility, with one exeeption, were invited| to assemble under the guise of hospitality and were treacherously murdered. The one who escaped suspected the treachery in time to flee, ry next grave to be noticed is on the south- ern shore of Lough Swilly, in the rains of an abbey dedi: to “Our Lady of Mount, Carmel.” Here are associated the histories of Hugh pill of the Red Hand and Hugh 0” nell. Hugty C ill died in Rome and was buried in the janicae lum in the Chureh o€ the Francisean Feathers. ‘Ther came the “Plantation” of Ireland under Cromwelle Ireland thea gave another martyr in Owen Roa "Neill. On the banis of the Shannon, at Thomond. Ke, in Limerick, is the celebrated treaty stone that stands as anothe dence of English perfidy, If tolls the history of the “Wild Geese” who fled fro Ireland rather than submit to oppression. Comi down to 1798 we find Lord Edward Witngorald @ man endowed with the delicacy of a woman and the, courage of # lion; Wolfe ‘Tone, the men of Antrina and Down aud glorious Wextord, with its Father! Roche and Murphy, and, towering above all Robert Aue’ name so pure and so b to Lreland thas any speakor approac i ential awe. The your 1848 wus nals, when this ing gratitude of the juns off the freighting them witir starving peofic ireland, O'Connell, Mitchel, Davis, agher, Dillon, Me Manus, Doheny and the other noted men ot after which he allacled to the 1martyrs Allen, Lark i O’Brien and Barrett, in the movement of 1865, a1 said in conclusion that the records of Ireland's bi tory will be consumed to ashes on the day ot ral Jury went before the inemories of tesd teh bhall be forgotien, one country Irish burden to save © lecturer spoke