NEW YORK. 



ami Harlem river between the city of New York 

 iiinl l.i'iiu' Nand. Charters were granted for a 

 new hritlire at Albany and for a bridge across the 

 St. Lawrence river :it Wolfe Island. Thi- Brook- 

 Ivn Bridge bonds were exempted from taxation. 



Tin- p-nend railroad law was amended in 

 many iv^pect-. hut chiefly to allow any railroad 

 company to build tunnels. Amendments were 

 made to the stock corporation law prohibiting 

 combinations and the issuing of stock at less 

 than par. The Cantor act, incorporated into 

 the (iencral Railroad act, was amended so that 

 if consent for a surface railroad is given it shall 

 In- provided that only one fare shall be charged. 

 The number of hours of labor on steam sur- 

 face railroads is limited to ten. The Railroad 

 Commission act was amended so that the Secre- 

 tary has larger powers. The commission sent 

 four bills to the Legislature, which were not 

 passed. The first related to the transportation 

 of explosives; the second forbade the use of 

 "center-bearing" rails on surface railroads, but 

 this was incorporated into the amendment to 

 the general law; the third provided that no 

 new railroad should be constructed unless by 

 the approval of the Board of Railroad Commis- 

 sioners, but allowing an appeal to the courts; 

 this was also incorporated in the amendment to 

 the general law ; the fourth provided for grade 

 crossings. Another bill on grade crossings 

 (copying the law of Massachusetts) failed to 

 pass ; but the city of Buffalo was given further 

 powers in regard to grade crossings in that 

 vicinity. In New York city the Rapid Transit 

 act was amended so that connection may be 

 made with the new East river bridge ; also to 

 allow the rapid transit commissioners to aban- 

 don a part of their route without abandoning 

 the whole. Brooklyn has been exempted from 

 the law requiring sand upon the tracks of sur- 

 face railroads. Bills failed to pass preventing 

 extortion or discrimination in freight or pas- 

 senger rates ; prohibiting the running of hand 

 cars or the changing of brakes by unauthorized 

 persons, and regulating the .number of men to 

 manage all kinds of trains. 



A so-called " freedom of worship " law was 

 passed, requiring all institutions in the State 

 that receive public money to allow religious serv- 

 ices on Sunday and private ministrations to 

 the inmates in such manner as may best carry 

 into effect the free exercise and enjoyment of 

 religious profession and worship without dis- 

 crimination. A charter was granted to the State 

 Executive Committee of the Young Women's 

 Christian Association of the State of New York. 

 Dwelling houses owned by religious corpora- 

 tions, and the land upon which they stand, were 

 exempted from taxation to an amount not ex- 

 ceeding $2,000 while actually used by an offici- 

 al inu' clergyman. The Brooklyn Tabernacle was 

 exempted from the taxes of 1889, and the estate 

 of the late Bishop Loughlin, of Brooklyn, by a 

 general bill, was exempted from the law taxing 

 collateral inheritances. 



After many attempts, lasting through a series 

 of years, the excise laws were finally codified. 

 The new law provides a general license at $250; 

 beer and ale from $30 to $75 ; the hotel license 

 remains as now; no saloon shall hereafter be 

 licensed, except in the country, within 200 feet 



of a church or school : fires towns and cities 

 local option; prohibits druggists from selling 

 liquor, except on the written ptvx-riptinn of u 

 physician, and each time a new prescription 

 must be written ; prohibits the granting of a 

 license to any person who is engaged in the 

 grocery business, where it is intended to carry 

 on a liquor business in connection with or in the 

 same place as the grocery business; allows 

 hotels to sell on Sunday; and provides for the 

 granting of licenses for all-night vili-s. Supple- 

 mentary laws were passed allowing druggist* 

 licenses, and also allowing a recovery in a civil 

 action for damages suffered by reason of liquor 

 selling. The hiring of barmaids was prohibited. 

 Another law makes it mandatory upon the Ex- 

 cise Board to render a decision upon any verified 

 complaint of a violation of the excise laws within 

 thirty days, or to be guilty of a misdemeanor; 

 but a bill, providing that the excise commis- 

 sioners can not act in a case until they have the 

 testimony of the complainant under oath failed, 

 as did also a bill seeking to restrict licenses to 

 one in every 500 of the population of the State, 

 and another allowing all town meetings to vote 

 for or against license. 



A charter was granted to the General Electric 

 Company, with a capital of $100,000, to do a 

 general electric business, and to combine all elec- 

 trical companies in the State. Additional pow- 

 ers were given to the Buffalo and Niagara Falls 

 Electric Power Company so that electricity may 

 be furnished to the city of Buffalo. The term o"f 

 office of the Board of Electrical Control in the 

 city of New York was extended. Town boards 

 may contract for electric lighting, not to exceed 

 a term of three years; but a'bill increasing the 

 rate of taxation for electric lighting in villages 

 was vetoed. Attempts were made, without suc- 

 cess, to require the written consent of owners of 

 three fifths of the property in cities and villages 

 before electric-light poles can be placed, and also 

 allowing villages to expend not to exceed 50 

 cents per capita per annum for electric lighting. 

 The tampering with gas meters or pipes, whether 

 used for illuminating, fuel, or natural gas, was 

 made a misdemeanor. 



New laws were enacted for the preservation of 

 human life. One of them provides for the safety 

 of workmen in mines by requiring more openings 

 between the shafts. Another provides for a thor- 

 ough examination of scaffolding, ropes, blocks, 

 pulleys, and tackle used in the construction, re- 

 pairing, or painting of buildings. The building 

 laws of New York city were codified, and all 

 buildings erected must be passed upon by the 

 fire department. The Governor has appointed 

 a commission of 8 experts to draft suitable laws 

 for the construction, regulation, and insiection 

 of buildings, and the better protection of life and 

 property therein, applicable to the various cities 

 in this State. The fire department of New York 

 city must compel additional safeguards in hotels, 

 lodging houses, and other buildings to facilitate 

 escape in case of fire: and hotels, factories, etc.. 

 must be provided with fire-extinguishing appa- 

 ratus, and must maintain all-night watches. 



Thehealthof the public will U-lK'tternreserved 

 by a number of laws providing as follows: .Al- 

 lowing any city of less than 50,000 inhabitant;' 

 to establish free public baths; amending the vil- 



