Houston, West Street and Pavonia Ferry Railroad Company and the South Ferry Railroad Company to form the first Metropolitan Street Railway Company (no. 371). 37 The Broadway Surface Railroad Company (Manhattan) Incorporation. May 13, 1884; General Street Railroad Law of 1884, for the purpose of constructing a street surface railroad; corporate life, 1,000 years; capital stock, $1,000,000; route (about three miles) as follows: On Broadway from its terminus near the Battery, north to 15th street and west to Union square, there to connect with the tracks of the Broadway & Seventh Avenue Railroad Company. Special franchises. December 5, 1884, over the mayor's veto, the common council of the city of New York granted this Company a franchise for a double track railroad on the route as described in its charter. This was the famous franchise obtained by Jacob Sharpe after trying to secure it for many years. Many members of the Board of Aldermen that granted this franchise were indicted for bribery. Three turned state's evidence, one was convicted upon his own confession, and two convicted after having been tried in court. Jacob Sharpe himself was sentenced to four years in state prison. He obtained a stay and a new trial, but died before the trial was had. Six of the aldermen fled to Canada. May 8, 1885, the Supreme Court, after the Company had failed to get the required consents of property confirmed a report of the commissioners authorizing the construction of the road without such consents. Act repealing company's charter. May 4, 1886, the legislature passed chapter 268, laws of 1886, repealing this charter, and providing for the dissolution of the company. The continuing validity of the franchise, notwithstanding this action of the legislature, was sustained by the Court of Appeals in the case of People vs O'Brien, 111 N. Y. 1, decided in 1890. Intercorporate relations. (See also Chart I, no. 18.) May 17, 1884, the Company entered into an agreement with the Broadway and Seventh Avenue Railroad Company, by which the latter Company was authorized to use this Company's tracks when constructed in connection with its own for a through route from Central park to the Battery. On the same day the Company entered into a track agreement authorizing the Twenty-third Street Railway Company to use its proposed tracks on Broadway south of Bleecker street. By a later agreement this Company, in consideration of the guaranty of its bonds by the Broadway & Seventh Avenue Railroad Company, agreed to limit its operation to five cars per day over the joint route established in the track agreement of May 17, 1884. The Company was dissolved May 4, 1886. After the dissolution of the Company, its property was in the hands of trustees until September 11, 1889, when it was sold to Daniel S. Lamont and by him transferred on May 5, 1891, to a new corporation, The Broadway Railway Company, incorporated October 16, 1890 (no. 36). 38 The Broadway Underground Connecting Railway Company (Manhattan) Incorporation. May 27, 1880; General Railroad Law of 1850; corporate life, 100 years; capital stock, $1,000,000; route (about two miles) as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the north line of Park place and Broadway in the city and county of New York and running thence by the most direct and feasible route under Broadway to the point or place of intersection of the north line of 14th street and Broadway, and terminating at said last named point or place of intersection in said city and county of New York. Maps. May 28, 1880, the Company filed in the register's office of New York County, a map of its route under Broadway from Park place to 14th street. Stock. In the Company's report to the Railroad Commission for the year 1884, it stated that the amount of capital stock paid in was $68,000. In the same report the Company stated that the consent of the majority of the property owners along the line of the Company's route had not yet been obtained, nor had the consent of the Supreme Court in substitute therefor been given. Construction. No record of any construction. The Company has probably forfeited its corporate existence. 39 The Broadway Underground Railway Company (Manhattan) Incorporation. August 28, 1868; originally as the Beach Pneumatic Transit Company (no. 13). The name was changed to The Broadway Underground Railway Company, May 20, 1874. The name was again changed to the New York Arcade Railway Company, May 11, 1886 (no. 457). 40 Broadway Undergound Railway Company (Manhattan) Incorporation. June 1, 1880; General Railroad Law of 1850; corporate life, 99 years; stock, $14,000,000; route (about 14 miles) as follows: Beginning at or near South ferry, running thence under and along Whitehall street to Broadway, thence under and along Broadway to 59th street, thence across and under 59th street to the Boulevard, thence under and along the Boulevard to 10th avenue, and under 10th avenue, terminating at or near Kingsbridge. Maps. On May 28, 1880, the Company filed in the register's office of New York county a map of its route under Broadway from Park place to 14th street. Construction. No record of any construction. The report of the state engineer, 1880, stated that the company had abandoned its project. 41 The Bronx Traction Company (The Bronx) Incorporation. May 12, 1904; as a consolidation of the Suburban Traction Company (no. 651), the West Farms & Westchester Traction Company (no. 707), the Van Nest, West Farms & Westchester Traction Company (no. 691), the Wakefield & Westchester Traction Company (no. 692), and the Williamsbridge and Westchester Traction Company (no. 715), all of which had been incorporated on April 28, 1892, by the same people, no doubt in the interest of the Union Railway Company of New York City. Corporate life 1,000 years; capital stock $585,000, being equivalent to the combined capital stock of the five corporations consolidated and which form this corporation; route the routes of the component companies, which see. Extensions of route. Certificates of extensions of route were filed with the secretary of state, as follows: December 9, 1908: Beginning at and connecting with its double street surface track now constructed on Westchester avenue, at the intersection of said avenue with Clason's Point road and running thence easterly with double tracks and along said Clason's Point road to the public place at the easterly terminus thereof, and running thence with a loop in, upon, and along said public place. December 23, 1910: Beginning at and connecting with the existing tracks of this company at the intersection of Morris Park avenue and White Plains road; thence northerly in, upon, and along said White Plains road to and connecting with the existing tracks of the company at intersection of Olin avenue or Gun Hill road with White Plains road. November 29, 1911: Commencing at the present terminus of its road at Westchester square in the village of Westchester, borough of The Bronx, city of New York, extending with double tracks in, upon and along the surface of Westchester avenue to the intersection of said avenue with the Eastern boulevard or Pelham Bay park, also situated in said borough of The Bronx, city of New York. May 6, 1913: Beginning at and connecting with the existing tracks of the Company in Morris Park avenue at or near its intersection with the southwesterly side of Bronxdale avenue (formerly Bear Swamp road), thence northeasterly across said Bronxdale avenue to the intersection of the northeasterly side thereof with a new road on private property to be known as Morris Park avenue and thence northeasterly upon and along the said new road to its intersection with Williamsbridge road. Abandonment of route. August 29, 1911, by certificate filed in the secretary of state's office, the Company abandoned its route as follows: Beginning at the intersection of Olin avenue or Gun Hill road and White Plains road; running thence southerly along said White Plains road to Bear Swamp road at Bronxdale; and thence along said Bear Swamp road to its intersection with Morris Park avenue. This part of the route was contained in the consent of the town board of the town of Westchester dated June 7, 1892. The Public Service Commission gave its approval to this abandonment July 28, 1911. Special franchises. By contract dated February 1, 1909, entered into with the city of New York, the Company was granted the right to construct its extended route as described in the certificate of extension filed with the secretary of state December 9, 1908. The operation of this extension was approved by the Public Service Commission, First District, March 16, 1909. By contract of January 19, 1911, entered into with the city of New York, the Company was granted the right to construct its extended route, as described in the certificate of extension filed with the secretary of state December 23, 1910. The operation of this extension was approved by the Public Service Commission, First District, May 2, 1911. By contract dated March 22, 1912, entered into with the city of New York, the Company was granted the right to construct its extended route as described in the certificate of extension filed with the secretary of state November 29, 1911. The operation of this extension was approved by the Public Service Commission, First District, April 9, 1912. By contract dated July 29, 1913, entered into with the City of New York, the Company was granted the right to construct its extended route, as described in its certificate of extension filed in the office of the secretary of state May 6, 1913. The operation of this extension was approved by the Public Service Commission, First District, September 26, 1913. Stock. The entire capital stock of this Company was acquired by the Union Railway Company of New York City on November 2, 1904. Intercorporate relations. (See also chart II, no. 33.) In January 1899, the entire capital stock of the Union Railway of the city of New York was acquired by the Third Avenue Railroad Company, and thus the Bronx Traction Company became a part of the Third Avenue Railroad system. By an agreement dated November 2, 1904, the Bronx Traction Company leased to the Union Railway Company of New York City the right to use its tracks and franchise for a monthly rental of $500. This agreement was to be retroactive so as to govern all matters arising between the companies from the time of formation of the Bronx Traction Company. It was terminable by either party on 30 days' written notice. Under this agreement the routes of the Bronx Traction Company have been operated exclusively by the Union Railway Company of New York city. March 31, 1908, a receiver was appointed for the Union Railway Company of New York City, Mr. Whitridge being named. From then until February 25, 1913, the property of the Company was operated by the receiver, and returned to the Union Railway Company for operation on the last-named date. Construction. Almost all the original franchise routes were constructed by the Company and are now operated by the Union Railway Company of New York City. The exceptions are: On Briggs avenue from Paulding avenue to Boston road; on Boston road from Briggs avenue to road leading from Williamsbridge to Westchester |