N.Y. R.R. Law § 188
All consents given since December first, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, and prior to February first, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, by the local authorities of any city having a population of fifty thousand or more, to the construction, operation and maintenance of a street surface railroad in any such city by a railroad corporation which has not complied with the provisions of section nine of this chapter, or has failed to obtain the certificate therein provided for, are hereby validated and confirmed, and any such corporation may construct, operate and maintain a street surface railroad over, along and upon the streets, avenues, highways and public places described in such consent, upon obtaining the consent of the owners of property bounded on such streets, avenues, highways or public places as provided by law.
N.Y. R.R. Law § 188