New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-03
CITY TRANSIT.

SENATOR GENET's BILL FOR A CITY RAILROAD.
TO me Bdttor OF The Tribune. m
SIR: TwO-thirds of the present session OF
the Legislature already passed. and, until the recent
introduction of Senator Genets b providing for the
construction Of road by the city, the problem OF cy
transit seemed TO have made progress 1t is not lor
the want OF schemes No less than sixteen prQJec's III
form another now before that body' 80 'i"
unless have this bill of Senator Genet WHICH 'aho'
the work away from all private chques ana lhonopole
and condes where it belongs to the care OF te o
we shall have no practical legislation ana no reoi ''
session And vet we must have railroad III cannot DO
that with the experience of travel during the past WIN
ter the growing wants OF city and the sad eSsoh vi
waste OF population and loss OF wealth, taught Us Iro
last census the people OF this city VIII nuch longer con
sent 70 be without this accommodation OF the Legsla
ture dare to withhold it, The financial argument VIII al
last control the question that of comfort ana conVe
pience does not. This is fast coming into the
lrht There viii be nothing left To argue
The city will have the road. and the city viii build IT,
NeWYork has already lost 4O7,792 OF her legitimate
Notwithstanding the falling of since 1860 OF the ratio OF
increase which she regularly maintained for 80 years
pror TO that date She has alec lost revenue OF taxes
the past year OF So 92 this loss too increases every
year. and has already reached aggregate Of more than
$4,000 900 in the past five years. and will amount TO t5,
100000 the next five. She has more than 10000 vacant
lots which, if built upon and occupied by the population
driven out would to-day have added sOOOOOO TO the
wealth OF island. Let us understand these things,
and reflect upon the ten thousand activities which
the addition of half million people and the adoption OF
new modes Of transit open TO the whole city, and we
shall how wretched is the policy that would longer
withhold the building Of this road, any plea Of econ
Ony ndsPosOn 70 increase the city debt The cost
Of railroad that would Thoroughly develop the island,
awaiting ourselves Of suitable streets already belonging
to the city, is estimated at sOOOOOOO The annual inter
lfy enf
81 2oOOOOa which the revenues Of this road alone
would pay three times over and yet under pretense Of
saving taxpayers, this socalod additional burden OF
81 100000 year. every year sacrifice, In direct reyc-
nucs over 100000 and endure amount Of personal
Inconvenience without parallel in any other city.
THE TRIBUNE says: ave need and must have the
road bat we object the obbery involved in the cys
building IT, while half OF private companies stand
ready TO do the work" 1t might have said whole
score but not Of them, except as monopoly and
with privileges and tariff that will mortgage the enter
prise and industry Of this people to the last point OF en-
duranee and the last generation OF time. BUT What
guarantee have that the struggle between these
half score Of companies IN their efforts, the past
nexi ten years come The schemes are more numer
Gus their protectors NOR determined ana the Pupn
OF any adjustment is In the same degree removed Nor
the Legislature much 10 blame Neither the press,
tbopUbe nor projectors have been able 10 upon
any plan; how should the LpglS4dturef We have waited
Io6g-we shall wait stl longer fear, before we find
relief in this direction But is there any inevitable
necessity OF obbery in the building OF this road by
the eityi II Is true the Courthouse and Broadway f.,
"1Obs not favorable examples Of works undertaken
~ the city, bot those our only examples OF munich
pal works Bat the Croton Aqueduct ana the central
Park are municipal works. constructed 10y Commissions
and constant examples Of the wisdom and policy which
Ing " in public work. Everything depends upon the
men. suppose now commission r. appointed to build
this road containing i'm addition 10 the present heads of
departments the OF the four eXMayors OF New
YOsk, how much stealing could be done ~ OF under
Bat it may be thought that should indicate the plan
OF those who propose that the work shall be done by the
city They have no plan They ask only that the policy
shall De adopted OF taking thls NOfk up as municipal
the work accomplished, and also that will be done
upon the best plan which engineering skill can devise
Yet while they do % devise plan in advance,
they do not affect 10 conceal their own views as to what
that general plan should be; and | may state them
@ Sip be ROAD hoEld he built on the honest solid
ground ?. They do not believe m being shot through
tubes or tunnels in smoke darkness, OF IL travelling
gu single tracks but they believe in space light, air. and
those VINO don't They do not believe gong
through the middle Of blocks, or destroying $5o4o OF
taxable property 70 secure night Of way, whe the city
has already in us streets and avenues, or under the
the ampest nght OF way; l. lheE 90 NOT peneNe III
Broadway-Frst, because they could not get IL second,
because they ought not 10 have IT, and third because they
don't want H. The elty ncelh Two ROADS 70 ,conno-
date the public, and the adoption Of broadway, as
route, forever prevents the OF more tHdh one
s. They see ID the Arcade pan the True Iuea ol Guy
railroad They md II Endorsed by the aDlesl engineering
talent, and have never heard II condemned by any ou
except ia its Applications 10 bnduNa!, Iney PopoT 90
take II out OF Broadway and put IL IN streets parallel
where none or tlesc OlrcuoIh exist lutN pIol~NFi
therefore, Greenwich St. West Broadway, LauIensst,
Seventh and Nuthaycsu on the west size ana FOURTH
ave continued 10 the city Hall, and the East River
Bridge the east sde the one 10 be built by the CITY,
the other by existing corporations, II they Will, by the
city il IL must. G. And lastly they do not believe III
high fares for the purpose OF dividends III the interest
private stockholders bat il low fares IN the interest
OF commerce, trade, and the whole people They insist,
therefore that the fare shall never exceed hVe cents Tor
any distance, and shall I've reduced from time 10
time a. the revenues OF the road viii warrant, Til they
than two cents from the Battery to Harlem
River. ,,,.. =,
And now, Mr. Editor, will you give us liftf II You
any better plan, any one more hopeful any ihat
promises greater relief and usefulness. please indicate 10,
let turn in and help you. II not Will you turn III
and help Us = . go, 90, |
| send YOU a copy Of Senator Genet's bill. You will
see that II flavor OF the Ring about H. but u con
wholly IN the interest OF the city and It's people
invite your careful examination and criticism, conh-
that the policy 10 adopts, and the measures II pro-
poses need only be understood 10 deserve and receive
The united support OF the press aud people Yours try
>. T.. CHURCH.
Ner- York, 200 BrOndioGy, Feb. %, 1871.