The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-23
Rapid Transit for New Yorkshire
Fight Among the Spectators.

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Rapid Transit for New York-Thc
Fight Among the Spectators.
Underground Railway Company present
memorial to the State Legislature against the
Vanderbilt Tunnel bill, already passed by the
Senate. The effect and intention of this
eleventh hour scheme, they say, is ''to rob the
Central Underground of its vested chartered
rights, and to destroy the opportunity which
now presents itself to that company to serve
the public by the establishment of free and
efficient means of rapid transit through the
city of New York" The memorialsts go on
to state that their alleged "vested rights"
were originally under the control of
the Philistines; to wit, of members of
the late New York Ring who used their
authority as directors to suppress the activity
OF the company and to destroy its char
ter for the purpose of promoting other schemes
in which they were interested. Now, however,
these designing persons are happily disposed
OF, and the management has passed into the
hands of honest and competent men, who
were just on the point of setting to work in
earnest, provided the Legislature would only
consent to give them 'sthat financial strength
and standing which was needed for perfect
success, when in steps the Commodore
with his Harlem Railroad extension bill
and his powerful legislative influence to dis
turb oil their plans The object of the
Vanderbilt proposition, 1t is charged, is to
monopolize travel from the West for the Hud-
son River and Harlem railroads The new
tunnel road is to run only to Fifty ninth
street. and provision inserted by the Senate
absolutely forbids its connection with any
other roads than the Harlem and Hudson
River, thus virtually excluding oil other lines
from entrance to the city. The memorialists
courts should it be enacted by the Legislature,
and thus an expensive and protracted litiga-
ton is certain to ensue, and to still further en-
barrass and delay the rapid transit SO much
needed and desired by the people.
In addition to this appeal on behalf of the
Central Underground Company the New York
and Boston Railroad Company enter the field
against the Vanderbilt proposition, and declare
it to be designed only to head off the new
route Of travel opened by that corporation by
the construction of line from the Harlem
River to the eastern line of Putnam county, to
ford and Erie road, which route will be open
for use during the coming summer.
If the Legislature passes the Wander
bilt bill this and all other lines
will be dependent upon the Commodore
for access to the city, and there will be no real
rapid transit for the actual residents Of New
York and Westchester county such as the in
terests of the city demand ''The franchise
for carrying passengers throughout the city of
New York." says the Vice President of the
New York and Boston Railroad, sought to be
given to an Independent corporation, and all
terms to every external railroad corporation
which brings passengers to the city of New
York.
The remedy for oil these evils and for all
this squabbling and fighting is within the
reach Of the Legislature. Let the city build
two great viaduct roads along the North and
East River lines on both sides Of the city, and
let all exterior railroads terminate ct Spuyten
Duyvil Greek, and their passengers and freight
be distributed over the city lines. This will
be fair to all interests, and will encourage the
construction of other roads, as well as accom-
modate the citizens Of New York. It is clear
that by no other means can litigation be
avoided and the much-needed rapid transit
be secured without delay. The Legisla-
ture has yet time to cast out all these schemes
of interested spectators, and to pass q law au-
thorizing the city to loan its credit and issue
bonds for the construction Of the viaduct
railways, subject, if the members choose, to
an endorsement Of the proposition by the
electors of the city. This is the only proper
solution of the difficulty and it is evident that
personal and corrupt considerations alone can
prevent the Legislature from doing this much,
at least, for the suffering million and half of
people who now reside or do business in
New York