New-York tribune., 1872-04-30
RAPID TRANSIT.

A CARD FROM THE CENTRAL UNDERGROUND
COMPANY.
The present Board of Directors OF the Gem
tral Underground Railway Of New-York deem II their
duty make TO the public statement OF certain 1acs
which threaten the failure for underlined period OF all
means and lans for rapid transit through this city,
Having done So they will leave with the public and the
public representatives the responsibility. H. In spite OF
all efforts to the contrary so great msiortune nap
pen Although the subject OF rapid transit Is ode OF
n he t c1T Ppn ndonng County OF
and although IL doubt true that each one OF these
In order to secure such of transit it is probably
not known appreciated by any considerable numper @
longed for convenience is at this moment
in imminent peril ana that upon ,his ,he snS- aS
iect within the next few days may depend the value OF
suburban and uptown property; the comfort and con-
commerce. II being ivonte prctense or certain
members of the Legislature twho having resolved from
whatever motive, to do act are not over nice IN
the selection of their reasons that this Company de-
to have its franchise taken from IT, BECAUSE u has
and that the franchise 30 taken ought 10 DC gwen 10 cor
neu n ne he II he on b %G snS
road it seems proper to state little OF the history Oh
this COMPANY aa as it nS% aGSs a at
City Hall Park raveTsing the line OF streets Blng easy
SaudTe O1 10 t.
to the Harlem River, and eastery and westerly along
managers were several Of Commodore Vanderbilts
most intimate associates in railroad 'fars
His own engineer was the engineer OF 'ne CON-.
In the Board He offered aud refused participation
in the construction Of the road and when called upon
finally President OF the Company, ana invited 10
undertake the road his only reply to 80 serious PROPOSE
tionwas, "No shall be under ground ID ID dr sgnt
these three years have Lad the control OF the company
and built The road 4 biz terms o to faa bc nT Ic s %
records Of the Company show hat when tho Nanderbt
had sufficiently demonstrated its purpose to do
some arrangement, the terms or when are unkOWn 10
the present OF the Company obtained the drec
ton of it, They in full power In tins Company as
elsewhere in 1s7O 1871 anda part oil lsI? Ihe ayowed
time in order that they might profit by other and cont
peling schemes During all this time some OF Of
inc original cOrporatoIs chung 10 thelr hterests ,
and necessarily urged the prosecution OF the work
In 1871 officer Of the Company called on Mr. Iwecd'
then Commissioner of Public Works and asked pefinis
sion TO make the necessary openings IN streets 70 Dcg
work. but met with at refusal and the threaten.
ing statement that the Company should never put
spade in the earth OF Manhattan Island" The Viaduct
Company to aud which the oent course Se was ia vona SS
but has now expired by limitation. a..
The terror Of the Ring having passed away, IN tho
month of January of this year on the invitation OF those
OF the stockholders who had remained faithful 70 tue
this city whose names have been frequently published,
together and determined 10 unite Their resources
building railroad under the charter OF the Central Un-
derground Company These gentlemen had had no pre-
sibe for any of its defaults, and claim credit
for any Of It's deserving performances Ihey we're
new and brought in De energy and capital Ia re-
viye Gneritorious enterprise. Broadway having been
the great bone OF contention IN past years they deeined
buf upon that street. Jney explained publicly, and
~, ,5y u delin was not 70 abandon their present
route but to obtain the additional route, both Tor tho
purpose OF building upon H. ana ior the cTeaS n
caused inquiry TO be made Of the agents OF Commodore
Vanderbits bin az Albany. and Of the Commodore him
self personally ascertain how his interests and feel
ugs would now stand affected. They received assur-
ances which they tnen believe be true, that
he objection
on and build road, that the Vanderbilt party, 50
called had interest IL and would In no way interfere
in matters relating to city transit by steam.
While prosecuting their appeal TO the egsatre u was
announced Ia the public journals about Aprll 2 mat
railroad combination had been formed, e1tendng
between the Hudson River and Harlem Roads TO Mon
real which depended for TO the city upon the
Central Underground Road ana on the LIST April bill
introduced creating Cornelius vanderbilt corpora
On adopting word for word the charter Of this Com
pany, TO It's line from City Hail Park to Unons1uare,
giving power to Mr. Vanderbilt ~ bud upon that line
and by express terms repeating 50 mucn OF our cnaiter
AT the time the Vanderbilt lobby interest formed
passed b In us interest when I'D lhe hauner appiO
PIRATES our line from MadisOusquare 10 tine Harlem
River, which bill is before the Governor. The Van
derbilt bill viii undoubtedly be passed Tbs Company
having 10 arguments OF sufficient weight TO reply to
Central Underground viii thus have left to 1t the Tight
to build one road between Unon-square and another
The whole OF line and franchise Of this Company
long pledged security for its indebtedness,
recorded The cfrect Of tho two bills above referred to
is not only DESTROY all means and occasion for pro-
property and TO impair the obligation OF existing
tracts 1t the obligation Of this Company TO its cred
Ors public morality, and To ITSELF TO defend ITSELF
It's contracts, and Its charter. Should the tTO hostile
bills, either OF them, become law, the Company viii
appeal the Courts Tor protection, the confident
pcctation ,hat they WILL far they affect char
tered line he declared unconstitutional.
In the ne however, neither party viii be able
TO build their lines, and the public want VIII 30 unsas
He'd. For such result the promoters and makers Of
these unjust enacneus can fairly DE held responsible
Numerous bills for rapid transit have been before the
Legislature this Winter we have opposed none except
those which proposed 10 take from part OF
line
Oar Company stands ready to proceed with this i'm
pOrtant work. and the persons controlling Ii
amply able Commodore Vanderbilt 10 prosecute any
dertaking in which they engage.
The motive OF THIS mOnstrOuS wrong Is too evil
dent for Its consequences Will he
tion OF faith chartered rights, aud in the honor
state which cOE1ers and without takes them
away. The pubcspited citizens whose efforts for the
public good met with such response from the pub
representatives will not be likely again to them,
and finally the whole question Will be into the
courts OF law while the public continue To be dragged
slO WY through the steeets stages and horse
We ask the public to reflect seriously whether upon
every consideration of right and Of fair dealing well
OF interest IL is not the duty Of individual it
to protect i'll the most fOrcDle and efficient pos
sible against wrong fragrant causeless and SO
fatal to the public welfare BY order the Board VI
Directors. OLIVER W. BARNES, President.
..,,Y.