The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-09

The Vanderbilt Tunnel Railroad BIZ
at A:bany-The Last Chance for Rapid
Transit.
The Executive veto in the case of the Pneu-
matte Railroad bill was based mainly upon the
ground that it interfered with the route
granted by charter to the Central Underground
Railroad Company. As the Vanderbilt Tunnel
Railway bill was open to the same objection
its friends in the Assembly have changed the
first proposed route, so as to take it along a
line not covered by the charter Of the Central
Underground and have pushed it through the
House by vote of 90 to 20. It will, no doubt,
pass the Senate at the same high pressure
speed, the main profits of its supporters, we
understand, depending upon its final success
If the Legislature had displayed an equal energy
and directness of purpose in favor of a bill to
authorize the construction of two viaduct rail
ways along the North and East rivers by the
city, We should have already had o sufficient
scheme of rapid transit to meet the require
ments of the population fairly under way.
| As this has not been done it is well to inquire
whether there is any prospect during the few
days of the Legislative session that yet remain
to secure such rapid transit as the people ex-
pect and desire.
Commodore Vanderbilt is a thorough rail-
road man, and can command any amount of
capital he may desire to carry out well-con-
sidered and promising project. If the city is
not to build railways for the people the work
cannot be entrusted to better hands than
those of Commodore Vanderbilt. Only the
people will demand from him the substance
and not the mere shadow of rapid transit The
present bill authorizes the construction of tun-
mel road from the City Hall Park to Fifty-ninth
street along the route of the Fourth avenue,
and a branch across town to the Hudson River
Railroad. It is, therefore, nothing more than
an extension of the through railroads owned
by Commodore Vanderbilt, and is not road
for the use and benefit Of residents of New
York 1t will serve to distribute the passen-
gers coming from the West on either
of the Vanderbilt lines, and will be
valuable as feeder to the freight
trains of those roads; but it will
not meet in any degree worth considera-
ton the demand for rapid city transportation.
The fare authorized to be collected is ten
cents, and if any trains should be run on the
Harlem road or the Hudson River road in
connection with the tunnel line, for the accom-
mediation of local ira vel, an extra amount
would be collected for any distance above
Fifty ninth street. This would put the road
entirely out of the reach Of the laboring
classes, whose interests should be studied
above all others in any bona .fde scheme Of
rapid transit. What the people really require
is railroads for steam cars, running to Harlem
Bridge on one side of the city, and to Kings
bridge on the other, at a rate of fare certainly
not exceeding six cents for the entire dis
lance. Such roads would pay handsome
profit either to the city or to any private
corporation that might undertake their con-
struction.
There is no objection to the building Of city
railroads by Commodore Vanderbilt, who is a
practical and responsible railroad man but if
he undertakes the work at all let him give us
such railroad system as the people expect
and desire. Let the bill now before the
Senate be amended and enlarged so as to give
the incorporation the right to construct two
great viaduct roads along the east and west
sides of the city, from the Battery to West
chester county, as well as his through railroad
extension freight line from the City Hall Park
to Fifty-ninth street. We have already shown
by calculations made by experienced and COM
petent parties that such roads would pay
handsome profit, and Commodore Vanderbilt
could command the capital to build them with
out delay. We have objected to the private
incorporation bills that have been before the
Legislature mainly on the ground that the
parties seeking to secure the franchises were
simply adventures who were bent on making
money out of the charters and did not intend
to carry out the work. But this is not the case
with Vanderbilt. He can raise the capital
to build the roads, and would, no doubt
do SO if he should be satisfied that they would
be paying investments. We object to the pas
sage of the present tunnel bill under the false
pretence that it will supply rapid transit to the
people of New York. 1t will do nothing of the
kind. 1t is simply an extension Of the VAN
derbilt through lines, and is nothing more nor
less than job out of which the hungry legis-
lators are hoping to make enough to cover their
expenses at Albany. At the same time we are
quite willing that Commodore Vanderbilt
should be granted franchise for q real city
railroad, and we should be glad to hear that he
had resolved to carry out the HERALD .propo-
sition and to construct two viaduct railways
one on the North River line and one on the
East River line, from the Battery to Spuyten
| Duyvil Creek We hope the Senate will amend
the Assembly bill in the manner we have sug-
gested. 1t is the only hope now left of secur-
ing rapid transit this year for the accommoda-
/ ton OF the residents OF the city.