New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-01
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM II. VANDERBILT.


So much having appeared of late in the
public press with respect TO what popularity known as
the "Vanderbilt Rapid Transit" bill. TRIBUNE re-
porter applied Ito Wm H. Vanderbilt for his statement
concerning the project.
MI Vanderbilt deprecated the tone OF the in its
treatment Of the question: and said that Cornelius Van
derbt had reached that point in life when it behooved
him 20 consider carefully the enterprises into which he
entered and that position in life when would scarcely
nav him TO break faith or refuse to keep his word in
ANYTHING he had undertaken. Mr. Vanderbilt strongly
deprecated the continual introduction OF Commodore
yanderblts name into every newspaper article
which written in relation to the qucs-
ton. This was Commodore Vanderbilts enter
prise but that OF the Harlem Railroad Company. The
first bill was in favor of Commodore Vanderbilt and
associates and would have been carried through had 1t
not been discovered in the and estimates that up
TO point which they reached, the road woud nave
cost more than double the amount nrst estl-
mated, and then, as the estimates were ihcom-
plete, it was not known how much more II would
cost Added this when they got to the Five Points
IL was discovered that they were below high-water
mark These together with other objections, compelled
the abandonment OF that bill. The present bill is In
favor OF the Harlem Railroad Company and supersedes
the other With respect 20 this road every pledge made
in relation to IL was intended to be fulfilled This was
no light matter had be entered upon cautiously
II was mistake to assert that the Harlem Railroad
enterprises for rapid transit The Thrdave Railroad
bill WAS ust the same and with respect 20 its passage
the Harlem Company had only stipulated that the road
sbould not ran over the Harlem tracks. and il was
agreed that the Thrd-ave should take the right hand
side of the Bowery and the Harlem the left.
the Harlem Company, indeed OF the other com
NAMES were not contemplating this road out o philan
thropc motives They had reduced the matter to sim
ple business. The Harlem Company thought that the
public required this road; that II it was built 1t could
lie made TO pay fairly; that if not built then prop
ertv might be hurt by other road being QUILT ana
they had the conclusion that they coud out
as well il not better than any one else certainly II the
Harlem Railroad could not afford To build this road be-
low Fortysecondst, IL would bankrupt any one else 10
atempt II above that point Much had been said OF the
paucty forfeiture, 100000 Upon this point the
public mind required TO he enlightened Tnere was an
erty the Harlem Company Such not the case now
.eyer that portion OF the ht Hse1r, hr9 nof
affected BY IT, The forfeiture falls on the city branch OF
the Harlem Company The rest has been practically
amalgamated with the Central. 10 tnls GUY nrancn
500 600 much TO II as sCVO 10 tne IDlrdaVe or
$jOOOeOO the NewYork Central With respect to the
manner which the bill went through the railroad
Committee of Legislature, whatever NAV have been
said of other bills, TINS was perfectly clear
IN every nesPe in me MATER and NO money ad been
maid 10 secure its passage. In conclusion Mr. Wander
Bit said that we'll knew from the position which they
occuued that they submit 10 criticism. lie hoped
however that they would be judged by the results OF
their work, which must be the criterion OF opinion
for the future When they TOOK noa Oh on sae
ton Its credit had been entirely Dulit up,
ne cars had added steel rails laid and It's general
condition brought up 20 the REQUIREMENTS VI the times
They mad accomplished something with the New.
York and New-Haven, the Hudson, the New-iotK cen
trail and other enterprises. They must DE ndged py
the result They could only point 70 the record Their
romises for the must be judged by the eXeeu
ton and fulfllment of those Of the past