The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-06

Proposed Action on the Subject Of Cheap Trands
in the City-Westchester County Unites with
the Metropolis in an Arrangement Of the
Harlem Railroad company-Legisla-
tive Aid To Be Invoked Immedi-
ately-The People Organizing
to Secure Lower Rates
Of Fare to Their
Suburban Homes.

while being deeply interested in the subject OF
"rapid transit" the Inhabitants OF the upper pOr
ton of Manhattan Island as well as those in the
newly annexed portion Of the metropolis, are jusr
now endeavoring to adopt such means will
afford them transportation to and from their
homes at more reasonable rates than at present
exist. In short. cheap transit under the present
facilities for reaching the northern portions OF the
city has become question OF vital Importance to
the thousands living IN the territory indicated.
TO solve this We xed problem a DILL is now being
prepared by q committee OF fifteen gentlemen.
representing the several villages and depots be-
tween the Grand Central Depot and White Plains,
Westminster county. which Is to be presented
to the Legislature at an early day. The first
ton OF the bill in question provides that on and
after It's adoption the Harlem Railroad Company
shall charge but five cents for conveying each pas
senger from the City Hall to the FOrty-seoond
street depot, and from the Grand Central
Depot to Harlem and Mott Haven. six
cents, making the fare from the City Hall
to the Harlem River eleven cents. This could
hardly be regarded as a ruinous reduction In the
rates or passenger fare as the Second and Third
Avenue railroads now charge but six cents for car
rying passengers the same distance. The bill also
provides that the rate OF fare to Melrose shall be
seven cents; to Morrisania eight cents; to Tre-
mont, ten cents; to Fordham, twelve cents, ana 80
on in the same ratio to White Plains, the fare to
which place is fixed in the bill at forty-iour cents.
1t also provides that upon the prepayment of the
respective amounts Of passenger rates to each OF
the stations the railroad company shall
ISSUE COMPUTATION BOOKS,
containing 100 tickets, which shall be gOO1 for
four months instead OF three months as at present.
and at about the same rates OF fare as above
oStain 100 tickets or ST. T residing
or FOrdnam, can purchase the same travelling
ss s for ,ne SO Sns has tss GaTsS
Railroad Company shall not charge any more from
way stations between the Grand Central depot
and Chatham, the terminus OF the road-than the
rates that are now charged on the Hudson River
and New York Central roads; ana also makes It
Der Of local trains between White Plains and New
York as it did in the month OF June, 1873.
ls4s, under the associative principle" with
Nicholas McGraw and others as trustees had
effected purchase err Of 200 . acres OF land
with o mutual agreement among themselves
that building was to be erected upon each acre,
the association, through Mr. McGraw, applied TO
the Harlem Railroad Company Tor facilities where
by they could reach the business portion OF New
suited in an agreement on the part OF the railroad
company with those VINO were about settling on
the tract indicated to convey them 10 and from the
City Hall to their homes in MOrrisanla at the
TEN CENTS FOR EACH PASSENGER,
and to issue Communication tickets which should not
exceed $50 per annum; to Fordnam the rate OF
passenger fare to be fifteen cents, or bv commute
pany 1t Will be recollected, then conveyed passen
gers from Westminster county to the City Hall at
the rates of fare mentioned. Now the charge
from Morrisania to Forty-second street Is dteen
cents. and from that point to the City Hall
cents additional, while the time con-
sumed IN travelling the whole distance IS at
least hall an hour more than when the fare
was ten cents. 1t appears that the company, rely
Ing on It's old charter, granted IN 1885, has acted
on the principle that 1t charges passengers as
much as 1t pleases, while 1t has been con-
stantly asserted by lawyers OF note tnat II the
question was fairly tested IL would be iound tnas
the company has no right TO charge more than Two
cents per mile-the ltmitat lOn fixed on the hudson
further argued that the effect OF the Harlem
Railroad Company charging seventy cents De-
tween the Grand Central Depot and Wnlte fainS.
the county seat OF Westminster, distance OF
TWENTY-FIVE miles, has been TO repress tue Setile-
ment the lower part OF the county, aud to Drive
suburban inhabitants to New Jersey, Connecticue
and Long Island. ,.,s
the question Of cheap transit, which the bill tn-
dicatei Is intended to secure is iraught with
almost Incalcuable interest to the small property
holders IN the annexed district, inasmuch as the
inr and grading OF streets and avenues, the intro
duction OF water, the tunnelling OF the Harlem
RIVER taxes Tor gas and other burdens az yet to
them unknown, Will render 1t absolutely necessary,
to prevent the conscation OF property In that por-
ton OF the city, that cheaper rates OF fare should
be adopted. AT all events the people Of West
chester county seem to be thoroughly aroused ON
the subject, and, In imitation OF the grangers OF
the West, are organizing Tor the purpose OF pro-
tecting their vital interests and compelling the
Harlem Railroad Company TO do them JSstice.