The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-25
RAPID TRANSIT.
The Difficulties Caused by Many
Conflicting Bills.
Ex-ASSEMBLYMAN CRARYS BILL

duced the preparation OF several bills intended TO
secure that longed-for and requisite boom Some
OF these have been presented to the Legislature,
and there are still others now preparing. These
bills have been prepared by an individual by CO.
teries, and not one OF them has been referred to
a popular association tor approval. Those tnas
are before the Legislature, or ready to be pre-.
senLed to that body, embody only part OF the de-
tails that they should embrace, and they all con.
nict. No attempt has been made to
harmOnize them, rather to compare them
80 that their best features could be culled and
framed into single bill, In whose support all
persons who desire rapid transit could unite. The
consequence the inevitable consequence, unlesa
q remedy for the defects mentioned is procured,
IL that there viii be such division IN the LeRsla
ture, caused by the various propositions, that nc
bill will be passed this session, anu rapid transit
Will be only project for many more months. The
only remedy is, first, to learn how rapid transit
can be procured by constitutional means, and;
second, to unite the people in active support OF
bill expressing such means. Some OF the legsla-
tors appear to be acting tatu0usly, and
some private individuals are initiating
them. ALI these persons declare that they
want rapid transit even while they urge
plans, every one OF which II sanctioned
by the Legislature will excite litigation, and re-
motely defer the achievement OF rapid travelling
construction OF railway by the city, although
there Is q number OF wealthy people, property
owners who are determined to resist the con-
struction OF the railway ~ the city, and who will
60 lar as the Court of Appeals to learn what are
proper "city purposes" While such an inquiry
was continuing no work could be done on the pro.
posed railway by the city's employees.
Leaving the matters referred to above, q REFER
ence will be made to the bill which is now being
prepared by Mr.. Charles Crazy, President OF toe
East Side Association. In framing 1t Mr.. Crary ID
assisted by Mr.. Wheeler II. Peckham. That is Mr.
Crazy says that Mr.. Peckh I'm AIDS him, and the
latter gentleman assents to the assertion. Still
there is something about Mr.. Peckham's msnner
that causes the writer to believe that the great
reiormsrn VIII pever put upon p paper all that
DEED A9 ABOUT S"y,hin! ese II n ns DID
some other peop:e would be as wise as
orlendast as sary The BIZ Which is in Mr
Ciary's hands Tor revlsal Is meant for the amend.
ment OF the General Railroad act. Among ts pro-
visions are those whose substance Is given below.
After a number OF sections which are intended
to amend the Railroad act in It's general cnarac-
ter, there comes section winch provides that the
Boards Of Street Opening and Improvement or
other boards having the power Of opening ana nc,
indicate and lay out routes tor railways
through such cities, aud snail specify the charac-
waited, underground or depressed. me routes
thus indicated are not TO be exclusively those
which are needed at present; out the authorities
must lay out such routes as will PROBABLY be
needed Tor railway travel in the future, as The
cities grow. AS soon as The routes are lad out
private corporations may occupy them immedt
ately, but each shall give guarantee bond. TO De
depOslted with the principal financial ofncer O
the city, to insure that 1t Will carry Oh tine WORK
OF constructing q railway 10 accordance with tnl
stipuations the act under which they organ zed.
snail begin work upon its railway within thirty
DAYS alter 1t has obtained It's right OF way. aud
others are that the CORPORATION snall build tne nrss
mi n a a N ne
sruct the remainder or 1t at tine rate OF TWO miea
. year until the structure Is finished.
When two or more Corporations compete lor one
route the Comptroller OF the city or IKE ofncer
shall put up Tor sale a, auction the privilege Of
which bids highest and is most responsible the
only revenue to tue city VIII oe procured through
charging any corporation lor the privilege OF its
route. when such privilege Is not competed ZOE
anpIner me y maans ot WHEN the
city may be reimbursed Tor expenditures IN nav.
ing surveys Tor routes made and IN preparing
ment OF property values and Of revenues IRON
taxation wlli sufficiently repay the city for its ex.
penditures, and that the railway corporation
should not be burdened with taxes
Another section OF the bill des that as
there are IN existence o numoer OF charters ioI
rapid transit they shall all become invalid; Dut, II
any OF them are not forfeited by nOn-uSer. tue
organizing under the bill WITHIN thirty days alter
It's passale, be permitted to occupy the routes
whicn are designated by their charters; and y
such routes have beeD laid out by the Board Of
Street Opening or ike authority such reorgun lzed
companies snail have The rignt TO them against
companies must. however. do their work accord.
ing TO The stlpulatiOns OF the oil.
The DIll Is not completed, because the matter OF
1ares Is yet under discussion. THIS is undoubtedly
one Of the most important OF the details taat Will
sne ya1e q the Are Is made 70 hs ne
transit railway will not be avalaDe to the poor,
and 1t Is Tor the poor that sucn railway should
be built. Indeed, unless 1t can draw their patron.
ake, IL must De q failure. No long discussion Is
needed to prove this. 1t is evident that there are
not enough people IN the upper pat Of the city
VINO can AFFORD to pay as nigh as thirtv.six
cents day for traveiiln2 to support rapid
fare Tor passage q steam railway from the Bat
terry to Forty-second street shall be ten cents,
and that TWO cents snail be charged for ach adai-
tional mile. Estimating the distance from Forty.
second street to the Harlem River at tour miles
It Is really almost SIX mlles-the char-e tor
passage from the Battery to the aforesaid river
would be eighteen cents. No poor man. or even
moderately well-ro-do could AFFORD to i've III Har.
steam railway. The fare on that railway would
represent to him 81 10 per week VI s'x
sum added to the hire Of MS apartments or house
IN Harlem would procure him very comfortable
apartments toward the lower part OF the city,
whence he could comfortably walk to his business
place. Mr.. Crary is, however. not welded to tEe
above estimate OF fare, aud is engaged IN study TO
deteI mine the rate that poor men could pay and
the Runway company or companies accept. There
Is at present in the bill provision that
OF fare 10 workngnen turing certain hours o. the
morning and evening, and snail provide special
cars tor the use OF persons VINO take advantage 01
sucn reduction This was meant as sort OF
seton the Otherwise high rate OF fare. This
provision will undoubtedly be stricken out OF the
bill when the rate OF are Is again settled upon,
Tor the reason That 1t Is repugnant
to the feelings OF great many people
and because special cars meant for and used by
not Over-clean people are not proper vehicles ioI
sober, cleanly, but poor men TO ride IN.
the Special Rapid Transit Committee OF the
Aldermen " III make their report TO the Board 20.
day. IL VIII be quite lengthy document, ana
Thoroughly discusses the advantages ana dlsads
vantages Of the city ITSELF building road.