New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-26
DISCUSSION ON RAPID TRANSIT.

Il LETTER TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
VIEWS OF A COMMISSIONER.
The Rapid Transit Commissioners held
long and exciting session yesterday The representatives
f several rapid transit roads before them j. b.
J. NJ Cornell aud their engineer. Mr. smithers. made
long arguments They offered, II the Commission re-
Qured IT, to change their route at Astorpacc and in
stead Of going up Lexingtonaye.. as originally pro
posed to cross through stuyvesantplacc to
Thirdave. and run up that avenue to Harlem
The lower end their route 10 through Lafayette
place and Marion ST., and Intervening blocks to the CITY
Hall.
Representatives Of the Gilbert ana the NewYork Ee
waited Roads were also before the Commissioners dis
eussing their routes In They, with the COM
mssoners gathered table with maps of the city
spread out before them, and talked over Their plans
great deal OF discussion ensued, the Conmis'
soners not agreeing with of the roads
The representatives OF the New-York Elevated ROAD
strongly urged their right under section SO of the law TO
build a road along the east side OF the city,
~ far A. Harlem with roads to The Grand Central
depot and 10 any Of the ferries No decision was reached
aud the discussion of the route will be resumed to-day
Mr. Mott said Yesterday when asked what the Commits
sioners doing, that there was eome disagreement
Mr. Delamater said that the route caused ali the difficulty
now additional plans were sent III yesterday one
byJ E. serrel. is considered doubtful whether Sir
Edward Watkins Will offer TO construct rapid transit
road lie was believed to be in favor of the Morris open
cut plan when asked about by the Commissioners
replied that he bad never seen II.
The Aldermen have received, individually, copies of
communication from Isaac A. Conkn of No $40 Green
w,cst severely eritcsing the Rapid Transit Commits
sonors BoardOf Aldermen To grant them the
Diyoce OF naming the for the proposed rapid tran
sit railroad being subject revision or alteration
by the Board that the ttuents OF the Alder
men look 10 them 10 give citizens suitable opportun!
70 hear and heard TO the merits OF the routes ana
paps for railroads the streets of this city, The State
claims amended at the last election
proyides that no railroad hereafter he built
IN the streets of this city unless the consent
of the Board OF Aldermen Is first Obtained
For the Aldermen do otherwise than give full nves-
tigation would be TO ignore their official duties ana
Prove recreant their trusts IN behalf OF the people
The proposton Of the Rapid Transit Commissioners
would dsbar Board OF Aldermen from any power TO
sperysc or correct the proceedings to afford their
constituents any opportunity to learn or mpart any i'll
formation IS TO the plans II is alleged that
majority of the Rapid Transit Commissioners were or
are Directors and Managers Of the New-York City Cen
trial Underground Railroad Company; Comm sa0ner
Brow IL alleged to have been fellow drecio WIN WIZ
Ham NJ Tweed Commissioner Seigman i is stated wasa
director in tnis enterprise and also in the viad'ct rail
roai scheme Commissioner Canda acco-cing to the re-
ort made 10 the In 1874 then Treas
urer II the Central Underground Railroad company.
The Aderen are asked to adopt some , I ts al ahsrd
Illegal. and outrageous proposition demands.
81 s s. R Of TmS TFnr the reason
fhe Commission with closed doors because tney
obtain the views OF each other regarding tiem and the
beat route for the proposed road: IL was a
work of much perplexity, and 1t was Only
natural that the Commissioners should wish 10 OBTAIN
freely without having minor differences when es-
harmonic, spread before the
iubc IL certain that there would be objections to
any route which might he proposed by many OF the
ropprty owners residents along the route That was
the principal reason why the BOARD of Aldermen were
asked to confer the Commissioners the power 70 iX
on a route Either this would have 10 be dope, III all
probability, else the Commissioners would have TO
slect one the routes for which charters had been
Granted by past Legislatures The Gilbert Elevated Road
Was one Of these Those who had the charter pro-
fesssd able TO raise all the capal necesary-aDout
SJOOOpO per mieo build aud equip TIE road, ana they
agreed 10 complete the road 10 FOrty-secondSt within
ten months after beginning work roHt: was selected
OF ali the plans presented the Commissioner further
stated only four possibly hve which were
deemed practicable and these were obiccti0nabe ia
some rsveels comprised the GreeW ch lie ed
Railroad winch combined strength with economy In cost
OF construction AIRED with many OF the others
Yut objection made IL that the posts Obs1ctcd
the sidewalks, and the trains running along close 10 the
second story windows of dwellings were exceedingly
annoying to the residents, especially the SICK,
and tie stores the nrst DOor were
arcning the Objectionable In far as the struo
tre was and the which the structure
rreteG from the sdewak and planted on either
street avenue took up certain amount OI
bridgcd at the streets, asO Objectionable be-
cause OF the amount OF roadway which would be TAKEN
mo and OF heavy snowfall the railroad would bc
liable to obstruction. Yet these among tue most
fe,siDe plans presented TIC Commas The time
Tor deciding on plans ana expired on Sept Il. On
or that time he thought Inc CommssiOhers wouu
be ready 10 report