The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-18
RAPID TRANSIT.

RAPID TRANSIT.
ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION YEsTER-
ACCUMULATED OPPOSITION TO THE
USE OF NINETY-sEcoND STREET By THE
ELEVATED RAILROAD.
The Rapid Transit Commission held session yes
terday morning, beginning at eleven o'clock
Mr. Aaron J. vanderpoe submitted aGidavlts from
numerous property holders in favor of the Elevated
Railroad The deponents state that the building Of
elevated railroad would increase instead depressing
the value Of real estate in the region through which it
would pass; further, that it would not endanger the
health OF the residents In the neghborhood.
| Afidavits were presented from a large number of
property owners along the line of Third favor
ing the erection of elevated road the middle Of
the After hearing several arguments in favor
of an elevated road the commission adjourned.
AFTER RECESS.
Mr.. vanderpoel presented a pamphlet from S. B.
Rugges which he discussed the value OF the several
avenues as rapid transit routes
An affidavit from Mr.. D. Lyon was presented, in
which he states that himself and wife own $4,000
worth OF property the line of Third avenue, and
that they are in favor of the building Of elevated
railroad along the line OF the skrting the prop
erty.
Mr.. Crane who represented the interests of the
property along line of Eighth avenue from
Fifty street to 10th street. proposed present
argument against the Of that thoroughfare for
rapid transit purposes He said he and all his clients
regarded elevated road a nuisance, which would
not only damage their property but also the Central
Park He opinion the city authorities had
not the power to give their consent the building of
such road, as by the law of 1867 IL put the power
of granting any privileges on adjoining avenues
into the hands of the Park Commissioner In
support Of this stand he read as follows
nrSt % N Parks
The report In speaking OF the laws passed in their
gard IN 1867, proceeds as follows:-"Furher 1t
declared that all such public squares and places which
should be laid out retained by said Commissioners
aforesaid, should Immediately after the
opened, be and remain under the control aud manage
ment OF the Central Park to the regulating grading,
paving sewering and otherwise improving and
tanning the same, and all parts of any public street.
avenue, road or pubic square and place within dis
tance Of $50 feet from the boundaries OF the
Central Park, which place and all others laid out
aforesaid should at all times afer the opening OF the
be subjected 10 such rules and regulations
spec 10 the thereof and erectons projections
thereon the Board OF Commissioners the Central
Park might make therefor" On the strength Of this
power vested in the Commissioners he held il be i'm
possible Tor the road to be built without the con
sent of the Park Commission In speaking OF
the disadvantages which would be brought the prop
erty owners, he explained that most of the property
owners on Eighth avenue had bought the property
with the understanding that 1t would used select
residences This intention Of theirs would fail of full
hlment II this road allowed to be The
property now choice and valuable would IN the event
of the construction OF elevated road be reduced in
value and DC degraded TO commercial These
people who hold property there took il with know
edge the laws Of 1861 and with the understanding
would be reserved for the uses Tor which they had
purchased and that II would not be dedicated TO the
use OF private corporation which would degrade ITS
worth Mr.. Crane stated land he exhibited the Stats
tics which the was predicatedl the
taxable properly would deterorate 5000 600 along the
line OF the proposed elevated road
SMITH DKPRRCArEs THE ELEVATED PLAN
Mr.. Melville c. Smith next claimed the attention Of
the commission, and stated that he mad heard with
much interest the remarks that had been made in
| faxrA eha tod
that he would be able to eradicate OF the inn
pressious they had received through the OF
the Elevated Railroad men. Here he INDUCED In a
long and somewhat technical analysis OF the stability
OF iron structures as used bridges arcade ways
He stated that the commission preceding tho present
had been led to determine upon the elevated plan
by the displacement oil little word--a conjunction.
In place of the distinctive CONJUNCTION or, the
junctive conjunction .andn had been inserted in the
text Of the law and read that the road should pass
along, through and over, instead OF 'or overv He
spoke great length favor OF depressed road and
stated that under the most favorable circumstances
the present elevated system developed in Green
wch street. would be inadequate to supply the need Of
rapid transit This was even now the case and with
hope for development OF the upper end Of island
and the consequent increase OF population 1t would
mere bagatele and burlesque the pressing
Of the people He gave his that depressed road
could be built at an expense equivalent that Of
arcade road
MORE AYP1pAvIrs
Judge Davis here presented afldavts from Cyrus
Clark, a large real estate owner on Fifth Sixth
and Seventh avenues and Broadway and be dcposed
in the paper presented that he would have objec
ton TO the erection OF elevated any Of the
above streets, barring Fifth avenue
Denton Pearsall, property owner In the Bowery,
presented an aihdavit IN effect the that Mr.
Clark.
MORN OPPOSITION
MI Jelline appeared for the Hartshorne estate a
large part Of which borders Ninety second street.
the proposed route OF the Elevated Railroad extension
lie violently opposed the construction Of the road and
said Il would not only njure his clients estate but
prejudice the vital interests Of the people large
inasmuch as Il would Interfere with and probably de-
range the whole Croton interest In SUPPORT Of
this last assertion he presented afidavis from Com
missioner Campbell Of the Board Of Public Works
Mr. 0. b. Potter, large real estate owner on the
line and IN the immediate vicinity OF the proposed
route, said he bought his properly with the under
standing that IL was within the reach and under the
operation Of the law Of 1867 quoted by Mr. Crane
During the last twenty years he said ms property had
been assessed several times for the alteration OF the
Eighth avenue grades, in order that they might con
form TO the topography Of the Park The only reason
he saw why Ninety second should be chosen as
way Tor the road was that beyond that point
Eighth avenue the grade an easy one He had no
douot that IN the selection OF Eighth avenue, above
Niney-second street. the railroad company believed IL
would be able TO utilize an Improvement for which he
and ms neighOors had been thousands OF dol
I lars.
several other ahdavits were presented to the com
/ mission ana placed on lie