The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-20
THE IL" ROADS.
Conclusion of the Legislative Inquiry
Into Their Management.
COST OF THE STRUCTURES.
SlO,S29, 79O Expended in Constructing and
Equipping the Metropolitan Line.

The subcommittee Of the Legislative Railroad
Committee concluded the inquiry into tho affairs OF
the ~" roads yesterday and adjourned to meet at
the call of the chair il it should be found necessary
to have another session. Mr.. William Foster. Jr..
one OF the directors of the Manhattan Railway Com
pany. testified that when the New York Loan and
Improvement Company took hold of the Gilbert
road Messrs Pullman. Navarro and Garrison agreed
enter into the enterprise with him for that pur-
pose he and Navarro offered the others one-hslf
the stock of Gilbert road; the stock then had
market value; the directors friends of Navarro
and himself three Of them being clerks in Navarro's
office.
THE NEW YORK "L."
Mr.. James A. Cowing. the secretary of tho New
York 81" Railroad. the next witness. He tes-
titled that in March. 1871 he became interested .
trustee in the .west Side Elevated Patented Rail-
road" Judge Fthisn put in evidence the articles of
association, by which David BOWS and twenty-four
others formed a company under the name Of the
sNew York Elevated Railroad Company" the shares
subscribed for amounted to 1.940 at 500 EACH max
ing s194 they acquired the title to the old West
Side and Yonkers Elevated Railway.
Mr.. Cowing testified that at the time he became
interested in the road the property mortgaged
for S750,0O0 the plan of working the road by means
OF revolving cable failure; second mortgage
the first mortgage foreclosed; the property
was sold and witness purchased it as trustee for
the bondholders; Judgment Of $22O.00O OBJ
tanned against the road by David BOWS, John +.
Tracy and William +. Scott. and third mortgage
was made to meet it; the track then extended only
to Thrtyrst street and 1t put in order for use
between April 90 1871, and January O. 1874 the wit
ness ran the road trustee the hrst DAY 237 pas
sengers were carried the road; he did not
think the number of passengers any day ex-
ceeded five hundred; the road at rst paid expenses
after the road extended to Fortysecond street.
in 1875, the first issue of stock made; this
issue $252.O00; afterward. IN December, 1877.
Gsn Of e
stock aud bonds were afterward issued, and the
present liabilities OF the company, the witness said,
was, in stock $6.5OO.OO0. and in bonds $S.5OO.OOO
the traffic the road increased as the facilities
increased. but up to the making Of the eastern
extension 1876, the daily traffic exceeded
$4,000; about thirtyhve miles of double track
constructed the east sides this work was paid for
out of the funds raised by the stock and bonds
issued; the cost. including everything. about
S4ov.OOO per mile the entire cost of the road. he
After the recess Mr.. Cowing presented a statement
of gross earnings and net receipts OF the read
sss and for 1878 only The d Haas
ence. Mr.. Cowing said: WAS owing to the fact that
more interes. was paa m sne former year. put ne
Judge Fithian remarked that this interest account
was important and Mr.. Cowing promised to furnish
AN EXPERTS TESTIMONY.
The next witness Mr.. L. Nathan Sweet. Jr.. .
he said thoroughly familiar with the construction.
cost and expenses of iron bridge building; during
the contracts the 'L roads in this city by direc
ton Of the State Engineer at the request Of
would endeavor to ascertain the actual cost Of
construction. Mr.. Sweet was then examined ut
hs by hs HsM
provement Company. The construction OF the
roads, he said was partly by contract aud partly by
days work; the largest contracts were for the iron
structure all OF which was furnished by contract;
the principal contractors wore the Edgemoor Iron
Company. Clark. Reeves Il Co. aud the keystone
Bridge Company; the basis of the contracts was
by the pound the disbursements under the several
Edgemoor Iron Company. s25O.6s4 Az. $ls5.esO 66
ana sy6.l60 49, to the Keystone Bridge Company.
Reeves CO.. s II 'GS s .nG IL 81
Fifty third street branch. So. 104 rs Ninth ave-
nue.. from Fity-tnird to Fifty-ninth street,.
third street to the Harlem River. . dis
lance of tour miles,; the contracts for sta
contracts covering all the west side line except
three the fourteen stations between Rector and Fir
tyeighth streets coat 900. to which 1000
added Tor alterations and extra work; this 10 cost
something SAL 900 for each station; the
$40 900. and the seven stations above Ninety third
street, of which four are double and three single.
ssoovo Mr. sweet was not ready TO testify at length
he said 1t evident that the work might have been
economically constructed In some parts Of the
line. This opinion based upon mechanical con-
tderaons aud referred especially to the work above
10th street. The witness was examined in regard
and machinery 4J2 and legal expenses $375 272)
but only said that vouchers hal been shown him for
part OF the two former items, and that he knew
nothing of the latter, not being an expert in that
METROPOLITAN EAST SIDE LINE.
Clark, Reeves Co., he testified. had tho contract
for the of the entire side line of
the Metropolitan road; the disbursements to them
have been as fvIlows:-
Wrought iron. $1,096.685 So
Cast iron.. ......................... 12,S30 ~
Painting. ......................... l4004 ~
Foundations. 'slsAa .!
Duiuings.. .......................... lU'oD VI
r ~ ~, :. =; ~ W
line. he continued. was s25i77o. OF which .As6
was for steel rails; the company had purchased
being furnished by the Grant Locomotive Works and
ten by the Dantorth Locomotive Works; the passen-
ger cost s462370 81. Of which twenty wore fur
nished by Barney n smith and the rest by the Pull
Car Company; could not tell the cost OF single
locomotives or cars; the foundation work was done
by Mills Ambrose. tho cost being $4,000. for
supervision the of tools alone; the east side
line lumber account was &c., b6; much of this is
properly chargoablc to the foundation account; be-
$780, 26i is charged to hack furniture, aud there
Is account OF $780, the latter IL held
contracts with CLARK. Reeves 4 Co. not yet paid.
"a PRETTY BROAD ISDonspMxNr."
On his cross-examinaton Mr.. Sweet said that every
facility had been Afforded him by the company for
way of statements was supplied; that in all pay
mcnts the prices paid correspondent with the con-
tracts and that the Foundations complex
and better adapted 70 the purpose than those de-
handed by the requirements Of the Rapid Transit
Commission. Mr.. McCook then endeavored to get
character for the road, but the witness declined,
on the ground that 1t would be "a pretty broad in
dorsenent." lie said, however, that he had
disposition the part OF the company to make i'm
provemonts but he not prepared to say whether
had done the very best for the safety aud
OF the public MIR. McCook asked the witness in
his report to the committee to embody any sugges-