The New York herald., 1879-12-11
RAPID TRANSIT.
PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE COMMISSION FOR
THE ANNEXED DISTRICT

PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE COMMISSION FOR
THE ANNEXED DISTRICT
Mayor Cooper yesterday afternoon received q re-
port from Richard NJ. Hoe. president OF the new
Board Of Rapid Transit Commissioners 1t says, in
substance 1.-THE labors of the Rapid Transit Com
mission having reached point at which review Of
their action may prove useful this Board take the
liberty of laying before you the following
statement of the steps far taken. Having
organized on the l1th of September they invited
suggestions to the best routes for rapid transit
railways in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth
wards. The first thirty days spent in examining.
with skilful engineer appointed for that purpose.
the merits of these suggestions and comparing them
with the route designated by the Commissioners ap-
pointed April 2. 1S79 They passed the 10th of
October resolution declaring that there a
sity in the city and county OF New York for steam
railways in addition to any now existing. The only
project OF Importance was that of an elevated rail
the Harlem River to the village Of Fordham; it
did not meet the approval of the Board, the objec
tions being that such road would damage much
private property without compromising the owners,
and that its cost would be too great Careful con-
sideraton convinced the commission that they
could not avoid coincidence with the route desig-
mated by the old commission; the present Board
have encountered the difficulty which was the rea
for the appointment of this commission. BY
the advise OF counsel resolution passed October
81 designating certain concident routes. Variations
were not advisable the east SIDE route. and but
q slight deviation on the Fordham avenue branch
on the Central route some variations were adopted.
The route designated by the old commission as the
jerome avenue branch was not adopted. and in its
place q route was substituted connecting from the
bridge crossing the Harlem River at the termination
Of Eighth avenue to tho Central route, near Fleet
wood Park, avoiding the tunnel between the Harlem
River and Cromwells Greek. and crossing Jerome
avenue but once.
"a statement was made and fled on November
for the consideration OF the next General Term of
tho Supreme Court on the relation Of the old Board
Us plaintiffs and this commission defendants legal
proceedings having been thus begun all periods
fixed by the Rapid Transit act for the action of both
commissions suspended from that date until the
decision of the Court is rendered. This commits
sion having consumed ffty-seven of the sixty
days allowed by law for the designation Of routes
WILL when the decision is reached. have three days
left. The action of the two commissions in trying
to bring about early decision has given the public
such confidence that the capital stock OF the Subur
ban Rapid Transit Company has been sufficiently
subscribed for to secure its organization. The de-
cision of the Court will enable the other
commission to give franchise of undoubted legal
validity"
The Mayor would not say anything as to his views
upon the conclusions arrived at by these commits
sions until he had time to examine their report care
fully.