New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-19
RAPID TRANSIT MOVEMENTS.
PLANS IN TWO CITIES.


the Board of Aldermen, the Rapid Tran
eit Commissioners yesterday submitted an out
line of the results of their action rela-
tive to the construction of the proposed
railroads, and the formation of the companies
intended to construct and operate them. The Com
missioners defend their action IN laying out the
routes previously recommended by them ana es-
pecally that along Fourth-sve. to the City Hail.
The detailed report in regard to the building OF the
roads and the organization of the companies had
not been completed yesterday. The report OF the
Commission appointed BY the Supreme Court to lay
out routes for rapid transit roads in Brooklyn has
been confirmed
THE NETWORK COMMISSIONS DEFENCE.
WHY TIE FOURTH AVENUE ROAD WAS THOUGHT
pEsIRABLE-rHE COMPANIES TO BE AUTHORIZED
AND THE CONNECTIONS TO DE MADE.
The report of the Ncw-York Commissioners con-
templates the formation of the following COM
panies
7 The Suburban Rapid Transit Company, for the
construction and operation of routes designated as
the Central Route the East Side Route, the Jerome
Avenue Branch the Fordham Avenue Branch the
Westchester Branch and the route for the crossing
of the Harlem River.
IL The West Side and Yonkers Railway Com-
many for the construction and operation OF the
route designated as the Harlem River, Kingsbrlige
and Riyerdale ROnte.
III. The Hunts Point Branch Railway Company
for the construction and operation OF the route
designated as the Hunts Point Route
". The Park Avenue and City Hall Railway
Comnanv. for the construction and operation of the
routes designated by the resolution of June ii.
II also contemplatcs the connection OF the New
York Elevated Railroad with the Metropolitan
Elevated Railway through Fifty-ninth-st. ana
Non Xnvl
Railroad with the Spuyten Duyvl and Port Morris
Railroad. the New-York City and Northern Rail
road. and the Harlem River and Portchester Rail-
road.
In deciding upon the plans for the construction OF
These lines and the formation of these companies
the commissioners in this letter declare:
We were strongly inclined had 1t been in our power
to impose ~ condition OF the N9Shg ol ot tr
some provision for the payment INTO the CIV treasury
nf suitable compensation. As 10 the routes ABOVE tue
Harlem River none OF the existing elevated railway
companies evincd any such interest," IN nos"
10 satisfy us that they would cooperate IN the conSuc
lion or operation Of them. ether upon the routes or
Sitbin the time prescribed low us or upon any other
tcutes within anv other TINE Which We w De
Gated railroads We are satisfied that the routes To-
Gated norta OF tho Harlem River would n9t DC an.e ON
ibcr own merits secure The requisite capital Tor ther
construction II loaded with sucn burden. AS
IL the Forty-secoudst route, which Is unqueStonaDy
valuable franchise. our Judgment is that provision Tor
.omnusatO, TO the CITY treasury an act OF leClsG-
non which is bayond our jurisdiction, ana IL the power
is NOT sncnt by the omission Of the Legislature to ex-
mess in TIE tw Of SO, ouly be exercised by
The local authorities when the company TO be formed
bv ms mas become corporation. aud asks the consent
OF the local authorities to the Of taat portion OF inc
streets upon which u Is proposed 10 construct ana
operate such raiw the question NAV properly arse
whether such company will and can make valid s,ipu-
consideration for such consent. We did not hx that
route without the advice OF eSnhsei as 10 our 9u
While IL is quite probable from tue phaSgooy OF te
application the fifty hOusehoders that the promoters
of that application had In view only the extension q" tue
New-York Elevated Railroad routes in connections
gcr0ss toe Harlem River, ana new t - 81 ce uC
that we were not appointed with any SucH
limited view. Not only the commission OF
be Mayor, under which we act does not susSesi any
such limitations. but, the contrary. II rtctes ihatI
appears that there is need in the CITY and County OF
New-YOrk OF a steam railway or railways ana there
tTT.uapce of the provisions of said act" Moreover
he Act of 1873 contains no such Ilml t2tiOn mus
both the law aud commission cOnCU:rCd IN charG
Ing US with duty in respect 10 the entire ety or
rapid trdDsit from one END OF the Guy TO the OlleI
ana a. unable TO secure any assurance NAT
the existing rapid transit roads ON Manhattan Island
would promptly extend their lines over the proposed
secure needed result by locating the route from
FJrty-second-st. to the City Hall ana by IMPOSING
such conditions and requirements as mace It's con-
ftuction dependent upon the ability Of the company
Win te railroad now in operation on the sunkcu track
from Forty-secOnd-st the Harlem River ana the cX
Womb sCcnre lie running OF rapid transit trains over
.he entire connected line at an early day
A CoMPLETE RAPID TRANSIT system.
II the routes located by are all constructed, the
the great need Of the present in order to continue
In the future the growth OF the past In the light of
personal experience OF the growth OF Ncw-Nork IN the
past and our faith its future If the indispensable
requisites to such progress fulfilled, we have felt
our duty to indicate routes in the new wards and
such connections and routes south OF the the Harlem
River as would accommodate the people under weie
fined and complete system In our lack OF authority to
provide FOR compensation TO the city treasury octy,
W. We endeayOred secure adequate public benefit by
low OF fares and frequency OF trans wnch would
retain and Increase the udtura! growth Of the pOpua
tion, and thereby enhance Tue N"!ue 81 potei ~ uu
thus increase the revenue IRON taxation ana III thal
the francbIses conferred through our acton We found
complete system OF rapid transit Tor the entire city
rnpcr psrt Of tie city watch we endcayorcd do
b The conditions which alone we nave utAorzed
way between Forty-sec0nd-st, and the Ciy Hal. II
those three and halt miles are constructed uuder
such conditions uineteen and thrccquarer- miles Of
EXISTING railway from FprtysecCndt 70 the north city
Iroigat into nc rapid ralst plan OF ,qucn, trains
ana stations ana low fares The Lew routes autAOzed
IN the TwentythId ana Twen5yiourih Wards "he all
completed. will add thirty and a half miles
COMPETITION DESIRABLE.
TIE public interest demands healthy competition
al essential part rapid transit SYSTEM and when
e found that during onr term OF service cOnsolda-
ton OF the existing lines had boen effected which
quite possibly the OF the Indifference Of the exist
Ing companies construction Of the routes north Of
Tie Harlem River located by us, such consolidation
seemed 10 additional reason why the public would
be benefited by the construction Of the new rapid
transit line from the City Hall to the north line OF the
ety. for which we have sought 20 provide. The i'm
provemcnt Of the Harlem River by the National Gov
eruucu make the upper portion Of tho city teen
with industries and factories, winch Wal greatly enlarge
the population and increase the travel
II is proper TO say that OF the thity and one-half
miles Of railroads which We have located ~ the
Wards less Than mile j. tde Of the portions where
re S4ae run along aud through the public streets
without taking consideration the stIectcrOssinCs
The remaining twcuty-nir au1 Oue-lal: miles and ul
ward run through private property, for which the
ucs mast pay The ;U value OF all the property taken
Tor The purposes tie railway. We are rot inscHsb.e