New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-26
NO NORB ELETATED ROADS.

Mayor Cooper says the right thing at the
right time in his brief message to the Board
of Aldermen transmitting the report of the
Rapid Transit Commissioners. A number of
citizens petitiOned the Commissioners to lay
out routes for the extension of the elevated
roads north of Harlem River. This was per
fcctly proper and in accordance with the
general scheme of rapid transit under which
the existing roads were chartered. But the
Commissioners, after complying with the re-
quest of the petitioners, went beyond their
province and mapped out new route through
the heart OF the city, asked for by nobody
except the men who want to build it for their
own proht. This route, the Mayor justly re-
marks. would constitute a most valuable
" franchise which would be given away with
out any compensation to the city, and with
q" out provision for payment for damages to
private property"
I'm view Of Mr. Vanderbit's project to seize
upon Fourth-ave and the streets between Its
| southern end and the City Hall, it is time to
inform enterpTising capitalists VINO want to
make money out of new elevated lines, that
they are mistaking the motive which led to
the granting of the old charters. Those char
| ters were given upon the broad ground OF
public policy. Tens of thousands of good
citizens had left the metropolis and sought
homes in neighbOring towns and cities be-
cause of the lack of facilities for getting to
| and from the upper parts of the island with
! sneed and comfort They had taken with
| them millions of dollars which would have
been invested in the city and come upon its
tax duplicates, had such facilities existed. 1t
hut II he
checked if tie future of New-York were TO be
made worthy of its past. Hence the ele-
waited roads were chartered, in disregard OF
private rights, on the principle that the good
of the whole community is paramount TO that
Of individuals.
But now the end had in view in granting
these franchises is attained. Three quick
transit roads with fourth now in progress
traverse the densely settled section of
the city below Central Park. and are
extended in two lines, one on each side of the
mark, TO the Harlem River. a further extern
! sion of the same lines will enable the lnhab-
| itants OF the suburban territory recently ac-
ouired from Westchester County to partici-
pate in their advantages. Here the whole
! business of giving away the streets to cor
porations and damaging private property
| ought to stop short. No one eau say that the
public good demands any more lines, nor
that any considerable number of persons are
Inconvenience by the want of such lines.
! The number of inhabitants of Manhattan
Island whose homes OF places OF business are
now distant more than ten minutes walk
| from an elevated railroad station is compare
lively small. A few thousand people would
find il more convenient to ride Oh Fourth
| Avenue Line than on the Third or Sixth
| Avenue Roads, but this fact furnishes no
! reason why a franchise worth many
millions should be given away, and private
| property damaged to the extent of many mil
lions more, in order that a few capitalists
NAV construct such line. Nor Is the argu-
| ment urged in favor of Mr.. VanderbilFs pro-
iect. that the Central Railroad has lost local
travel since tho elevated roads were com
pleted, of any more weight. Old enterprises