The New York herald., 1879-07-12
Was the Proposed 81" Road To Be
Used as a Freight Line?
THE FIVE CENT FARE QUESTION.
What the Mayors Commissioners Once Thought
COntraSted with Their Present Opinion.
WESTCHESTER'S GRIEVANCES.


street the recent agitation in rapid transit mat
ters and the chances of development in the manage
ment of the roads under the monopoly. That there
is such monopoly is of course. patent to the pub
lie, and has been the lease to the Manhattan
Company made public. That it is controlled
entirely by a small clique his been made SO appar-
ent by the HERALD during the last three days that
there longer any doubters- The utmost de-
nial that has been attempted by any is the
statement that attempt to oust Mr.. Field has been
made The denial carries little weight since all who
versed in the ways of stock companies know that
majority may at any time without special effort
assume control, and that when Mr.. Fields presence
in the Board of Directors becomes obnoxious to the
other directors. it it should he be quietly
dropped at the next election. since the clique con-
trolls ever one-haf Of the stock.
The five cent fare talk has ceased entirely. IT
from the first pronounced by the HERALD to be a
baseless story and although the runor started
again and again now be found to believe
it, and the very ones who started it yesterday
acknowledged that it was without foundation 1t only
seems strange that any one could have been found
to believe that capitalists who hold monopoly Of
80 great business that of rapid transit would
consider for moment, excepting under compulsion,
the reduction of their prces-the accommodation Of
the public at the risk of their profits.
The Rapid Transit Commissioners were in session
all day finishing up their work. The law compelled
them to reach agreement yesterday, and late in
the afternoon they had concladed their labors.
They refused. however. to give any information
until such time they had their report in proper
shape. A.. taNts4.~
A FREIGHT OR PASSENGER ROAD.
In regard to the whole subject of rapid
transit in this city. developed in the re-
port of the Commissioners, there is one
yery important matter that appears to have
ad Or n N
ton to the to which the company organized to
operate the proposed railways will put its franchise
and power. viii the road from FOrtysecond street,
or more correctly speaking from the Grand
Central Depot. to the City Hall be passenger
for the purpose of carrying freight and thus supply
ing the long cherished hopes of certain railroad
masnatess gentleman, ma,da VINO G claims to know
porter. while talking on this subject, ITO my mind
there is only possibility but even very great
probability of the managers OF the new road whoever
they may be- setting up road on stills for the pur
pose of carrying freight"
"Can they do so under the law?" asked the re-
.They can." was the reply. "By the provisions
the Rapid Transit act It is claimed that any kind
of a road Tor freight or passengers may be built,
once the franchise is given to operate the road"
'.But what makes you think freight road might
be constructed?"
81 will tell you in the frst place; you will find by
looking at the application to the Commissioners of
Rapid Transit to lay out new route below the Har-
lem River that 1t is signed by Augustus Schel. who.
of represents Mr.. Vanderbilt and Mr. Jewett,
of the Erie Road. Now. when two such
you may be sure that the roads owned by
both OF them are each going to gain some
thing. But what would the Erie road gain
by having another passenger elevated road? Where
would her interests be any the more protected or
secured by another passenger road than they are by
the existing ones? But If the road used
for freight purposes the affair would be entirely
different. Already the New York Central and Erie
roads have control of what is called the Belt line
that is the line of horse that go around that
part of the city below Fifty-ninth street. With
these facilities ana the additional ones that
the Erie and the Central would derive great benefits
or understanding AZ to quantities of
freight would have to be arrived at between the two
great railroad magnates, but that could easily be
adjusted. At all events there Is doubt in my
mind that they mean to try the experiment. II it
should fail nothing would be lost, and IL it sue
ceeded, why both parties would benefit by the mat
ter"
"Could not the proposed road be made the medium
of carrying the United States mailsY'
ut could. and believe in time that it will be made
build there very little doubt that he will construct
depot in proximity to the Post Office and take all
the mail bags. OF this would be good for the
Post Office Department, but might not be for other
THE COMMISSIONERS CHANGE OF FRONT
Since the rejection OF the report of the Commits
sioners by the Board of Aldermen nearly every one
of them has said that that body had no power in the
matter and also that the Mayor devoid of
all authority the subject In striking contrast to
these statements is the following communication
addressed to His Honor when the report was SUBJ
BoAnp OF COMMISSIONERS OF RAPID TRANSIT.
No 54 EXCHANGE PLACE NEw YORK. June IA, 1879
sIR-Tbe undersigned, constituting the Board Of Com
@ % By s % snas av ss % %p q
fixed aud determined in addition heretofore
copies OF which together with maps showing the
s 70 the result Of
and request the consent of that body IN the manner
such sa% s aS y
| as
In the discharge of the duties devolvng have
the limits Of the city with the view IL possible
connection tho and determined by all
Of the city should share tho great benefits TO be
The of the roads In operation has demon
public large demand Increased facilities and additional
Acting in harmony with this public sentiment
ognixing be special duty to fix and determine
necessary have carefully examined all applications
made % us and fer that have been In almost daily
ssance OF competent and Experienced civil engineers
ton report in favor OF the routes as dcsig
We now submit this important branch Of our work
through you 70 the local authortes whose consent ~
provided by law to the proposed roItes Is ncces
We will next devote our attention to the plans Of con
stuction submitted Tor examination, and as
selected will again TO Your Honor Until which
time We WV srss.
HENRY \. sPAULD1NG, Commis ssoncrs
| BENJAMIN @. ARNOLD, of
SAMUEL X. FILLEY,
will be seen that this letter not only recognizes
! the power of the Aldermen, but even makes prom
ise to again report to the Mayor when the plans oil
! construction have been agreed upon. Now, how
ever it is said the Commissioners intend to ignore
| the Chief Magistrate altogether.
wEsTcHEsTER DIssATIsFIED- HOSTILITY TO TIL
PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT ROUTES IN TIL
ANNEXED DIsTRICT-DIsCoUNTING THE FU
TURE-coMpLAINTs OF PROPERTY HOLDERS
THAT EXISTING INTERESTS ARE NOT PRO
TECTED.
The expectation Of rapid transit. in the shape o
accomplished fact. and not promise after tn,
nature OF a mirage. has been proven in the hstor,
of Westchcster county to be distinct factor II
pecuniary operations. The old settlers, the Motif
and the Morrises. aud the simpsons. and the hun
dreds of Others who occupied large estates durinl