New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-20
RAILROAD INTERESTS.
ADVOCATING AN ELEVATED ROAD.

ADVOCATING AN ELEVATED ROAD.
ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE RAPID TRANSIT COM
MISsIONEEs CONCERNING ROUTES ABOVE THE
HARLEM.
The Rapid Transit Commissioners continued
yesterday morning their hearing OF arguments III favor
Of a for a railway the annexed district. The
Commissioners present H. 2. DE Graai, Matthew
DAILY and General Daniel =. Sickles, the lat
ter acting chairman. Arguments heard from
L. b. Harper president of the Mutual Inn rovencut Cou
pany, s. 8 Randall r and Charles j. Aon, secretarie
of the New-York Local Improvement Company, Judge
sherman and g. sampson, counsel for the petitioners
OF the Third-ave route, and L. d. " Mason, engineer
Mr. Harper said that the company of which he pres
ident owned considerable property ia the an
nexed district which it erecting
houses. Although this property Rail-
roadaye. than Third-ave, he thought ele
waited road the latter street preferable to a surface
road on the former as Ihirdave nearer the
OF population and because elevated road would be
safer, in his opinion. Mr.. Randall said that he
expressed the sentiments of James l.. Par
shall, president of his company, who was unable
to be present, but who in favor of the
elevated road in Thrd-ave. lie thought that n surface
road running by the side of the Harlem Railway would
suffer from competition.
General Sickes remarked that Mr.. Vanderbilt would
be likely to try crush the roads, wherever
bult, by competition, adding "it Is bi- corporation
to g as IT eau passengers for cent apiece and
not feel it. don't say Mr.. Vanderbilt would fight
new road. lie might give up the local trains But if
yOu spend 81 100000 to bald eeN atcd road and
Nc hr>tctss rolling stock annual bills for interest
aud and tear VIII be large. Whereas, if have
surface road costing only T2OO,00O you
rates ana compete with Mr.. Vanderbilt the street
Mr.. Randall said that in interview with Mr.
Rutlci the latter had told him that the local trains
the Harlem Road were not paying and never had paid
Tor running lie therefore thought the railroad
would consider It relief to be ed of its local traffic and
would not care to fight the rapid transit road.
Mr.. Allen said there many buildings along Rail-
roadaye that would have to he purchased If surface
road run beside the Harlem Road, there would
not he room otherwise Besd he that the rail
way company very jealous of Railroa-ave, while it
would not care II elevated road built
ave. Mr.. Vanderbilt tie SAID, made opposition when
petitioners were arguing before the Mayor Tor the
Third ave route AS an indication OF the difference in
population along the TWO routes, said that the Third
ave street unpopular they were carried nearly
5OOOOOO passengers II year, while the Harlem Railway
only transferred about l00UOo0 IN the district
Soluc discussion ensucd to whether the Park Com
nlsslOners OF The Aldermen were the local authOri-
ties having power IN the Annexation act to lay
railways north of The Harlem. General Sickles
gucd liat the former had the power, and said
he was not gong 10 vote tor II location that would
be vetoed ny The Park Commissioners. lie adj
viscd the petitioners To learn route the Park
commissioners would favor. The others present
took. that the Board of Aldermen power IN
the matter
Engineer Mason submitted II map OF a donbe-tracls
surface road to be from Fordham, the
the Third Avenue Elevated Road the Bronx River,
distance OF and quarter mics. He estimated the
cost AT 100000 the Commissioners Will meet again
a 4.