The sun., 1884-02-17

Jast what the oCssswi..,s-e-s Nave nsae and
What they Have Vet 70 Dp.

Jast what the Csns,ni..,ssers Nave nsue and
what they Have Yet to Do.
Unnecessary alarm has been caused among
property holders all ovor the city by tho publ
cation OF tho list OF routes selected by the
Rapid Transit Commissioners. Tho words
rapid transit have come to No so intimately
associated with elevated mifways shat II bus
kacn tnhon for erantsd that tho city is 20 bo
sridironed with atruetursa hko those I'll at now
straddle up and down IL Such. however. Is
not tho fact The powers Of the Commission
are restricted to tho determination Of tho
dnsirability Of tho cable Traction system OF
street railways Of New York." and they could
not, II they would. authorize tho employment
Of the Objectionable dummies in the new sys-
tenn. and have decided that but small part Of
tho new system Of roads shall bc elevated.
Tho Commissioners are Albert l.. Earle. f, n.
Ltvermore. Thomas L. Stewart. Geo. H. Byrd.
and Daniel Drake Smith. Col r. L. Ogden Is
Secretary ond Charlee p. Shaw counsel They
were appointed BY Mayor Edson on Dec. last.
In accordance with n petition signed by many
declared that % undSr ts Rapid transit psa act oor
porattons mny be formed with power to con-
s,rast ss ~ opsrae ana maintain ta
10 need Of this form Of rapid transit. which
would permit the carving Of passengers at FIVE
capacity OF the present elevated railroads is no.
toriously Inadequate.
they wsrS appointed the Commissioners met met
within ten days after their appointment took
s sse 1 0r Of ,Ss GSs % sna ssss ns for o s
duties They elected Daniel. Drake. smith
preaident. They had thirty days under the
ways were necessary. and within tiiat time
they came to tho conclusion that thoy were.
This decision under the law. is final. and can
The next step, to bo taken by the Commits
s,ISiy ,y days: This ,S Ssrt &. e tho wosk ., Was
which time expired last saturday. Ii is sub.
iect to revision. and It is by no means certain
ON tho routes selected. Before any such road
can can be e. built @ tho consent OF the owners OF one
n o the ss aGns S %
tanned. There has also been some question
whether the Commission has right to take
operation oY the Rapid Transit act viii @ no. ' be
There may also be a question as to the right OF
t the Commissoners to lay out @ routes through
Subject 3 TO legal % constrncton IS rue OF these roints.
the routes laid out by the Commissioners will
be the routes upon which the new rapid transtt
determined. much opposition is to be overcome
from existing interests of various kinds. chiefly
routes selected it is sufficient to say that there
are two main lines selected running the en-
LexlnGtnn avenue line. and will he q surface
road from Harlem River to the New York and
Brooklyn Bridge. from which it will be ar ele-
long, route is by elevated railway from the
South Ferry along West street to about 1hir-
ticth strnet Sonnectin ing with the Hudson River
haiiroad @ ut TINT point, ia, and sontinuing as a
scribed generally us cross-town routes, and
arc SURFACE routes. except one. which con-
meets the Second avenue elevated railroad with
South Ferry east of the present elevated road
10 the ferry.
The next step to be taken by tho Commits
rs To S OF apGn be ses Pad to e9
determined generally which plan shall 10
adopted. but the Commissioners must decide
wseSt ns yswea na pe cable b
miliar with their operation, The law requires
| that the decision upon tho plan shnli be within
| ninety DAYS. 1t has been assumed that the Ma
| tional Cabie Hallway Company would get the
control of the road but this is not yet settled.
The Commission having finally settled upon
| its plan will next be called upon to attend to
roads under tho plans selected. The Com
missioners must determine within what time
tho roads are to be constructed. must TX the
of association. and see that tho company is re-
| sponsible. The franchise will not be put up at
auction and 1t is not proposed that tho city
except tho ordinary taxes that nre presumed to
| DO paid by the railroads. 1t seems TO be ls-
| srnied by tho Commissioners that tho limta-
| tion Of fare to five cents. with two cents added
| for connection with cross-town routes is a
| sufficient concession to tho public. and that 1t
would not be fair to exact payment for the
have power to compel the company building the
road to deposit in some trust company Il sum
equal to the estimated amount OF damage tc
| any property on tho route.