New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-30
THE ARCADE PLAN DEFENDED
WHAT IT'S ADVOCATES HAVE TO SAY.
NO DANGER OF BUILDINGS FALLING-FEw VAULTS
TO BE INTERPRETED WITH.


TO BE INTERPERED WITH.
Messrs Myers. Orr and Hamilton, OF the Com
mittee on City improvements OF the keai bstats
Exchange Yesterday listened 70 1nItnel sde aiI
way b. +. Carpenter. an engineer. said that tne
men who came in opposition to the company as
ported by misstatements of facts. They said that
Broadway only forty feet wde, ana thau ~; VIC
company could not build road tnat Miut NV ~
out destroying the street The truth was tnat tus
average wd.h of the street is eighty-lve feet ana
that of the pavement forty -four ieet At some
points the curD line to less than forty
fonr feet The great argument was that the road
would destroy the vaults. There were. he said 6l4
vaults in Broadway from 10 ,ne fbe
curb line and those would be the only ones IN any
way interfered with. The building of the road
would make a wall available for vaults the whole
length of the street. which would save property
ownersa great deal of money and increase the vault
room five fold. 1t had been sad that the road m
tended to excayate twenty-seyen feet, whereas inc
excavation would not be over twenty -four. ana on
IN average only twenty-five feet Inc TAX oil
buildings tumbling down vas absurd. me eon,
struction of the underground road IN London ougnt
10 set at rest such statements. Objection was haue
that it would interfere with the Canal ST. sewer,
which was sixteen feet in diameter. Inc trnln Is
that the sewer is only four feet in diameter There
was ample room provided for twice as many pipes
as now underneath the street. Ooner, aU
In this country, and all had approved the company
plans as feasible and practicable. Inc railroau
company was more interested than anybody else IN
onarlinc the street. Mr.. Potter who came to talk
Of Instruction had INSTRUCTED three streets for two
years in the erection of one building, whereas the
railroad company would obstruct one street ior D
short time only. ,, m
to know something about the ability OF the company
to pay damages. -.
: Mr. Smith said that was a question they were
willing to leave to the Governor as the company did
not care in any way to assist the lawyers and others
who for selfish reasons were opposing TINS improve
nent. 4,
..,.ht proa aua tlhpc wOulu
interfere with vaults yet yery vault was built only
by permit from the city. He read from the oidi-
nanccs prove that go was the most winch the
Commissioner of Public Works could legally charge
for a vault permit. Mr.. Potter interrupted to say
that he had paid 81 900 IN single case, aud MI
Orr said he knew where 5000 was paid for permit
for "a vault. There was some speculation as 10
Mr. Church said it was question whether Broad
way belonged to men who had privileges ior vaults
or whether 100000 of other citizens mad any
rights there. lie said it was silly TO talk about the
company selling ont. as 1t would not sell out uni ess
to persons who had money to buy.
MIR. Smith said that single Improvement. not
even the Croton A1ueduct or Central Park, had
ever been proposed that men did not rise up TO opt
pose 1t. Pointing to gentleman present, Mr..
Hazard, who he said, was the owner OF patent
that he had in VAN endeavOred TO get the company
to adopt, he said that gentleman had in his opn lon
inspired every letter that had appeared IN the press
against the bill. He said that he would challenge
the opponents of this road to get onethird OF the
names of Broadway proDerty-owners to a petition
against the road. 49,
plans of tine road were then submitted, and Mr..
Hazard interrupted to criticise them. Mr.. Sinlth
lntimated that it presumptuous for Mr.. Hazard,
who was not engineer, To set up his opinion on
snch matters against Mr.. McAlpine. Mr.. Hazard
grew indignant. and referring to his experience III
London. said that he was a better engineer than
Mr.. McAlpne. Amid wrangling and laughter the
committee adjourned.