New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14

Is THE TIFTH-AyE RAfLWAYsA MYTH 49,
sorrH BaooKLYx AInosr CONC INTO m
cLINrr-ooMrLArsrs FROM rae PEOPLE
South Brooklyn is almost going into dsclinsF
on account Of the protractsd delay in the building
Of the Fifth Avenue Elevated Road. The brick
foundations and the iron sockets for tbs pillars
are laid as far out as the gates Of Greenwood.
They have been in place about q year. and that
delusiye fragment OF the framework at the iater-
section Of Flatbush-sve has been standing ~
a still longer period And the people are stfm
longing for the road. Property-ownen arc dxr
ing for IT, tho grocers are crying for IL, the bujM
ers are almost dying for IL, while realestate deal
ers are pning for It, and furniture dealers
are whining for it, but al the time Mr. Richards
son, the king Of the surface roads. Is determined
II shall not be built.
II is an open secret that he once had neat MT
tie plan Of his own for building an elevated rosa
through that particular portion OF the City OF
Churches, when he first realized that rapid mausfe
was one Of the inevitable things Of this world;
bat as his dream vanished in thin air be made
vow that the other fellows should not buih
the road as long as he could prevent il
The fight has been a long and bitter one, bus
property-owners. residents and realestate owners
now say that there is only enc thing which pre-
vents the completion OF the road. The injunctioz
suits have been practically cleared away. and sock
triaing Obstacles as are Of tangible charactcR
might easily be removed were it not for com-
b:ne' to bear the real estate market in that guar
ter of the city.
BUYING UP LAND,
The heavy villain" in this business has The
public eye upon him. 1t is well known 70 thoa
49, L<.. 49,
buying in every plot of land that offered. watch
Ing closely for tsS and foreclosure saks and COB
bling up every foot Of ground thar they could
come to by heck or crook. ever H5psa their bear
movement began to produce results; and at the
Same time he has held lone hand that has ksps
In check the railroad company. In the last month
alone about 81, 100000 worth OF real estate IN
that ward 1.-THE Twcnty-secondI has been sold on
open contract to this speculator. During the rise
In values Immediately succeeding the PERFECTION
Of the charter for the Fifth-ave. line, the Itch
eeld estate splendid tract Of land extending
from First TO Sixth sts-, and from Seventh-ave.
TO the park, was put on the Market but the
bear movement WINS felt almost directly. and this
property was quickly withdrawn.
THE EXTENSION SCHEME
It Is thought by those who are best informed
that the project recently defeated in the Legslat-
ure for two years extension OF the time for
construction Of the road was deliberate attempt
to freeze out those property-owners who were
holding on, and who would have been forced TO
suocumb had the measure gone through Some
idea of the unpopularity Of the attempt is given
by the fact Jhht over 10000 people signed petit
tons against the bin.
Some of the property-owners wanted to posi-
a notice in the strect-cars asking for signatures
against the time-extension bill They were, OF
course, willing to pay for tie privilege, but an
edict went forth that no such notice. or any other
in favor Of the elevated, should be posted in the
cars. Thcreupon one Of the most spirited OF
the combines opponents hit upon means OF
advertising the movement in Mr. Richardson's
cars. he bad pair OF large placsrds printed.
and having transformed himself into n" sandwich"
other on his back, boarded car under the escort
of several leading citizens. This cunning device
worked like charm, and the big petition which
killed the extension b, was its direcs re, Issu IT,.
has yet 10 be told. In IL is found eSSilens
grounds for the belief that these schemes have
been adrotly subserved and abetted by the Wy
Government. 1t is q notorious fact that while
over 1900 houses have been built in the ward
within a few years, and the nyenue from the
section has increased about tenfold, only neagre
most Of them remaining in their prist,ne state
Of mud and hlth, and virtually nothing las been
done toward the extension OF firs or ponce pro-
lection. Needed schools have not been built
nor hos anything been done for which the
PEOPLE must rely upon the municipality. They
pay their taxes regularly enough, but their peta-
lions to the various city departments are ignored
The people declare openly that Mr.: Richardson
and q Rossn Mclaughlin are working in the
interest of the bears, and tangible facts give
color TO the assertion
POOR sURFAcEcAR SERVICE
Besides the shortcomings and annoyanoes already
cited, il is alleged that the surface car service
was never so poor as at present. its snail-fke
pace being marked characteristic. A weIkknowu
citizen told the reporter that the light in the
cars in the evening was phenomenally poor OF
late. At first he thought this might be so in one
particular car caused by negligence or oversight3
but after a time ne decided that the abuse was
so fragrant there must be some other explanation
Of IL, and finally came tu the conclusion that 10
was due 10 one OF the economies practised on tho
lines since the strike.
The one question now Is when viii the elevated
be builtP Officers u the company calmly inform
the questoner that they are ali ready TO proceed,
and are only waiting for the iron, which may ne
ready in fortnight and that II is their intention
10 have the road in operation by August as their
apimates the more enthusiastic and sustains the
most despairiug is TINT IL this company should let
their charter lapse, the Kings County Is ready
TO complete the road on short notice with neat
ness and Dispatch
Therefore, all things considered. ID looks as
II rapid transit for South Brooklyn mny De
rernricd ns q certainty some time In the autumn.
when these who are now pining will be salts
fed and the bulls" will have their turn, and
the ," lambs will be beautifully fecced
.u - 49,, IN rYDu ny vrc uuID