The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25
STUDYING Rapid TRANSIT
Tho Mayors Commission FInds its Work
Bcaet with Many DinicultIes.

The Mayors Rapid Transit Commission,
which is composed OF August Belmont Will
liam Steinway, Woodbury. langdon. John II.
Starin. and Orlando b. Potter, has gone
faithfully to work to see whether 1t Is possible.
under the act Of 1875 to outline route for a
system OF rapid transit from one end OF the
city to the othor. The failure OF tho LegIsla-
ture to pass either the Mayors or Senator Fas-
sett's rapid transit bill has compelled the men,
bers Of the Commission to fail back upon the
laws In force and they have already begun
their canvass OF the entire ground to deter
mine whore road can be laid out.
At the Commissions meeting last Monday
Mr. Belmont was elected President and MIR.
Steinwsy Secretary aud 1t was formally re-
solved that New York was in need OF rupid
transit. q declaration which the law Of 1875.
under which the Commissioners were ap-
pointed. requires them to make. Tho Com
mission had already lost much valuable
timo by waiting to see II the Legisla-
ture would not pass one OF the bills
which had been proposed. Mr. steinway on
planned yesterday that IL VAS most unfortu-
sase 91 the hH n had aHa IN 1hs
on every side
in Mr.. Seinwny's Office and for two hours. dis
cmssed the existing law with big mar OF the
way systems now in operation indicated upon
it. The restrictions specified under the law
they found t. bo almost without end. The
law that no road could cross over or under
any Of the present elevated roads and the
exemption OF Park row, Nassau street, and
Broadway from being used for, any railway
system, Mr.. Steinway said, was like throwing, a
Chinese wall across the city. and absolutely
prevented u central road going any further
south than City Hall; Studying the uptown
end OF the map, the Commissioners saw
that they were hnmne5ied, again by
almost, concluGed that the possibility
Journed. however until next Wednesday, AZ
ternoon, whom they will meet again In Mr..
Steinway's office In the mean time every
member has taken home synopsis OF tho e&-
1T looks now" said Mr. Steinway yesterday,
as If we are 80 completely tied up that we can
duty Just the Same and make n thorough in
vestiR4tion.. We shall 20 over the entire
ground and 4 1t is within the bounds Of posi-
10 the northern end OF the city. II We find 1t
can't be done we shall SO report showing the
result OF our examination. In any case we
an underground road Is the more feasible. IL
We find a route We shall simply indicate 1t In
general way,
1875 is regulation that tho plans for route
must be submitted within sixty days. Think
OF 1t! We have got Just thirty days left to go
all their details which have been proposed. ana
TO decide on the best. OF course We won't even
attempt II. Then. too. there is no provision
might want TO hire. But. in spite OF all this. I
know that every member OF the Commission
has the good OF the city at heart, while politics
lave absolutely no connection with our work.
We are all very busy men, but we are going to
give all the time that we can to this problem.
l am confident that In any event we shall have
covered the ground so thoroughly that the DOS
sibilities OF rapid transit under the present
laws will be pretty clear TO the public at large"