New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-08
THE BROOKLYN SUBWAY BOARD.
ITS WORK AND ITS REPORT VIGOROUSLY DE
TENDED BY MEMBER
Il d M

ITS WORK AND ITS REPORT VIGOROUSLY DE
TENDED BY A MEMBER
TO the EdUor or me Tribune
Sir: In The Tribune OF January . a Brooklyn con-
tributor states that the subway Board Of that city
expired November l. but that no one appeared TO
be of it until their last report was given TO tic
public. few days ago" | suppose this is graceful
way of correcting the bunder Of the same contributor,
who three weeks ago. in similar knowing way, dis
cussed the affairs of the Board and declared that It's
term would end in November 1890. The fact IS,
however that everybody except him was aware oi
the expiration Of the term the LIST of last Noven
ber that il the subject OF repeated mention by the
Brooklyn papers, and Of a voluminous correspondence
in "The Eagle IN which the president and the
counsel Of the Board took part.
After this exhibition OF ignorance. perhaps the mis-
information which follows need cause no surprise
Your contributor proceeds to say that when the
problem became complicated with the use OF wires
for illuminating purposes the subway Commissioners
displayed total inability to deal with 1t and really
made attempt to do so" The final report oil the
Board which he Processes 70 have seen. though IL
is hard to believe that lie has read IT, very plainly
shows that the Board practically prohibited by
the terms Of the law from doing anything whatever
with regard to high tension conductors Is II iar "a
describe the not doing Of Illegal acts display OF
total naby'l
The report referred TO contains complete and
comprehensive discussion OF the whole problem ol
electrical distribution in cities, cOuchcd in language
which intelligent person like your contributor
however ignorant Of Technology, could easily under
stand 1t Intended for just such persons and
it is perhaps tho first popular and impartial state
ment of the problem ever made in the English
language. IL is too much to expect that daily
newspaper should reprint such statement. Not
even the Brooklyn papers have done So II is not
necessary that a New York daily paper should notice
the Brooklyn report at ALL Its fun republication IA
she columns of The Electrical Review for January
is enough TO make il accessible to all who are IN
terested in the subject.
But il does seem desirable that person crtcisine
the report for the benefit Of readers who have Hoi
seen and VIII not it should take the trouble o.
read II; ana Your contributor has either not d"h'
this or has done il I'm 20 slOvcnv "a way mis-,
the solitary criticism which concludes his paragraph
and In which the Board is charged with Inconsistency
wire, be successfully operated through subway
and yet recommend, the Edison ncaudc,ccnt ~ stem
which j. operated This pro" ~ microscopic caNil
overloohs long argument and clear toutcNt from
which il appears very plainly tlat the high tension
conduct tors are those which hdV" generally failed
der ground. II Is somewhat d'~hc,rf'uuc tp spend
much pains in explaining for tlc benefit Il clucotct
lavmcn the elements II the electrical problem and ~
find ones labor, JUDGED hy q literary critic. Whose
language is made mp Of fluent confusion If \, 4, G.
spelling nothing.
solved into IFS individual constituents and thus re
turned % private hfc and pp,scs-inc do each o
my late colleagues, som" private ana proic-'l nal
reputation thc more precious. n = Doe lm'i"il. beg
leave 10 say, for ALL TINT while the WJF ~ o..
late Board and IFS researches and opinions. NAV D.
,bundsntlv open 20 criticism and contradiction. thcr,
is reason for confidence That thov DO no. ina a''
total inability or shallow -cf qualifications
Thy Of candid and competent attention.
New.Yorh. Jan. 6, 800. Il. W. RAYMOND.