New-York tribune., 1891-01-29
THE STEWART BILL PASSED.
UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE SENATE IN FAVOR
OF THE RAPID TRANSIT MEASURE.
AN AMENDMENT ADOPTED, PROHIBITING AD-
DITIoXAL ELEVATED RAILWAY TRACKS IN
BATTERY PARK-THE NEw-YoRK
CENTRAL LEADING FEAT
UREs OF THE BILL.

icy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !

Stewards NewYork Rapid Transit bill In brief, this
bill authorizes the present Rapid Transit Commis-
soners lay out routes and, acting with the local
authorities sell franchises for rapdtansit railways,
underground or overhead, in NewYork. 1t further
authorizes the Commissioners to grant permission TO
the New-York Elevated Railway Company to extend
Its present tracks. An amendment was made to the
bill to-day, however, striking provision which
authorized the Commissioners to permit the elevated
roads 10 construct good "loOp" covering Bat
terry Park.
There was long debate over this matter, but the
Senate at last by the decisive vote of 20 to adopted
amendment proposed by senator sheard. prohibit
ing the construction OF any more elevated railway
tracks within the boundaries Of Battery Park. Ihe
supporters Of this amendment said that If Jay Gould
desired to construct loop" for his elevated railways
at the Battery he had better buy private property
and that they opposed to presenting
him with land Of the city OF New-iork
at the Battery, worth 81 100000, for any such
purpose. At the same time the Senate showed that
1t not opposed to any requests OF the elevated i'
ways which seemed 10 be reasonable by voting down
q proposed amendment which prohibited the company
from constructing third track upon Thirdave
The Senate also voted against motion to strike out
section which permits of the extension of the tracks
OF the elevated railways that it is apparent that
the owners of the elevated railway system will acquire
highly valuable privileges if the bill becomes law.
The bill also. passed, permits the New-fork
Central by adding to its present lines in New-iorK'
to create a TapidtTanst system of its own. Ii Is
hinted that if the bill became law the Central
will construct underground railroad southward from
the Grand Central Station. at FortysecOnd- ST., 10 the
City Hall and that rapd-transit trains will be rim
directly from the City Hall nOrhwad over the Cenrals
underground road, and thence through its present
tunnels beginning at Forth seventhst into the heaEt
Of Westchester County.
Senator Robertson stated tonight also that the
Central IL permitted to extend its city lines, might ca
tend its present Hudson River line which now stops at
Thrticth-st, sOuthward to the vicinity Of Chambers
ST.. where thirty years ago it had station. Ihls
southern extension OF the Thrtiethst line, 1t Is pre-
sumed, would be an underground railway.
Commenting today upon the passage OF the blU'
Senator Stewart said :" | rather suspect that, aer
all the New-York Central managers and the Wander
bilts will lie the who will supply NewIork with
rapid transit The Central has the facilities to pro
vide "a rapid transit system more easily than any ono
else and believe it intends to do so.7
Whoever provides New York City with its much
desired rapid transit the senate feels highly pleased
to night that it has passed the bill, and there Is
general satisfaction also that new companies and old
companies of capitalists. dcsirous Of Increasing New
Yolk's method of transit have been invited to under
take the great enterprise. Between rapid transit
companies the elevated railways, and the New
York Central Railway, thc senators hope that New
Yo.tI will have all the means OF quick
transit within its borders that it desires it
hoped the bill will meet with no opposition IN the
Assembly
As The Tribune predicted THIS morning the bill was
r-por,cd from the Railroad Committee at the opening
Of the session. senator stewart moved Immediately
that the bill be read then No objection to this was
oored and the clerk began the caGing of the measure
which had attracted much Of the attention OF the
pconls of the large. beside the undivided in
erest Of the citizens Of New York City, for 30 long
lime.
Senator Ives was his feet as the clerk had
begun to read BILL with motion to strike out tho
thirty section. This is the Elevated Raroau
section socalled, giving the elevated railroads the
right TO extend their tgackS: but he gave WAY To A
suggestion OF Senator CantOis that the entire bill
should be read first. Mr. Cantor said that measure
CT 50 great importance ought to be read In full TINS
was done with the understanding proposed by senator
Fassett that before the cnaCtng clause had been read
each Senator should have opportunity TO oiler
amendments There were few amendments in the
ealler sections of the bin and the Senators tired
of hearing what each orc has rod many times. ard
the further proposition made by Senator Cantor
that only those sections which had been amended
should be read. section 81 consequently soon
reached and Ives in line with the cOursc which
he has pursued in the last few days-a policy which
has caused the leaders Of Tammany Hall no little worry
moved 10 strike it out Of the bill
senator Cantor who has heretofore been credited
with leading the Tammany representatives in this as
well as In other matters was the first to speak agalns,
lie had examined the bill carefully, and that he would
have voted for it with or without the section. Ho
was opposed II the elevated roads getting any more
than they now had. but nasmuch the local authori
ties of New York willing that the section should
stand as il was, he would vote against the motion TO
strike out the section There is class of people in
New York" lie continued, who believe that the elc-
waited railroad can give immediate relief
have read this section carefully, and have como
10 the conclusion that ths commission can be trusted
with any power that we may be willing TO give to It,
This Section 81. il to carries with it every
possible safeyuar. Everybody admits the honesty
and the integrity Of the Commissioners who are 10 be
intrusted with this work, In the next place, should
this commission by unanimous vote agree TO extend
the elevated railroad system Of New-lOrk, then ii
will require the consent Of the local authorities OF
the city and the legal authorities Of the State II
does seem to me that this docs surround it with
possible safeguard | am therefore opposed TO the
motion TO strike out the section"
Senator Erwin next got the floor on the motion. lie
said that he had hoped to see the introduction and
passage Of Rapid Transit bill disconnected entirely
from any other interests in the city Of New-YoTk
lie continued:
This bill has a provision In it allowing the elc-
va ed railroad extend lines and to extend its
structure. allows the great elevated and the great
Central D>rfroad systems to extend their lines. The
extension of the elevated railroad does not rapid
transit, but the extension Of the Central system may
mean ,apid transit. i myself would be in favor Of a
bill requiring all Of the Commissioners to vote in favor
OF any privileges which theJ Give but this bill com
pels all of them TO vote for any extensions Of the two
systems which have named before either of them
can get any added advantages from it, The Railroad
Committee has reported this bill iof considerable
The members Of this committee have given it very
careful consideration, and l AM willing TO take it as
the committee and the local authorities of the city
OF New York want it. They tO be agreed that
the present condition of the bill is all hands wish
II. will vote upon this motion NO."
senator Ives received another opportunity to ex-
plain his position against the section which has
worried him much. lie thought that. a there
were other restrictions In the bill. the thai he
proposed would not be considered in the light Of
throwing mputaions Of dishonesty the Commis-
sioners. In his opinon the section was dangerous