New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-26
A TAMMANY VIEW OF IT.
MR. CROKER'S LEGISLATORS TALK ABOUT
RAPID TRANSIT.


ELEVATED ROAD PROPOSE THE ONLY
PRACTICABLE SCHEME.
IRON the REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE,
Albany Jan. 25.-Tbc failure OF the Kappa ila's''
Commissioners OF New-YOrk ID induce. capitalists 10
INV ,,s,r tronctise for the construction Of an under
ground road IN that cy naturally has attracted 'he
Interested attention OF the members Of The legislature
and especially Of those who represent Iammauy nan
But there Is feature In the talk OF Inc ian,h'""s
Han Senators and Asscmbymen when they d'scasS
the rapid transit situation In Ncw-fork which can
mot fail 10 DO remarked BY any who analyses what
they say and that Is that there is no thought III their
minds apparently Of proposing remedial legislation
No one OF them says he thinks OF bringing III oih
Diminishing from Office the present RAPID transit Coh'
mssioners or OF presenting another Rapid Transit act
which possibly might give Newfork ae'"ai r"p'u
transit
Tn. s,ucrsbness OF the Tammany Hall delegation
in the matter lends additional weight 10 the statement
TINT In return for large contributions 10 'he D'"o
cratic campsicn fund the Manhattan Elevated Rail-
way Company received the promise OF protecuoh a'
Albany from any attempt 10 give New-lorh reai
rapid transit system. Every Tammany Han ee"a.
tor and Assemblyman understands clearly mat u
The orcsnIzation another name for Richard Croker
has promised this protection 10 the Manhattan Ee-
waited Railway Company he would )eoparoiAe Ills
political life by presenting bill that migh' DC CON
str,ied as hostile to Its interests. howsoeVcr niue"
such measure would be In the interest OF the peope
Of New York City.
Another proof OF n Manhattan Tammany alliance Is
found In the fact that some Of the Tammany Han
Senators and Assemblymen seem strangely iam'har
With the plans OF the great railway corporation 10
build additional lines in New-York. Two OF the TAM
many Hall Senators to-day. In talking about the RAPID
transit situation, said that the Manhattan Elevated
Railway Company proposes 10 ask permission OF the
Rapid Transit Commission to build elevated railroads
I'm the air the roads already has constructed
The Manhattan thus apparently proposes 10 Dulid a
two-story railway along Second. Third sixth ana Nnth
ayes. The upper track. 1t was said, would be USED
for express trains running at the rate OF thirty miles
an hour; while In the darkness Of tie lower track the
"short-trip' passenger would journey upon his way
In another train. This scheme for twostory ele-
waited railroad, 1t said, presented "no engineering
difficulties"
Six OF the seven Tammany Hall Senator's and several
Of the leading Tammany Hall Assemblymen expressed
their sentiments today to The Tribune correspondent
upon the rapid transit situation. Invariably they
thought exceedingly well Of the Manhattan Elevated
Railway, and were Of the opinion that 1t should DC
treated With extreme kindness by the authorities OF
New-York. AS for the thought of giving the giant
monopoly competitor. that did not once enter their
heads
Senator Jacob A. Cantor, OF Tamnany Hail, is the
president pro tenn the Senate lie thus Is at once
the Democratic leader Of the Senate and also the
Tammany Hall leader there He expressed himself
to-day on the rapid transit situation after this fashion,
"ln the main am opposed TO the principle OF
municipal governments building railroads or In any way
doing that which ought be done by private capital
The city authorities ought not to be required to
construct such a road as the people OF New-iork
need 1t ought to be done by private individuals
within certain restrictions Of course for the protec
ton Of the people. II, however, II Is found that
private capital will not build railroad such as we
need, why then, Of course the city might DO called
for fbc Of IN
and construct It, / think. however, that private
capital may be induced to 60 on and build the r0ad
but you cannot expect TO get capital Into scheme
Of this kind unless 1t has some pretty strong induce
ments to do In the first place, the men who
undertake to build this road ought to be allowed
"a those men were who built the elevated railroad,
10 Issue bonds to pay for the construction and TO
tx It 90 that the people could get the stock OF the
road easily"
Are you In favor of granting the elevated railroad
the extensions 1t Is asking fort"
"Yes; / am In favor Of granting the road some
way of making extensions that will Immediately
relieve the city. We must have some relief right
away. and think that get 1t quickest through
the elevated road. ! am Of the opinion that this
ought to be done within certain restrictions
senator william NJ Brown said: al have always
been of the opinion, and have been frank to say
so, that the elevated railway corporation OF New
York is the only one to which the people Of New
York City can look to give that city true npid
transit system Why, Just look at the capital OF the
Manhattan Elevated Railway Company! Will any
body OF capitalists, howsoevcr rich, dare TO enter into
q contest with that corporation for the control OF
the business OF transporting people about the CITY
OF New- York; do not believe that any capitalists
will be courageous enough TO enter upon such COM
petition. This being the case, 1t should be the
policy Of the city of New-fork &c
give the Manhattan Elevated Railway Com
pany any power it desires TO extend its
present nnes-subject. Of course. to provisions pro
tectIng the rights Of property owners and to Others
providing that the city shall obtain Compensation
for any valuable privileges which it may grant. Ny
conclusion Is that an underground system Of rapid
transit Is not desired by the people OF New-f0rk
They want to travel in the sunlight and air; mol
down in the depths Of the earth and therefore they
wish for a rapidtrnnst road above the surface o.
the earth. Such o road the Manhattan Elevated
Railway Company, II 1t will. can build; and an
sure the people of NewYork are so anxious for rapt
transit that they willing 10 give II the privilege
OF constructing such road"
senator George T.. Rocsch said I" In my opinion
the people OF New-York so ardently desire rapid
transit that they favor the granting OF any reques
the elevated railroad people may make for the lesa
rsht to extend their lines improve their prcsen
facilities. And the people so keenly desirous o
this that they wonld sacrifice some propert.
rights such as assessments and the right to light
IN order to the building OF such roads. II
my Judgment the city should receive compehsauoi
II II grants great privileges to the elevated lines
which will enormously Increase their Income, but
should not make the conditions oner0us that
would not pay the elevated roads to make me desire
extensions and improvements have heard tina
the Manhattan Elevated thinks OF erecting. II 1t cal
gain the consent OF the city authorities. elcvatc
tracks for express trains In the air above the presen
ones. think the present Rapid Transit Commits
,aoncrs are absolutely honest men, and that they hav
bean most unjustly abused because OF their rcccn
failure 10 sell the rapd-transit franchise they DIRE,
up But they now can do a great work In outinln
improvements to the present elevated roads"
senator Edward F. Hagan said "The people
New.York deeply disappointed IL seems to me
over the results thus far OF the Rapld-Tmnslt nc
....-. hut