New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-17
ANGER AT THE MANHATTAN.
CONTROLLER MYERS ALMOST IN FAVOR OF
THE CITY,S BUILDING LINES.
HE SEES no OTHER RECoUGsE-IHh 'oMNis
sIoNERs DISAPPOINTED AT THE REPLY



OF TIE COMPANY.
con,rouor Myers Yesterday expressed his dis
.a,isfac,iop with the treatment which the city
has received AT the hands of the Manhattan Eie
waited Railway Company. In the matter Oh raPiN
transit. in the following ncisive Aguage' -
az must confess that the action Oh the Mahha'la"
po,,u,av comnanv came to me AS a great surprise
The resolutions which the RAPID lrais' I'm
missioners agreed upon were 50 faVoraDie u .i'
Manhattan Company that l could not conceive
y, their being seriously rejected. 1t VIII De re-
roembered that at the meeting that was Heiu "' ~.
Steinway's house the 10Th OF May a''
Could offered to accept terms when were uis''s
less advantageous to his company IMAM ~
were subsequently offered . .,o..
..I believe Il to be time TO put an emu W M.
,.rn,,nahle negotiations which result IN nothihs.
The Manhattan Company has been pa!ils i"S' ""
Loose with the city long enough, ana 'ie uei"''u' "
rand transit are altogether TOO piessi"s anu ~
30 ua, upon the convenience OF TINS coiPo' d"
be,eve the question of quick transportation 10 W
-, 80, the most important public question OF
49, aoy The people have been long-sufierlhe anu
oarotiveIv accomplishing. but their patience
nust no now quite exhausted, and leei '""' az
last some radical step may be necessary
"tfitberto I have always been a stanch Opponent
y, tho nroposition that the city should buid us
VI 80 nd I still see the dangers and disad-
,,,aees that might result from such COURSE
put critical troubles and difficulties that seem "op
Less demand heroic treatment, ana am liz
confess that / have been almost Drought "
belief that no adequate means Will ever De lou''u ~
,ronsnort our citizens over the long distances '''
lie between their homes and their places VI ~
ness except by municipal constructions
81 have never been blind to the great adVah'as''
that would result from such a course anu " no
only been a natural conservative leaning 'o"'
the traditional Democratic policy OF government
non-interference with private industry wmch mas
led me to hope that this problem might !e' &c
solved by private capital and enterprise
..prt exnerience is a great teacher, and he Is
,vorsa than a fool who will not profit by H. ana
now that the situation must be looked sauaIelS
in the face it must be admitted that tIe e'o
nomic and practical advantages which would result
from municipal construction can hdruS NC
estimated. 1t has been all along admitted that by
the use Of the city's credit the road could De
buIt at three ffths of its cost 90 private calta
Thus if the cost of the road were TO be s'V'VV'7V,
the interest charge to private constructor "O
be s. 100000 a year. but only $,0pVU 10 'ie ciS'
The result of this would inevitably De that ue
road could be better constructed. its service would
ha moro satisfactory and its profits would be pro-
nortionately greater than would be possible IL II
we're built BY private enterprise 1t is, OF course
idle TO expect capitalists to enter the heiu o'hei-
wise than selnshly, and with a view exclusively
TO profits: the city. the other hand could look
solely to the welfare of the travelling public and
patron. .,,
"Such a system would undoubtedly prove hlghly
profitable to the city, and its profits could DE
utilized either by their reception into the General
Fund for the reduction of taxation or the lorna
ton of sinking fund, which would quickly wipe
out the cost of construction and make the ROAD
free gift TO the city inside of twenty-five years
or by a reduction of the fares to say three cents
which would prove an inestmable boon to the
community at large.
FORTUNATELY for the city, If II determined TO
undertake this great work. the legislative means 10
accomplish il are easily obtainabe. II special leSs-
lation is all that is requisite. the Legislature would
undoubtedly yield to the popular demand ana give
MS the necessary laws within the first week OF
its session. If an amendment to the Constitution be
necessary it is our good fortune that a Constitu-
tional Convention is about to assemble. ana there
can be no doubt but that the clause limiting the
indebtedness Of cities could be easily amended so
as TO yield exception to the extraordinary neces
sites of the hour
The RAPID Transit Commissioners, some or them
at least disappointed and angry at me result
of the long months of negotiation win the Man
haitian Company. The commissioners kept dS,,
Greet silence yesterday. They SAID theit "OuIu
be a thorough discussion of the situation that now
confronts them to-day's meeting. This meeting
will be held in the parlor of Mr., Steinway mouse,
No. % Gramercy Park. Mr.. Stelnways health mas
improved considerably since the last meeting OF
the commission He is now able 10 walk with the
Tribune reporter last evening that the Manhattan
Companys answer was a disappointment 10 MN,
but he said that he would prefer not TO speak at
length the subject until the meeting.