New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-14

heartily with Supcrint: ByrncS ana Ms
subordinates.
| THE LATEST RAPID TRANSIT EffohI.
If the result of the Rapid Transit CommiS-
sions long labors were not so signal dcica'
of popular expectations and necessities there
vould be Something rather amusing about IT,
| Tho Commissioners, as they desire the pubic
| 70 understand and as VIC are willing To concHdc'
have been figuring, consulting, bioodlng, an
nouncing and reporting for the space Oh V"o
years Though they have not gwen frequent
manifestations of tremendous energy inc! are
supposed to have been as>iduous; ana Seo d"
that the community is now able 70 descr! as
the fruit OF this persistent toll Is inc somewhat
remote prospect Of two or three new tracks
ON old elevated railroad lines and couple ol
looms. If any man calls this rapid transit ne
must be sanguine to the saturation point.
These modest propositions to the Manhattan
Comnony should not be condemned merely be-
cause they are far below the requirements o'
the situation On the contrary, 50 far aS the!
90. they appear to be unobjcctionablc II car
ried out in good faith and made the NEST 81 III
operation by the company they would aiiord
some temporary alienation of present condi-
tions But there is no occasion for halcl'i]ahS'
II such additional facilities arc established inc
natural increase of traffic will soon absorb
thom. There is nothing in this latest plan
which looks in the least like comprehensive
,dcouate relief from existing ills and provision
for future needs Officers of the Manhattan
Company are promptly expressing Their di'ap-
rointmcnt and suggesting a dreadful doubt ~
| to the willingness of the company 10 incur 'hc
expense of making these improvements WIN
such mcagre returns in prospect MI. h''sSeil
Sage. we observe, arprchcnds that some dread
ful calamity may force the popuace to walk
instead of riding. or that real estate boom
may in some mysterious manner dcpopulatc
| ,bo c;tr Rut we confess that we do not share
these gloomy views. The influence OF the Man
haitian Company has hitherto dominated inc
Rapid Transit Commission, and we lind IN the
rcport made on Saturday no PROOF mat 'his
| influence has been exhausted In fact II Is I'M
possiblc not TO perceive that IN refusing ~ en-
| coinage the advent OF an independent com
many, whose competition might put tho Man
| haitian On its good behavior and cxtort from
| il q measure of public service which II has
! never been willing +, render. the Commission
|
Of that selfish ard powerful corporation. Those
| who have followed these proceedings closely
NAV be pardoned for suspoctng that the dis
satisfaction and i-tcmpar of tie Manhattan
magnatcS are feiened
| The Commission began wrong. from tn" p'ln'
of view Of the community, when 1t rejcct'd
the feasible system Of a deep tunnel below
| nines foundations and the limits Of possible
damage to private property. and elaborated "a
vastly expensive scheme which capital wo'fi
not touch In devising a substitute FOR this
hapless project it has gone wrong again by
| excluding competition. powerful rival OF
| the Manhattan Company is needed in this town.
and we believe could be brought into existence
under conditions which would prevent CON
solidatOn of interests. We do not want to sec
the city surrendered to elevated railroads IN
| such a manner and to such an extent rs VIII
seriously ncreas, its pr, sent dcforinltlcS. Buf
| there arc exterior streets on both SIDES Oh the
centre which would lOsc nothing in appearance
or convenience by being used in that way
The fact is that they are exceedingly likely T.
he so used hereafter. and for orr part we deem
/ il a matter of great importance that the occu-
patton of them for rapid transit purposes should
be conceded on equitable terms to an indie
pendent company rather than to the rapaclOu'
monopoly with which the city is unhappiy
familiar.
As we regard them therefore, these PROPOSE
tions to the Manhattan Company do not amount
| TO much An embarrassed guest said OF the
viands placed before him by his host that the,
were good enough, what there was OF them, and
when he perceived that the expression was I'M
fortunate took it back and said that there wa'
quite enough of them, such as they were. W.
venture t. say. without embarrassment, thai
these criticisms just about fit the rapid transit
provisions nCw under discussion. They arc
good enough 10 accept but we don't need any
mOle Of the same kind.