New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-04
HE WANTS THE CITY TO BUILD IT.
ROBERT MACLAY SAYS AN UNDERGROUND SYS

TEN is PRACTICABLE.
Robert Maclay, who was appointed by the Su-
preme Court member OF the Rapid Transit Com
mission said to a Tribune reporter yesterday MY
experience the Rapid Transit Commission leads
me to believe that the city ought TO build the road
and then lease II out to private corporations to run
It. The income from such privilege would pay the
interest the cost Of building It, My reasons for
this belief based on the following facts: There
are engineering difficulties In the way of the Broad
way underground road. All the engineers examined
by us pronounced the plan perfectly feasible and in
every way practicable. Even the engineers placed
on the stand by the property owners, who were OPP
posed 10 the road, admitted that 1t was in every
practicable. and differed only I'm the cost OF the
road A prominent Boston electrical firm offered
10 furnish cars and the entire equipment Of the un-
foreground road so that the trains would be able to
make fifty miles an hour all by electrical power
This does away with all the objections OF smoke and
cnders OF the coal-burnng locomotives. Ihis Bos-
ton firm also guarantees 10 put in system OF forced
ventilation.
Every objection advanced by the property Owners
and by those opposed TO the plan was mgst fully and
completely met by tho engineers examined by IA.
and there is no reason why the road should not be
built. The only question is that Of getting capital
lists TO enter the scheme. But that Is the great
difficulty. Capitalists are afraid to touch it. The
city OF New-Y York could build the road much more
economically than any private organization. The
The city could issue bonds for this amount at =
or . per cent interest that the annual Interest
would be only $1,000 00 while private corporation
would have TO pay from to per cent Interest on
It's money. Having to meet an interest OF only ST.
100000 year. the city could well afford to let out
the running privileges Of the road to some private
company corporation which could easily pay a
sum which would cover the amount Of interest. and
even more for the privilege OF operating the road.
Furthermore the city could build the road more
cheaply than a private corporation. Tor IL mas "a
regularly employed force Of engineers. lawyers etc.
Even II the city did not manage TO rent out the opcr
atipg privileges Of this rad. II could afford to run 1t
Itself and the enhanced values OF property In the
upper part OF Manhattan Island would yield 1t an
enormous sum I'm decreased taxes which would more
than cover the interest the bonds. We have
proof OF this in the increased values along the line
Of the Sixth Avenue Elevated Railroad Besides MS
the building OF this road would enable the Newliavc
and the NewYork Central railroads to nun their trains
down to the Battery. They would be willing 10 pay
a good sum for this privilege IN the night time,
when local passenger trhc is light, these companies
could run freight trains over these tracks with no
nconvenicnccs the public and with great benefit
| to themselves.
There Is other route for an underground rail-
road than Broadway That thoroughfare is the back
OF the island and Is the main artery OF business
1t Is the natural line Of thoroughiare To be sure
Tammnny Hall Will make money out Of the construc.
ton OF this road. but what II IL docs suppose II
makes S1O.OOO,OO0q Even that would be cheaper
than II private corporation should Undertake the
work, because private corporation would have 70
pay from to per cent interest It's money, while
the city would pay only from IL to per cent on
| It's bonds
In my E.5 qISn wa s5o mistake s on aeaS s Part
auction OF this franchise If they had put II at
auction s soon Us II was approved by the courts there
would have been many bids for II. But delaying the
sale so many months gave these big capitalists ana
the enemies Of the underground road chance Ia mike
n deal that there were no bids ut all was talk
/ m Tho 9TH day wit "A
spccted the electric railroads In London. lie SAID
that several roads already In successful opera
tion md that IL only question OF a short time
when all the London underground roads would be
operated with electricity