The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-16
Here Is the Proposition.

The proposition 20 be submitted to the
voters OF this city at the forthcoming cleo.
ton by the Rapid Transit Commission is
the most astounding ever made TO the peo
Pile In principle it Is the same as IL it were
proposed to the citizens that they should
give the control OF the expenditures OF the
city generally to a committee constituted
outside Of the municipal government elected
| by them, or to private corporation.
In this Commission Of eight members the
| locally elected authorities have only two
| representatives, the Mayor and the Comp
troller, who are Of course, in powerless mi
nority. The six citizen Commissioners are
to remain in Office for life, and as the ma
jority Of the Commission is to have the
power Of filling any vacancies that may oc-
cur, IL is self-perpetuating. The Mayor and
Comptroller are subject to change by popu-
lar vote, but the citizen Commissioners re-
main in absolute control indefinitely.
The proposition to come before the people
on the 9th Of November is to give this per-
petual majority the power to construct any
rapid transit system il pleases, in any way
it pleases, and practically at any cost it
pleases, the city treasury, or the people,
footing the bills.
1t is true that under the Rapid Transit
act, the Commission is limited to an ex-
penditure OF $50, 200, 900 OF the public
money, unless they are allowed more by
further legislation; but OF course il the
original sum be insufficient, an additional
sum must be provided. however great it may
be, or the expenditure already made will
be wasted. The plan OF the Commission Is to
build an underground railroad, OF whose
cost no Trustworthy estimate can be made.
II the first contribution OF s60, 900 900 is
used up before the hole is completed, the
city must 90 ahead and finish the job, what
ever its cost, for the unfinished tunnel would
he worse than useless IL would be public
nuisance.
According to the presidents afforded by
public undertakings like the new City Hall,
the State Capitol the Brooklyn Bridge, the
new Croton aqueduct, and public buildings
generally, it's cost would far exceed the esti-
mates Of the engineer. Even IL it were hon
estly constructed. and every cent laid out
upon 1t were spent to the best purpose,
neither he nor any other man can guess
what its cost would be. No contractor
and no company Of contractors would take
tnt rish oi guaranteeing It's CONSTRUCTION NJ
$50, 900, 900; and nobody can prognosticate
how long a time would be required to build it,
whether five years or ten years. The peculiar
geological formation of Manhattan Island
presents difficulties in the way Of the con-
struction OF such tunnel that forbid the
making Of any estimate OF its cost, which
can be trusted as even approximately cor
rect but the opicion Of men most competent
TO speak about the matter from special
study Of the problems involved is that the
amount would be nearer $50, 600, 900 than
$50 200, 600 and might reach 500, OOO, 900
before all the charges incidental to the I'M
dertaking were paid. This estimate does
not include the corruption which would be
possible and probable under the unlimited
discretion granted to this Commission, and
which would make the actual expenditure
much more. The scheme has in it the ele-
ments out Of which scandal of the Panama
Canal sort might easily be made.
Is it conceivable that the people OF New
York will give their approval to a project SO
monstrous: