New-York tribune., 1894-04-12
Mr.. STEINWAY'S POSITION.
HE STRONGLY FAvORS THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE. BILL.
IT CONTAINS TIE MOST PRACTICABLE PLAN TO
SECURE RAPID TRANSIT. He sAYS-NoT

SECURE RAPID TRANSIT. HE sAYs-NOT
A TAMMANY MAN
'I am heart and soul in favor of the Chamber Of
Commerce rapid-transit plan" said William stem
way, President of the Rapid Transit Commission
yesterday. TO Tribune reporter. 1T is' on tne
whole, a very good bill" he continued, 'and the
most practicable yet drawn If | were well enough
i would certainly go TO Albany and argue III laNor
Of it."
MIR. Steinway has regarded in some quarters
as secret friend Of the Manhattan Railway Com
pany. Asked in regard to this supposed atliiatoh'
Mr.. Stenway said:
II regard every elevated road and the extension
OF the present system mere nakeshft. Real
rapid transit only be obtained by two means:
First, by the solid stone viaduct. which Is impos-
Eible in this city, and second, by an underground
route"
There have been ntmations and charges made'
said the reporter. that in the first place you were
in sympathy with Tanmany Hall and its schemes,
and secondly. that YOU favored the Manhattan
Company in its projects for extensions. VIII you
consent to allow the publication OF any statements
by you these points
Yes. will" replied Mr.. Stcinway. sterniy. As
regards Tammany, ! was the Committee Of Scv-
enty. moro than twenty years ago. which insututed
the PROCEEDINGS against Tweed ! have never pecii
I'm Tammany Hall in my life. have never known
any one connected with TGmmany or any of the
leaders until l made the acquaintance Of Richard
Croker during the Cleveland campaign of iSSS ana
have probably met him on the streets ha1-
dozen times since | have never seen Mayor
Gilroy, and don't know Mr.. Martin ana do not
know anybody else among their leaders nave
belonged 70 any political organization. except
joined Cleveland organization and am
not a politician.
ME-. sTENwAYs MOTIVES.
"It seems strange" continued Mr.. Steinway, that
i should be charged with collusion with either Tam
many Hall or with the Manhattan Railway Com
pany. L have lived here many years, pay taxes on
100000 worth OF property. and nobody who knows
me will say that am rnerceDary. As president OF
this Rapid Transit Commission | have served the
public without compensation, and have at my own
expense visited Europe to study the plans for rapid
transit. / have nothing TO gain by faNorlhS any
system. and ! only want 10 see that system per
fected which believe is for the best interests Of
the people. And what ! say of myself may be said
Of my fellow commissioners 49,, .,
the Bushe system? You mentioned as connected
in way with this; and belief exists that the
fSSss'jSm of the CHAMBER n ei!SG Of commcrce Bin
That is all wrong" replied Mr.. steinway with
and trust the Chamber OF Commerce bi VIII pass
less than six as quorum in complete board OF
Mr. Sieinway was asked why he had strongly
We'll" said he. 'the developments in electricity
and Of t'T the most perfect Ventilation on this point
became satisfied when visited year ana haf 4
phere there was JUST sweet and pure as could be
In september is5s was on that line for days with
a Thermometer in my hand and found the rS average
age time for the journey OF three and hree-quarter
miles fourteen minutes. with three stops, or |
five stations. including the starting point and the /
terminus: that Is. running from Thames Bridge TO |
Southwark. The tunnel consists of iron pipes feet
and inches in diameter. and the trains were COM
posed Of motor and three cars.
OBJECTION TO A DEEP TUNNEL
1.-The elevators were huge circles cut in half one
half descending while the other ascending. |
There for fifty people on the platform. l |
went on several crowded trains and found that at
the end stations the elevators could not transfer all
:he passengers. BY this actual demonstration be-
came convinced that in huge. longitudinal city
like New-York rapid transit impossible by
constructed large enough TO take all the passengers
from long, crowded train at one time. This was
sion unanimously in favor of the plan which
provided that the bottom OF the tunnel should not
be deeper than twenty feet so that people could
AS to the suspicion that the Rapid Transit Com
really in favor OF an extension Of the
present elevated system. Mr. Stenway declared:
at is unjust to the Commission 10 charge 1t with
any such motive. Last summer when the Commits
sion received that curt reply from the Manhattan
Company, a resolution was unanimously passed to
abandon all negotiations with the Manhattan Com
pany and In the resolution reporting in favor Of the
Independent elevated railroad. and Of what is known
as the Bushe plan the Commission again resolved
that under no circufns tances should the line be
consolidated or run in conjunction with the Man
Mr. Steinway closed the interview with an en-
phatic avowal Of approval Of the Chamber Of Com
merce bill. He looks forward to a system Of under
ground rapid transit whereby express trains.
making few stops. residents Of the northern sec
tons OF the city may 70 from downtown places to
their homes for luncheon. and return within an
Mr.. steinway added that II the Chamber OF Com
lnerce bill should pass the legislature and the
he would in spite Of his physical ailments. make the
journey to Albany and argue before the Executive
In It's favor