New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-28
TILE RAPLU TRANSIT R!LL.

| The discussion before the Mayor of The bill
authorizing an additional issue 81 bonds to me
| amount OF Sj.eOOOm for rapid transit purposes
| has bcen TO A great extent irrelevant and use
| loss After a prolonged and dishcarienng OK
| nerience with n Commission whose lnborS, large
| " Of the pen and mouth. produced no practical
! results but only intensified the longing for a
| satisfactory transportation system WITHIN the
borders Of Ncw-lork. an act which pronis"d Sud
stantiol relief from intoerahle conditions was
nosscd and n new Commission came Into exist
| cpce with the general approval or int"IllG"h'
md uublic.Spiritcd citizens Prior 10 the subIniN-
! sion 10 q popular vote Of the chief question IN
VOWED namely. whether or not the city should
sunnlv the funds for construction of rapid transit
| roads and retain the title 10 them. the whole
subject was as thoroughly thrash'd ont in the
public press the PLATFORM ana In private CON
ycrsation as any subject ever has been within
the memory OF this generation. Tie opponents
Of thc scheme had ample opportunity 10 spread
| their opipions and were not at all slothfnl in the
busIuess Both sides were fully heard, and when
| finally after a discussion which much niIness
| talk would have made drcadfully wearisome II
tho tonic had not possessed vital interest YER
diet was rendered II was a verdict for munic-
| ipal construction. and there was no doubt about
|
! its emphasis.
Under the authority thus bestowed the Com
! mission renewed its thorough and systematic
work Of planning the details OF the scheme
Certainly not everybody has been satisfied with
| all Its conclusions. Residents OF the North Side
have complained that the original limits " con
| strrction discriminate against them without sum
c,ent reason In necessity or convenience. The
| r-l,n any Isl e1
reported In favor OF the Elm-st. instead Of the
Broadway route below Union Square, and not
few Intelligent persons have expressed regret
| that this recommendation was rejected. But III
weighing such criticisms as these 1t IS proper 10
reflect that the Commissioners have made pro
found study, under the guidance Of good lawyers
| and engineers OF the whole complicated and per
plexing problem, whereas scarcely anybody else
IS competent 10 discuss its details with them
They are men of superior capacity and perfect
| rcctItude and we have no doubt that the people
are generally willing to adopt their deliberate
conclusions But nevertheless the ingenious and
rcsolute opponents Of the scheme have created
ont Of the hearing before the Mayor an oppor
tupity 70 reopen with considerable bitterness all
! the questions which supposed to have been
settled, and with which in reality the bill now
in the Mayors hands has connection whatso
| ever
| The point mt issue Is the authorization OF a
possible outlay of S5OOOOO0 over and above the
S5OOOO,OOO which the people have voted to OK
pend on rapid transit. The additional sum may
or may not be needed ultimately, but the Com
missioncrs. after careful consideration and con
sultation with prospective bidders for the fran
| chisc are convinced that the present possession
! Of authority 10 exceed the original limit TO that
extent is absolutely necessary 10 the realization
OF their plans. Contrary 10 the inmaon OF
some Of their critics there is not trace Of bad
much mistaken in supposing that there was no
warrant in the conditions under which they have
been proceeding for the application which they
now make. On that point Mr.. Orr. the president
| Of the Commission, aptly quoted the words Of the
act. as follows: "'rhe amount OF bonds TO be
without the consent OF the Legislature first had
cor obtained" Mr. Orr added that he and his
colleagues had satisfied themselves that II was
| Indispensable 10 provide against the contingency
Of damages TO abuttinG property that the priv
iege of using the additional sum Of $1,000. 900
was solicited on this account. and that in his
opinion the defeat Of the bill would he the defeat
Of rapid transit
1t Is TO be- regretted that Il has become neces.
sary to extend the limit OF expenditure. since the
consequence is a renewal OF opposition by a small
Out diligent minority, and possibly some misap-