New-York tribune., 1895-02-01
the EXPERTS REPORI.

THE EXPERTS REPORI.
The report of the Board of Experts "ppo'"','
! to make an Independent examination VI INV
whole probcm II rapid transit inciun"s '"''
,l,ps hitherto proposed for its sol'ifi"h' u IL"
/ ,dmir,blc document In form ami phras'"loI!'
/, is thorough. compact and perfectly cicar' pre-.
,,r,iuc no difficulties whatsoever To the ihil"
,f any Intelligent citizen. In Il word, u Is u"
Instructive example of what such reports onGh'
j., hc lis excellence H. these respects Is CASH!
accounted for bv the fnct that ii cmbodics tne
vicvs Of men precisely equipped for th'ir ''sh
bv extensive knowledge. wide experience al"
snccial trainlng-lncn who went straight io inc
heart Of their subject without cropping. ana wheh
,bcir opinions had been formed expressed them
without circumlocuion
I, seems to us that this report is rs valuable
in substance aS it is excellent in form: 'hohgh
i'm saving this do not presume To IMPLY 'ia'
! certain knowledge Of 80 complex. inff1c''' a'"'
technical Il problem can BE- possessed ny any
body not specially instructed in The science "'
engineering. II j. necessary To accrp' me COLI
rlusionS of experts in such cases. II any prog
ross j. to bc made. and in this instance ther' II
| an unusual degree Of security attaching !" inc
Judgment rendered in Il matter OF vital iinpor-
| tanrc Ia the community. The plan from whleh
ihc rcport dissent, I'm some particulars was
chiefly vulnerable on the financial SIDE. me
cnst of executing II would have exceeded the
limit set in the Rapid Transit act submitted 10
the people and ratified by them last November
In consequence much apprehension WAS fell i'S'
this obstacle should bc pronounced practcaiiy
inslIpcrabc. excepting through such changes rs
would make the project seem scarcely worth
undertaking But the Board Of Experts have
happily agreed that .hc cost can be reduced 10
n point safely within the limit of expenditure
hv notifications which. as 1t seems 10 us dis
tnctly improve the original plan apart from the
consideration Of cost. Great engineering works,
II is true frequently absorb u much larger sum
Of money than the estimates anticipated, but IN
This ease the best obtanablc Judgment has been
procured under conditions Of peculiar safety the
elements entering into the calculation having
been cautiously weighed already and reduced 10
a form capable Of thorough analysis. Moreover,
a large margin Of safety remains. If this Is not
"A basis which can be accepted rs solid by the
public and on which capital can reasonably rely,
| II would seem impossible 10 provide il sure
| foundation for any great enterprise II Is prop
cr to add that there Is good reason for special
satisfaction In the fact that the conclusions of
the Chief Engineer Of the Rapid Transit Com
| mission are substantially sustained by the Boani
| uf Expcrts inasmuch as his fitness for grave
and onerolis trust i thereby auihoritaivcly con
| hrmcd
The ONLY part Of the report which i likely
! ,o cncounicr much opposition is that proposing
| to extend the privileges Of the Manhattan 'om
| unnv Our opinions Of the attitude ana opera
! lions of that corporation have repeatedly been
| cxurr>scd and We withdraw nothing which we
| have said in ccn>urc of lis policy AMI service.
Bur We have Otter said also and now repeat
/ that the public welfare can be- promoted 10y al-
/ ihorizinc or ~ the experts put II. requiring.
/ IN. Manhattan Company To- enlarge It's facilities.
! I, already ha, possession Il rights which 1t has
s.ycr thoroughly utilized for The common b"nc-
ii, huf II would be- foolish. because the public
/ 3. cy1Spcra',-l by lis shortcomings 10 discard
/ nm .nunriunitv for securing better scryic" Win
/ nnlv 4 slighi additional sacrifice on the part of
| fhr uooplc ON the whole therefore. II appears
to IL that such development of tn" elevated
| railroad system rs X suggested 10y the Board
voulJ bn moro inlcrablc than The evils which
ofherwisc The community must cndnr" for years
>. come For il + perfectly obvious That the
new system cannot be- rapidly provided i'll any
| circumstances and that the deficiency Of trans
portaton facilitic, i constantly becoming more
! bur,lcnsomc The city should doubtless "Aac'
such terms in consideration nf new concessions
io the Manhattan Company * VIII fuily secure
thr kind and degree of service contemplated IN
the experts proposition II that can ID" done
th, resulting benefits may REASONABLY he *
pcctcd 10 Justify the bestowal Of further PRIV
Ilcccs upon a corporation which has not hitherto
done its duty to this community