New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-23
SATURDAY.,
FEBRUARY q. 1895.
RAPID TRANSIT BY-AND-BY.
LEWIS L. DELAFIELD POINTS OUT sumo
OF THE DIFFICULTIES.

WHERE Is THE CONTRACTOR WHO WILL COA'
PLY WITH THE CONDITIONS OF THE ACT
If THE ROADS ARE BUILT NORTH
TO THE CITY LINE?
Lewis L. Deiahe.d secretary of the Rapid TRANSIT
Commission. was at his office. NO III oroau'
way yesterday, ard asked IL he had anything 70
say in reply to the criticism which comes from
people CT the Twenty-thrd and Twenty-iour'"
wards who do not agree with the action OF the |o'.
missioners In adopting routes which terminate AT
Mott Haven. on the East Side and One-hundred-
and-eighty- ffth-st on the West. Mr.. Delafe.d re-
Piled that the criticism in his opinion attro-
uab.e TO ignorance of the true facts OF the case
without assuming to speak in any way for the
Commissioners" Mr.. Desfed continued i ieeI
justified in pointing out that they have twice placed
on record their desire extend the rapid transit
road 10 the northerly limits of the city on the
East and West sides. But from Mott Haven TO
the north line OF the city Is somewhat over seven
miles and the city extends four miles north OF one
hundred a nd light yfth-st on the west Side' ana
to build to the city limits on both sides wou'd tnere.
fore Involve the construction OF eleven additional
miles Of railroad.
But under the terms OF the Rapid Transit act the
limit OF expenditure to be incurred In the construc-
ton OF the road is 100000, and the estimates OF
cost which have been obtained by the board from
the most skfu engineers Indicate that II the GOWN
town portion OF the railroad is to be constructed az
1t must be- upon a scale adequate to the needs or
the future well the demands of the present.
the sum above mentioned will not probably sunice
70 construct the railroad very much II at all, be-
yond the ternlni already mentioned.
Then. another thing must be borne In mind.
Under the law the city itself is to pay the initial
cost OF construction OF the railroad, but Ii Is not
to construct operate it. The work OF construc-
ton Is to be committed to contractor, who must
also agree equip the railroad-that Is. 20 furnish
It with rails. rong-stock, motors. etc-and to
of
than thirty-fve nor more than fifty, paying rent
exceeding by per cent per annUm the interest pad
by the city TO borrow the morey with when tho
railroad is constructed. In other words. the con-
tractor must agree 10 pay all the operating eN-
penses and an annual rent Of at least per cent
upon the cost of construction. II no one Is found
to lease the rapdtranst railroad upon these terms
IT cannot under the law it now stands. be con-
structed at all, and the work Of the present RAPID
Transit Board will prove wholly abortive'
Bearing this in mind it will readily be seen that
II the routes are extended through eleven mics OK
sparsey settled territory and the lessee is required
he must be under the law, 70 equip TINS poiuom
of the road and pay its operating expenses ana an
additional rent OF not .ess than per cent upon oo
cost OF CONSTRUCTING H. the Requirement. " h 49,,
ably be regarded as being 80 onerous that uns..
would De 70 odders 2r ne rspd transit entrey
"Concedng that the routes as now proposen 70
furnish 10 the inhabitants OF the nTp ,rors,
erly wards as great measure OF rap.i t hsss
a is desirable. II must be rememoered ina a
Of r ss y at to h ydt Rsen % q
enormous benefit TO those wards. For Mott Haven
is the focus of a number OF railroads which spread
out like fan through the district above mem
toned | refer the branch line OF the New.
Haven Railroad. the suburban Rapid transit ns,,t
Railroad the main line Of the New Haven Kan.
road the Harlem Railroad. the Spuyten Duyvil
and Port Morris Railroad which connects win
the Central and Northern railroads. and m"
trolley railroads. all of which converge at mat
point and would distributing agencies
either with or without formal traffic agreements.
Then. on the West Side. ! notice that the eape
roads have made application for leave to extent
their lines north OF Onehundred-and ,eighty -nfth.
81 By the Kingsbridge Road and Broadway 10
the city limits, thus making further provision LOT
so far as the wisdom and Justice of the cont
clusIon reached by the Commissioners ~ con-
corned / can only say this-that | myself own
property in the Twenty fourth Ward which would
bo greatly benefited II the West Side line were ex-
tended 10 the city limits and | have naturally.
hoped that the Board would see its way clear 10
make this extension. And yet, after thoroughly
acouantng myself with the facts am entirety
satisfied that the action Of the commissioners IS
reasonable and Just and that any attempt TO eN-
tend the routes OF the present time and under me
present law would simply jeopardize the whole
Enterprise to the dstrirnert Of the city at large