New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08

expense OF the road; second because Ha nns ,hsir
vaults. which they have occupied In some cases case,
be taken from them serious and r
specfu consideration Even public enterPrse in,ar
e ny ese Bjysfs s's are to
in opinion they must be- II can Ons so far All
serior in Importance private convenience, that II
must be promoted even al the risn OF "h"' III p'p'
wbsn we come 70 the matter of vaults however.
II is doubtful whether they are entll!eu III a T.,
cry Gases have nut extensive machinery therein
under license from the city Whe,her 'h n,er"s in
the street may not come within our paoV sansra
decide but there seems to naT nat ' effect
pr.RIJc NEEDS HAVE PRECEDENCE.
:, ,.s ,oen sugge.ted by one of the counsel that
compensation would have to be made by the Guy
for the invasion OF the vaults. on the ground tha'
they were easements or 'prvileges. and WERE
therefore, provided for in the forty-seventh se0o
of the ,,, ,or con,
nensafion where "privileges'' taken, sucn
privileges as this were intended prlpnese
that the city would be called upon to pay LOT
law cannot be taken away without cohpensa jii
"a was suggested come to the aid OF the property
owners. Assuming that the Legislature ma! uIa"
from the public treasury for the purpose OF rehey
does permit any legal form or Tehei IL Is a.
bounty would commend itself to the people or TO
their representatives The case presents ltsei'
therefore as one in which, so far as your CON-
missioners are able to form judgment; these
vaults. which constitute In fact vaiuaDie par.
OF the property must be taken away, and y Is not
without reluctance that we have reached the con
clusion that the public needs must overrlae me me
equitable considerations which have been so ior'-
bly, presented by the Broadway owners
I'VE do not consider the objection weghty one one
and snoring up these buildings While much d. d..
cussOn was had as to the extent to which oa this hs
extensive and costly, and others that 1t would be
trhng and nexDensiye the fact is that the prop
made for such protection IN building the road 10
this extent the owners have the law on their side
to guard their interests and TO indemnify them
against injury That their business will suffer Is
probable although we are inclined to believe that
II proper precautions taken, the injury VIII
be insignificant as compared with their pessimstic
anticpations. 1t is natural that men engaged in
large and important transactions. and who have
had the painful experience of the last few years.
which feeds their business. But their trials be
they what they may are likely to be ., temporary
value of property in Broadway. after the building
OF the road will more than compensate them for
passing annoyance
THE ROAD AS A PAYING VENTURE
Many witnesses were examined before us 10 show
that the road would or would not be n paying
venture. even If 1t built Experts have varied
in their estimates here they have on the subject
OF cost. with the difference. perhaps that when
speaking OF the matter OF probable profit they as
sumed prophetic role, and deal wholly with the
secrets Of the future Concedlng, however that
they have special facilities from their past expert
ence for thus anticipating the developments of the
years 10 come II Is sufficient 10 that the Board
OF Rapid Transit Commissioners have examined the
question with care. and have come to the conclu-
sion that the road would probably TO be very
profitable. They have produced testimony show
that this road would be no exception TO all others.
and that the amount Of patronage which, is likely
to receive will exceed the expectations even OF IT.
friends we have no reason 10 doubt that this is
just expectation Certainly the past history OF the
surface and elevated roads justihes its adoption.
as to meet the growing necessities OF travel But
here again practical men should be left 10 deal with
this question: and If after mature consideration 4
contractor is willing TO wager $1,000 900 that he
he will carry his undertaking. DO not ny
over-anxiey lest he fall into error should prevent
from giving him an opportunity to prove the sin
The danger that the statutory limitation Of u per
has not escaped our attention, and the testimony OF
the Controller. Mr.. Fitch. has received con
present figures there is certainly very tlc margin
left. but forget that the city increasing
| and In wealth. and inclined to share
Mayor Hewit,'s view that the great rise in ne
OF this road, would remove all danger on the score
| We do not consider this objection therefore. as
fatal. but it must be doubted whether 1t is properly
S si AT m to the M 9t to Rr TO
and 10 the Board Of Rapid Transit Commissioners.
tory mi, is liable to Be exceeded We may rely upon
them to that the law is not violated The sink
ing fund moreover of which Mr. Hewitt has spoken.
and the Importance of which he has not overesti-
mated Will go far TO provide sufficient funds FOR the
There is also an incidental advantage of no small
interest to gu. our people in adopting the broadway
underground ppes-sewer-pipcs. gas-ppes, water
pipes and electric wires. one of the most attractive
features Of this scheme is the pipe galleries which
are TO be constructed in connection with the road.
!, the pan Is carried out on the lines indicated By
Mr.. Parsons the Chief Engineer. great step VIII
relieve
property end travellers on that street from the an
| frequent tearing up OF its surface street.
THE PARK AVENUE vIADUCT.
Certain property owners residing on Parls-ave.
represented b. Mr.. Tutte have objected to that
| ton Of the which In TIE form OF a VIA
duct along Park-avc.. from Ninety eighth-st to the
| Harlem River. They have urged these objections
with great vgor. and have. moreover. presented
several plans as substitutes for the purpose Of re-
.ieving their homes from what they consider
erevous burden We are not inclined TO exercise so
by them 10 assume. We are aware that the Sd
mission, which concluded that 1t nadvsable to
have the detached portion lof the route) extending
constructed and therefore did not report that such
portion of the route should be built This. how
the theory OF the Commission that a complete
route existed without the main tnenance of the
in its place But 1t IS plain that the integrity Of
the work presented by the :. Board Of Rapid Trans;
the elimination OF so important feature that
OF the Park-ave viaduci; AZ the General Term
route adopted. the provisions of the act were
compiled with. 1t certainly not within the
scope OF the legislative intention to make the whole
scheme (where It is susceptible OF being divided
into integral parts) depend upon the rejection OF
such particular portion. which might be entirely
independent of the rest Apart from this doubt
from the general body Of the scheme We are not
satisfied that any Of the notifications suggested
would improve the plan of the Board Whatever
damage the Park-ave. owners may suffer from the
erection and operation OF vaduc' In their neigh
borhood they should From the past
perence Of the elevated roads 1t Is not improbable
that such recovery will be fully adequate to their
losses.
AS TO the objections that may be and have been
urged to the tunnel underground system they are,
doubt, many and serious, but no other system
can be devised which Is not less injurious