New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-10
THE EAST RIVER TUNNEL.
DELAY BY ALDERMEN.

4 ,rop,r IN NETWORK AND BROOKLYN IMPA-
TENT OVER THE FAILURE OF THE BOARDS
TO GRANT THE NECESSARY PER
MISSION TO BUILD
peonle on both sides OF the East River who are
interested In the tunnel which corporation coseiy
ared with the Long Island Railroad Company is
,ors ~ huild are impatient at the failure of
10 roards of Aldermen in the two cities 10 grant
the ne-mission asked for. The hearing on the sub
,ect was given by committee in BROOKLYN Tour
-seks apo ard in New-York the matter was pre-
eu,ed 10 the Aldermen in the early part OF last
week Substantially opposition was made 10
the nroiec, which has been received by press and
peope in both cities with cordial approval.
All the tunnel company wants is permission TO
make a bore through the earth seventy-hve or one
hundred feet below the surface-so far down that
there will be interference with buildings pave
men,s or pipes except at the few points where II
will be necessary 10 open shafts Inc tunhei 10
10 run from Atlantic and Flatbush aves, in Brook
Nn 10 Cortlandt and Church SITS. in New-YorK'
nd the plan is to operate fast trains through IL
by electricity and thus supply rapid transit Aoih
the heart Of the business district OF the metropohs
10 Brooklyn and. in fact. TO great part OF Long
leland A vital part of the proposed improve
,s,, of Atlantic-ave is the removal from the sur
face of that potentially fine street OF the rail-
road tracks that have ruined II Tor business ana all
other purposes. and prevented the legitimate
yrop,h Of brooklyn in the large area south OF rms
thoroughfare.
The agreement between the Brooklyn authorities
and the Long Island Railroad Company is that the
i,y shall nav 81 $4,000 toward the cost OF taking
,bc tracks off Of Atanticave., but that work can
not be started until the Commission appointed by
Navor Wurster TO oversee 1t is satisfied that the
tunnel under the river is TO be constructed Inc
oHcars of the company declare that they are ready
TO proceed with the tunnel as soon as the permits
sion they seek is granted by the two sets of Alder
men, What they want is not, strictly speaking, a
franchise at all events. it is not an exclusive fran
chise such as is employed by a cable or trolley
rood u,hen II secures franchise TO a street. The
tunnel coupany will have exclusive rights save
os N n bore through the earth. twenty or thirty
feet in diameter and the opening OF this tunnel VIII
NO. interfere with the construction OF dozen more
u any one sees fit to build them.
There are many inquiries daily as 10 when the
Aldermen may be expected TO act on the applca-
lions but no one is yet able to answer them II
is conceded on all hands that there ought not 10
r. ,i,nn,l company should not be allowed 10 go
ahead al once Its project Is plainly FOR the Dehe
In OF the community. and so iar as the tuNei itseit
is concerned the people are not asked 10 contribute
William H. Baldwin. jr, president Of the Long
Island Railroad Company is aiso ofce II, he
Mutual Life Building he said that he was hopetui
of favorab bic action by the Boards OF Aldermen at
the course of the Brooklyn Aldermen on Monday,
when they refused TO have Mayor Wursters special
message, urging action on the tuhhei p,otGu feS
| threats made by p H. Flynn about holding up the
tunnel scheme II he did not get his own plan ior
securing Ud have bad effect on the
Through the BOARD "ouiu nave va" e"SN' va '''e
tunnel matter. ,,,,,, Do,s,, ".,ord,