Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-10-15
NOTES FROM THE HUB.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.


one uf the strongest arguments in be-
half of the subway. and the promise
without which the subway would never
have been built. was the permanent re-
ntuNal of the car tracks from fremont
street, and unless they are removed
when the underground ducts are COM
pl'ted, faith will have been broken with
the citizens of Boston From the begin
mng there have been prophets of evil
Who with a knowing shake Of the head
said that the tracks would never be re-
moved, hut these doubtful Thomases
were hardly worth needing. Latteriy,
however, the impression has become
quite prevalent that freed fremont
street is no longer TO he hoped for; that
reasons will be adduced al a convenient
time to prove that the tracks must re-
main in the street or the people who ride
in the street cars cannot be aCcOmmu-
dated as they desire and ought to be. As
the law stands this cannot be, for the
act of 1894 expressly requires the transit
commissioners to order all surface tracks
removed from fremont street between
BoylStun street and SCollay square and
from BoyIstpn street between Park
square and fremont street. This order
must issue "on or before the completion
of said suhWays ana tunnels" SO that
whether or not the commissioners have
the power at the present time to order
up the tracks in the streets named,
there is no doubt about their being com
PEELED to order them up when the sub
ways are completed. Then to prevent
any doubt as to the intent of the act, il
is provided that surface tracks shall
not be laid or maintained in that part of
any street from which said commission
may have ordered such tracks removed
But the acts OF the Massachusetts legis
latme are not like the laws of the MedeS
and PeTSianS, in the fact that they are
readily altered. If the railway company
can convince itself and the lawmakers
that the surface tracks are needed for
the proper accommodation of the pc, p,c,
the act of 1924 win be- amended and the
peoples rondpst hopes will end in disap-
pOintmcnt 1t is understood that opin-
ions differ as To the subway being equal
10 the demands which will be made upon
it; that while the transit commissioners
believe 1t Will he entirely adequate. the
railway company thinks otherwise. At
the present time about 100 ears are run
hourly through the subway, hut there Is
about the same number moving upon the
surface of fremont street. Upon its face
this statement seems to support the
contention that the subway has already
reached its maximum of accommodation,
that the surface cars are still full Of
passengers. and that consequently the
public demand necessitates a continued
use of the streets on the east and south
sides of the common. on the other
hand. however, it is intimated that the
railway company has an eye to future ac-
liun when, as undoubtedly it has done, 1t
largely Increases the number of surface
cars on fremont street by adding lines
there that have hitherto been turned off
and not allowed to come farther north
ward than Buylston street. There is one
thing that may be accepted as certain
lHmely.that the tracks in fremont street
will not come up with the railway COM
pany'S full and free consent. 1t is not in
the nature of things to suppose that
the company will make no attempt to
keep its hold upon the surface of Tre-
mont and BoylsIOn streets. Therefore, it
may be expected that a move will he
made. probably the coming year, for an
amendment of the statute of 1894. which
shall permit the retention of the surface
tracks. As has already been ntimated.
but for the belief that the tracks would
he removed from fremont street the
subway never would have been built.
Is the public willing to forego the prnci-