The sun., 1897-11-16
COST OF RAPID TRANSIT.
ESTIMATES so FAR LITTLE DETER
THAN SCIENTIFIC g UESSWoRK.

a
Exceed tho Estimates BY Many millions.
Before tho Appellate Division of the Supreme
Court can decide whether or not tho city OF New
York ought to build rapid transit railroad. &C.
cordine 10 the plans submitted by tho Rnpid
Transit Commissioners, 1t must determine.
among other questions, whether tho road
can be built for tho sum estimated,
Rs5. 900. 600. Tho Rapid Transit Commits
sioners say IL can. They say so, because
William Barclay Parsons, the engineer whom
they employed, says 80, and because one or two
other engineers verify Mr. Parsons's estimate.
Other enginccrs-four at most-and one or two
contractors, called by tho Commissioners as ex-
pert witnesses on the cost of construction, tes,i
fed that tho road will cost much more than
1876, 600, 600 Very many OF those who pay the
city's taxes say that not foot of the road
should be built II there is any doubt as to the
probable cost.
Those who question the accuracy Of Mr.. Par
nonss estimate say that 1t is necessary for him
and those who employ him to show beyond a
reasonable doubt that the road can be built for
tho amount estimated. The Rapid Transit Com
missioners, It is asserted, are the plaintiffs In
the oase, and upon them rests the burden of
proving their allegations. This they have not
done. Tho valuo of any testimony given on this
point depends, OF course on the reliability OF tho
witnesses giving tho testimony. As has been
said, tho estimated cost Is fixed largely by tho
testimony OF the young engineer who drew the
plans for the road. 1t is admitted that Mr.. Par
sons "a n conable engineer. but II ia asserted
that bis on;nions cannot be altogether reliable
booause in all his engineering experience he
has never had to deal with problems like those
involved in the construction of this road.
Many OF tho estimates made for work like
that in question must be made by comparison
with some other work similar to It. In making
"''n ,,, 'ono y, ~ s,,. ~ -
the piahs anu arriving "V ee''n'"'e'' 'ho N"piu
Transit Commissioners and their engineer made
n careful study Of tho Boston subway. It is as
s..,as -, 80, ,,i,o orr,ht q, Lnoy thot tb.
serteo oy those WHO ought ~ NM" In"' 'ho
Boston subway can furnish no safe comparison
proposed underground here. ihoso VINO MAKE
70 'ho chSr"e,er St ,1e "o.n un .nJ tU"u
cut through Boston Common and the Public
Garden. Most of tho work was carried on under
shield at 80 great depth below the surface as
not to disturb the sewers and gas and water
was removed much more easily and choaply
thnn could possibly be the case here. Material
%n ,,%n 'Uu,u V.on ,he o, thrnUsh Tho Comnon wos
taken from inc cue III 'ouSn INC was
used on tho spot for grading and other pur.
-, -, - nta,,t ~, Iii. ,,horo n
% hauleu ohiy apout ha'i n'io, "hofo ~
Maino Rn;rond, The BOSTON subway was de-
- a.. ',,;,. .,,, ,uooosod W. york
signed ior cars "h'ie the proposed Ne" lors
road is for trains. In building the Boston road
no river had TO be crossed and but little soil
bearing water was encountered. 1t is further
| recalled that whatever the Boston road may
have cost. It was not thought to be good enough
kino OF rapld transit 10 10 eAtehueu 10 othof
parts of the New England capital The scheme
for rapid transit recently adopted there and
Sanctioned by the LEGISLATURE is for n system of
elevated railroads
From the testimony brought out before the
IlPnrs"ns Wns almost in daily consuitation with
| the engineer who planned the Boston subway
when he was preunrine his estimates for the
New York road. some figures. therefore,
relative to the Boston work may have a
bearing on the question whether New York
ought to construct the road recommend
| ed by tho Rspid Transit Commissioners.
| The Boston road is about 2 miles long It
cost. pcr mile. So Os42I2 Tho length OF the
Contemplated road here is i 5 90 miles Mr. Par.
sonss estimate OF the cost. per mile, is $1.713,-
per mile OF the Boston road and the estimated
cost, per mile. OF the New York road is
only S371.7io II Is admitted by ME-; Par.
sons and. OF course, by tho Rapit Transit
Commissioners. that the New York work
's soil russ and a1
suggested for the greater part of the distance
lies under mnchtrayeiled streets II Is asserted
ties OF construction were built at the same price
per mile the Boston one IL would cost at least
| 10 per cent. more than Mr.. Parsonss estimate.
| But tnoSc who question Mr.. Parsons,s esti.
| mate viii criticlse IL ON It's merits. without
| making comparison with any other piece of
work. If that will please the engineer any better.
They base their criticism on his own figures for
| the work in question as compared with tho
| figures of others invited to make estimates by
! the very men who emDloyed MIR. Parsons. A
board of eN perts was asked to figure OH the cost
of tho work hat a. figures might he comDarcd
| with those OF Mr. Parsons These experts were
Messrs; ,Crowell, BuckhoIz, and McNulty. Mr..
| Crowell has planned some of the most important
pieces OF engineering done in this country. He
| was the engineer in charge OF the reconstruc-
| ton OF the Western and OF the Pennsylvania
! Railroad, OF depressing and relaying the tracks
| of the New York, New Haven and Hartford
road in :, Westchestor county. Of dittieult % work
Toronto Mr.. McNulty is acknowledged to be
the greatest authority on the cost of excava'
tion in New York, and Mr.. Buckhoz, as an
engineer, Is quite the equal OF Mr. Crowell.
| Mr. Parsons and the three experts figured on
tho cost Of excavation Of earth lrehlling and re:
movingl and for rehlling and removing rock and
| for rock tunnelling along the route of the pro-
posed line. The difference in their figures in
| tho opinion Of many juStiies any one in ques.
tOninR the total estimate of the cost OF the road