The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-21
CONTRACT DRAWN.
RAPID TRANSIT COMMrISsIONERS
DIDN'T WAIT FOR THE COURT.

A3NAuEu ~ " y9Nhstuu-DItb uAuh ~ rA'.
but Tansmnny Leader sheehan Learned
what the specincations Were TO ne.
The Rapid Transit Commissioner are an
noyed. They are ovon angry. That which has
disturbed the serenity Of their spirits is the
prominence given TO tho report that John c.
sheehan Is to DO at the head of the company
which 10 to build and operate the underground
railroad, should the Appellate Division OF the
Supreme Court, after 1t has heard the ergu-
ments tomorrow. direct the Rapid Transit
commissioner TO lot the contract for building
the road.
The Citizens Union controls the Rapid Tran
sit Commission. Tho President OF the commits.
slon 10 Alexander Il. Orr, who was a Mugwump
before he became a Cit. Another member of the
commission is Charles Stewart Smith, vice-Pres-
ident OF the Citizens Union and Chairman OF the
Unions Executive Committee. Both Of these gen.
tlomen have grown gray In trying TO purify the
city Government. 1t 10 extremely annoying to
them. therefore, that the slightest prominence
should be given to the fact that men who have
dedicated their lives to civic purity should, for
any purpose Whatever. form an alliance with
tho nominal head OF Tammany Hall, which they
have asserted. more than once, to DO the incar.
nation Of civic corruption.
The Rapid Transit Commissioner did every.
thing they could think Of to keep from the pub
lie the fact that they had been dickering with
Mr.. Sheehan. When asked IL they had given
any thought to tho personnel of tho com.
pany which should build and operate tho
road, should the road ever DO built,
they gave evasive answers "Oh, dear, no |"
they said, I'VE couldn't think of considering
that question now. We haven't obtained per-
mission TO build the road yet, and our authority
to let the contract is contingent upon the APP
prevail Of the court"
Than ~ pinnad dawn Tho Connn,iaeionare
would talk vaguely about capitalists in Balti-
more, Chicago, Oshkosh, and the isles of the sea
who had, by letter or in person, made inquiries
about the terms of the contract and who would
probably bid on it. All this vaRueness and bosh
about the contract question was, Of course. only
q cloak to cover the real business in which
the Commissioners were engaged in spite of the
fact that tho Rapid Transit act postponed tho
preparation of specifications to the decision Of
the Court, they went right ahead getting them
i5 re sirn' They n w " have Srsx the ssSsTsi ready Essdy
ago under the Immediate supervision OF
A AIits, through :; Orr ws soa os hi o SifMaif
Union controls the commission, assisted by tho
legal employees Of the board. It is now. in the
hands OF o committee of engineers, who, having
been carefully instructed as to what is expected
OF them. will approve the contract within q few
contract covers oyor 500 printed pages.
In practically the same shape in which it is
statement made BY Mr.. sheehsn last Thursday.
he was maxi g an examination into the details
81 sGestFu ct Tho to o ond Sao what %So w9 srs e so
told what he found out, and no one, Of
detailed Information would b. accepted
from any less reliable source than the contract
ifssa1i M'i Hall In having 1inss access es n 70 ahe c]on ae I to OF
building the road, drafted by Citizens Union
o matter OF wonder that other contractors have
got the idea that nobody but q Tammany con-
The Rapid Transit Commissioner are dis
turbed over another matter. Some Of the New
York newspapers which have been assisting the
boldly asserted that it is known already what
the decision of the Appellate Division will be,
s that thu ans, road sas viii Be- b ,a t. P ons sf tie s ossan,
of the commission printed tho following in ref
'Fs.'e to tbs On On Monday pE r next the Appellate pl.
m uislSn of Spd the xs sisBRr SPii be Sos Sssea Is i ss d hsss SrE q:
to whether the report of its special commission
recommending the constructions Of the road shall
DO approved or rejected. It is well under.
Rapid Transit Commissioners viii prevail with
at once push the great scheme inward. SIS
As soon az the expected favorable decision Of
the court is handed down the detailed plans will
The Commissioners do not like statements like
1 nea 1SssSS!ns T f ss lear tea. f Il looks X t aoo much SwR
Court 4 tfe syy t Iste resins to q ps s1,S up m she
ing the request for the Commissioners. asked
yesterday that THE SUN state asa positive fact
that the Rapid Transit Commissioners have
really received no assurances from the Justices
will be decided.
statement made by another of their papers in q
recent editorial. This statement was;
as I ne% isF %ashs Pr %isb 6sf e. n 10 sas T nftsS ESe hsI
charter goes into effect, and the long contest
might have to be taken up afresh."
that the citizens Of the Greater New York
the the T Soss T II I. w sho Tfdis be e baiis1 70 oaE inc NOT eG ssn O.
ton any such expenditure of the city, money.
Gommissioner have a a 6Snco game thai. ii worked
It i1n all ana n STATE, es f fsfnna o snd io sns P fsIsns e ci sFG sad
in the affairs Of the city, No matter what the
real purpose Of the Commissioners may be. they
a aishou waf they sn are e cits. they se s are 'b ban @Ss,fe sers,
1t was practically admitted by representa-
missioners base their hope Of q favorable de
cisIon from he appellate Division on the point
OF the contract to build the road does not create q
new debt for the city. 1t has been learned that
counsel for the commissioners Will insist IN
and cannot, become indebted for the full cost Of
the road until the road is completed; .,....
such argument must prove fallacious, but, In
order to meet tho Commissioners with all the
magnanimity possible, they are willing to con
cede. for argument that this 10 true. Then they
remind the Commissioners of the Thousand and
one public improvements that are already under
way. or soon win be; The SUN printed apartial
list of these the other day. There is no going
the contracts have already been let. THE Sun
has also shown, that. taking into consideration
only the funded debt Of the city, and taking nc
account Of the cost of these various improve
ments, which will aggregate over 800. 900. 900
the margin which the city has for incurrinl
debt is n little over $49. 200, O0O
remembering this. remembering all the i'm
proyements already. undertaken and their cost
4 and admitting thd contention of tho Commits
J sioners relative TO the debt incurred by the city
when the contract for the proposed under
ground road is let, those opposed to the under
ground road assert that the condition. of thu
city's finances makes 1t impossible for the city
to build this road. Suppose. they suggest, that
With q margin Of debt-incurrinR capacity o.
$4,000. 600. the city undertakes to build tn,
road. II must 70 on with the improvements DO
gun under any circumstances. The lowest es
600. 900.
Now. under this superstition, the city goei
lnFtvar1 VII Zee t,hIt .-l Ia. ,,,l N,