The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
rHr RAP1p rnANs1r Jon.
me Protest Of n Citizen Against the Ener'
useusiy Costly Underground schetne.

me Protest Of n Citizen AEninnt the Ener. |
neusiy Costly Underground sche,ne.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir IL seems
10 mo inconceivable that any considerable por-
ton OF tho citizens OF New York could for n
moment be induced to indorso tho scheme pro-
posed by tho Rapid Transit Commissioners, in
yolving the expenditure of over $50, 900. 600 for
the purpose OF transporting passengers Of the
New York Central and New York and New
Haven railroads to and from tho lower end Of
the city to the Grand Central Station. Accord.
ing to tho report of the estimablo gentlemen COM
prising tho commission, II seems that our pco-
pe are clamor ng for tho privilege OF going to
their homes or places of business through the
medium of an underground tunnel, far prefer
ring that sort of locomotion to street surface or
elevated railroad transportation. Now. let us
look at tho facts In sober oarnestncss for u mo-.
ment or two.
A commission was appointed some eight years
ago by act of the Legislature for the special pur.
pose Of devising a better and more perfect sys-
tenn Of passenger transportation within the
limits Of the present city Of New York than that
which was at that period In vogue. The Com
missioners appoint"d took II for granted from
| the start that the only feasible way to accom-
plish this object was to build an underground
tunnel road, such as they have in London. you
know" Accordingly. they employed a corps of
CIVIL, ana QUITO n nuWD6T OF uuClVlI, onRlnccTS,
surveyors, stenographors and experts ad lib, to
prepare plans, specifications. maps. &C., for the
proposed great Improvement. Somehow or
other their we'll matured plans to benefit the
travelling public did not pan out according to
| promise, but the pay roll was always in evidence.
Mans were drawn only to DO cast aside. routes
were selected only to be rejected at the last mo-
ment, and property consents were secured at
great expense only to be thrown into the waste
basket whom q now route was decided upon.
And so this transparent humbuR has beon going
on for years, at an expense to the city Of over
81, 900. 900. without any practical result what
ever. Suddenly, within six weeks Of the date
when, by the operation of the new charter. tho
whole miserable business will be abolished, the
commission decides to make q nnal report and
present it to the Appellate Division Of the SUI
sioners show any good reason to the average
citizen why such an enormous amount of money
H fhS%id ths sS p suRe Il hat = i it Would Ia t Se a T ao%rea Of
revenue TO the municipality Are they not
MAJOR Of Of 'h' our fact s.o Shss' their ts the S%rei ssssi
S oyyss;n of tunnel traTWsRortati0 gor, p t tx,
pendit9ro Involved in tho construction of such
official report Of tho Manhattan Elevated Rail.
y gsSa n foiio1 " A'e sSo {Yn tGT tns nast q 9i tss ssb 81 s sns
tenn on the Broadway and Third avenue surface
railroads showed n decrease Of over Doc, 600
Of the elevated roads attributed this loss Of pat
s sns scn TO the tsst . tAss' M sISsa a f tIss,s s1 more sG lo. { ct
time on the surface railroads. the travelling
public preferred that mode Of. transportation TO
the elevated system. And why Because the
to reach the elevated road when no can attain
the same result by using surface railroad ac.
commodation. Notwithstanding the fact that 1t
e generally conceded that the elevated system
tary, comfort, and convenience, 10 the oest ever
devised to meet the needs OF the suburban resi-.
dents OF this the second greatest city Of the world
etrosity in tho art of railroad buildingf A few
discredited labor faxes who are itching for no.
estate sharks. who are To- 'ded down With un'
productive aud undesirable suburban property
the directors and stockholders of steam rail
roads, which would benefit by such an extension
OF their lines without any cost TO themselves; O
couple Of yellow journals. and n coterie OF pc
litical contractors. who it is safe to say woult
never put In q bid for the wor. of construction
sible for the payment of the bills. That there Il
no public demand for the construction of such
road 10 shown by the fact that at the last genera
election tho candidates OF tho two factions
headed by Seth Low and Henry George, which
made this schome a cardinal issue In the cam
patGn. went down to utter and dismal defeat
What, more is necessary TO prove that our citi
Zens do not desire to engage In any such quix
otic schemo2
Surely the learned jurists who are now consid
ering this matter will hesitate before they place
this load upon the shoulders Of our already over
burdened taxpayers, who as matter of necessity
will be forced to increase their rentals, ant
thereby place the burden upon the honest wage
Garner, who In the end will have to foot all the
bills. Keep up the fight against this great out
rage. and you Will earn, as you deserve. the last
ing gratitude Of every decent and selfrespectinf
citizen Of this community. j. X. WALSH.
429 WEST FoRTY-sEvENTH STREET, Nov. 20.