The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-10
TUNNEL RAPID TRANSIT.
SUPREME COURT COMMISSION BE-
GINS HEARINGS.
corsmissioners Ask ir the Tunnel Men Arc
!, sure the Scheme Will Como within the
eBO,o boo. o Iimht-Aiso n Elevated Road
rrnus,t Has HAD Duo Consideration.

Consuatssioners Ask ir the Tunnel Men Arc
sure the Scheme win Como within the
eBo ,oOO.o 900 Iimit-Aiso n Elevated Road
Transit HAS HAD Duo Consideration.
The special commission appointed by the APP
pellate Division of the Supreme Court to deter
mine whether tho rapid transit road and tunnel
planned by tho Rapid Transit Commission
should DO built without tho consent Of owners
Of property on tho routes, held its first hearing
yesterday morning in tho rooms of tho Rapid
Transit Commission. 256 Broadway. The COM
mission consists of Arthur ID. Williams, John
Sabine Smith, and G.. w. Young, and 1t organ
lied with Mr.. Williams rs Chairman.
Lawyer B%oardman, for tho Rapid Transit
Commission, said that tho commission has de-
cided upon q plan. n liberal estimate OF the cost
Of which is $33,OOO.o 900. This plan calls for a
road from the City Hall northward. The com
mission is considering an extension Of the road
to the Battery.
"Hov much will that costi p was tho question
put to him.
II think about %, ooo. ooo." replied Mr..
Bonrdman.
"Then,'' said Commissioner Smith, "if it
should DO found that the proposed road would
cost moro than IL estimated, soy $45, o0O,o 900.
you are going to have an addition that might
carry It beyond the 500, 900, 900 limit allowed"
"The estimates have all been very LIBERAL"
said Mr.. Boardman. but In tho event OF the
special commission finding the m run
ming perilously close to the $780, 600. 900 mark.
the Rapid Transit Commission will probably
abandon tho plan. for the Supreme Court has
taken q most decided stand on that point
MI. Boardman proposed that the commission
first take the evidence In favor of the road. then
the evidence in opposition, and at the end allow
the Rapid Transit Commission o chance to re-
ply in rebuttal. This was agreed to.
F,Mr., Franklin Bartlett of counsel for opposed
property owners asked if the commission was to
sit continuously. Chairman Williams announced
that It had been decided to have daily sessions
from 1880 to 1870 and, for the present at least,
this plan would be followed. President Alexan:.
der Il. Orr of the Rapid Transit Commission said
that all efforts to get private capital to toko
hold of rapid transit had failed.
"Has the commission taken into consideration
q plan of rapid transit on the elevated ROADS
asked Chairman. Wnliams.
1T has" replied Mr.: Orr, but the eleyated
roads ask too much. Mr.. Gould has told the
President Of tho Pennsylvania Railroad, when
That road offered to pay half the cost of building
q span of the elevated to its forty, that the Rapid
Transit Commission oppose every improvement
on the elevated road. That is not true: The
rapid transit, but the company demanded things
the commission could not grant. They wanted q
guarantee that the city would not oppose their
extensions in any way, and that the city would
guarantee the road against damage suits by
abutting property owners.
1.-THE whole spirit of the commission. said
Mr.. Orr, has not been to curtail the qualities
OF existing roads in order to get a bidder, but to
permit them to make all improvements in the
way of rapid transit and become a part OF the
rapid transit system
The hearing will be continued at 1880 to-day.