New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-13
BROOKLYN AND RAPID TRANSIT.

1t Is gratifying 70 observe that The Brook
lyn Eagle" which IS combating the rapid tran
sir scheme with It's usual energy and devotion
To what Il considers 10 be the interests OF It's
large constituency, has ceased 20 employ some
OF the arguments with which less sincere and
intelligent opponents continue 20 advocate thu
wrong side OF this important question. Our CON
temporary no longer advances the worn-out plea
that tunnels devoted TO purposes Of transporta-
ton are necessarily foul gloomy and offensive
We anticipated that II would exclude thai as
sumption from IT'S case 80 soon as It discerned
the truth Doubtless II has foresecn that the
tunnels through which fast trains Will run II
the Commissions plans carried out VIII bear
no resemblance 20 the sitting holes with which
passengers on steam railroads are familiar. but
that, on the contrary, they Will be clean. light
and filed with pure and equable atmosphere
Our contemporary. in consideration Of this GER
tainty, likewise des.sts from asserting that tho
American people, as experience has shown, DO
not Ike TO travel underground. Experience
doubtless tends to prove that they have an aver
sion TO tunnels which combustion renders OBJ
noxious, but It creates not tho slightest pro
sumption in favor OF tho theory that they would
avoid tunnels OF n radically different type In
be, on the whole, far more agreeable than those
which prevail on surface and elevated roads, or
even in the offices in which n large part Of the
population does It's daily work.
This illustration OF THE Eagles unwilling
ness to maintain false pretence leads US 10
believe that It Will presently abandon other
parts OF It's original argument against the rapid
transit project and especially It's contention tina.
there IS something mean and virtually fraudu-
lent in New York's endeavor to provide itself
with transportation facilities which Il has I'm
peratively needed and earnestly sought to obtain
for many years Our contemporary speaks OF
this business II It were n scheme which had
suddenly sprung into existence, and which It's
advocates were trying TO lam through" before
the people could recover from their establishment
and bring their Indignation TO bear. The fact,
Of course, Is that It Is essentially the plan which
developed after long discussion and many dis
appointments, was finally approved by large
majority Of the people at public election three
years ago. From that time 10 this Il has been
n prospective obligation to which tho city was
deliberately committed within the knowledge
Of everybody living within the limits of Greater
New York. There is not trace OF suddcnness
or treachery or sinister manipulation in the
whole affair New-YOrk has tho earnest wish
and according TO careful estimates the means 10
carry the Rapid Transit Commissions plans into
execution and It knows of no way IN which Il
can more honorably and advantageously use ,ts |
credit
There IL another point which, though 1t Is not |
precisely pertinent TO this discussion, is we'll en-.
titled to general consideration. IT Is represented
that an issue OF bonds to the amount Of $780, |
100000 for rapld-transit purposes would nearly
or quite exhaust the legal borrowing power OF
NewYork, and consequently deprive tho COM
munities which are about to be annexed to this |
city, and which have already improvdently
reached their limit, OF the privilege of drawing
upon our superior resources for desired improve
ments If that condition were to result and TO |
continue indefinitely It would constitute no
breach OF faith or contract. But we are per- |
suaded that some OF our neighbors take too mar |
row view of the subject and Of the future. |
If prediction was ever safe, 1t IS safe to pre-
dict that the construction OF n large and ex- |
panslve system Of rapid transit between the ex-
tremities OF the present city Of NewYork would |
enormously increase its taxable valuation, and |
consequently within short time more than re- |
store the margin which the lending of its credit |
to the creation of such system might come |
somewhere near exhausting. In that advan-
tage all parts OF the consolidated city would |
share alike In addition to the other benefits
which they would Jointly and severally derive
from the bringing Of each within easier access
OF every other 1t appears to US that every con-
slderation of goodwill and interest should lead |
Brooklyn especially to look with approval upon |