The sun., 1897-12-10
TUNNEL IS PRETTY DEAD
RAPID TRANsIr BOARD EkPEcT 4
FzVORABLE DEoISI0M

nat RVea UsnafihatieA 81 tke TseSert " thS
Ceertr CeShntnAionefa vyenid Rracticaiiy
Leave the 1ahnet PIii. Ar Possibility e
the Discrstion OF the Es1t Ad6ainistratien.
The Board Of Rapid Transit Commissioners
win have special meeting thissaf.ernoon at
o'clock. From this 1t has been inferred that
they expect the decision OF tho Appellate
Division Of the Supreme Court to-day, II this
should be favorable to tho tunnel the board
will probably arranBe ID hAte.the advertisement
for the letting Of tho contract printed In nor
rows 'spapcrs, 80 that they can rush through that
part OF their work as soon as possible, Should
the, decision be against the tunnel they will
probably adjourn with great rapidity.
No assurances, 30 far as is known, have yet
come from tho court that 1t will render decision
to-day, and many who are interested In the case
are Of the opinion that the decision win be With.
held until after the rst OF the year. IN order that
the incoming administration may have the full
responsibility for whatever ID done under the
decision. 1t seems to bc the prevalent opinion
in this city that in order that the tunnel Pcheme
may 60 through the contract for.the work must
be let before consolidation becomes Rsfact.
Equally prevalent With this is the idea that II
t o contract be let before Jan. the tunnel
must NECESSARILY be built, no matter how much
the constitutional debt limit OF the greater
city may be exceeded. In tho minds Of those
best ACQUAINTED with the facts both OF these
II the court ruies adversely upon the report
Of the special commission, the tunnel scheme is
pans tfsn a any RS Witch the
city aaministration may see ht to take them
ever. the Rapid Transit Commissioners wish to
rush things along and let the contract before
the next ri came in would L be
at liberty to secure an Injunction on the ground
that the debt limit Of the city will not allow 90
Se o hs
would o, wholly N the hands q the new ad:
familiar with the whole affair: r,.I.I-. d
II am inclined to believe that the decision OF
such sue AIDE DECISION " Win i mean 50 little and Yet al
low the new administration TO take Whatever
sgs ssgau sss t l. Tss secv is de-
the court win reserve its decision Until next
Rs1s hSn wS the MasaF snS COMP
| troller against the scheme, cannot see how
bs q ee eSgPna, bat Ss
It would do them, for they could get no money
which to S It to 11 Is t0
before the frst. Of the year when the debt llnii!
the debt limit viii not allow It. '''' ~ - :. "
""The commission has practically suffered de-
feat Mt every point 1t Is now SO late In the year
| that with the great probability OF injunctions
the letting Of the contract under the present ad.
| ministration 10 out OF the question even should
| they want to do it. With the incoming admin
| istration the whole situation will be changed.
There are q great many reasons why the in
| coming administration will not want to approve
the plan. In the first place the debt Limit vii vii
| are expended on the tunnel, there will be nc
| money for other improvements. This would
| raise q cry in New York and o still louder one
| In Brooklyn. Then, again, the next municipa
| election will occur three years from next No
| yember. II the scheme is carried through, al
that time the work will be In its most annoying
| stage. Every one Knows what effect torn uI
| streets had on the last election. What wonl6
be the effect the next II the streets should bt
| in an immeasurably worse stated Moreover
| the connection between Sheehan and the con
| tractors will have its effect. 1t Is not likely
that the new administration will want to star
| out with such load as that. With fayUrabl,
| decision, however, and II In the future the deb
limit should recede, the work can be taken up a
any time"
| points are not definitely known, but 1t is under
stood that they are DIVIDED as to the expediency
| OF rushing the thing through should d Favorable
decision be given to-day. 1t is definitely known
however that the commission caniiot be KEEP
| together. to take action IL the new Mayor ant
Comptroller are against the scheme. Alto
gether the rapid transit tunnel is pretty nearl,
|. dead.