The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-02
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To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Permit ME
to raise my voice In protest against tho scheme
to spend forty or fifty million dollars of public
money for q hole In the ground that ia not
needed, except to enrich a few contractors and
spectators. The spending Of that amount Of
public money will DO 90 to increase the public
debt up to or beyond the legal limit Us to pre-
vent other needed and more useful improve
ments, such as new docks. parks, schools, sc.
That this underground road is not needed is
proved by the fact that we have to-day in the
elevated. cable, and trolley railroads sufficient
accommodation for all passengers at all hours
of the day, except In the rush hours from O to z
A. M. and p. NJ, and with the extension Of
the surface trolley and cable roads to tho east
and west, together with the horse cars, wo shall
have ample accommodation for all passengers
for the next twenty years, when new and better
systems and bridges over tbs East and North
Rivers will DO adopted.
We know by experience that the cost Of
works like the aqueduct, Brooklyn Bridge, the
Fourth avenue railway tunnel. and all other
largo works, public and private. is always double
the estimated cost Of the engineers, and this
work would not be an exception to that rule. It
completion. II 1t should eyer reach completion,
and, in my opinion. 1t would never DO used any
whose tracks, already completed and adapted
In fact, MI. Editor, 10 not that the object or the
whole schemei
Another objection, and a serious one. is the
fact that the masses would not ride In the
dark, damp, unwholesome. and uncomfortable
hole In the ground. IL 1t was completed. when
they could reach their destination in the same
time and at the same cost by the safe, healthy,
and comfortable elevated and surface Systems,
except, 1t may be. in the few rush hours In the
morning and evening, 30 that the system could
never pay the city the interest on the cost of its
construction. not to sp'ak or estimate the cost
and annoyance to our citizens of our torn.up
and useless. streets along its line, and also the
loss Of trade to shopkeepers and merchants.
Tho only argumen In its favor is that 1t would
give employment and benefit labor: but that
can be best met and answered by the fact that
the money expended on that work can be better
expended on other needed and moro useful i'm
provements.
would suggest that some able, well-known.
and patriotic taxpayer should, for the good of
all. sue out an injunction to stop this work
until the LIST of January. Then the whole scheme
will topple, never to be resurrected. for Greater
New York never would approve a plan to tax
all of our people to benefit Westthester property
owners, q few spectators and contractors. for
they are the only ones that I can see will be
benefited by this project.
For myself, / cannot see the use, sense. or jus.
tice in this project. 1t would ininre the tax
payer, storekeeper, and property owner of the
main city to enrich citizens in the suburbs
and contractors and speculators.
Secretary Citizens Industrial Alliance.
CLARENDON HALL. New YORK. Nov. so.