New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-12
TRACTION COMPANYS HEARING.
OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED NEW MOTIVE
POWER WITHDRAWN.


The Board OF State Railroad Commissioners yes
terday resumed the hearing OF the application OF
the Metropolitan Street Railway Company TO sub
stitute the underground trolley system for other
motive mower on the leased lines in Sixth-ave..
F,ghth-avc part OF NInth-ave. and on the Belt
Line The application was opposed on Wednesday
by W. II. Page. jr., on behalf of the Thrd-ave.
company. David Leventrtt. who represented the
Eighth-ave. property-owners who want the new
system addressed the Commission lie SAID tnat
n Eighth-ave. was neglected and the line turned
from Fifty-ninth-st. into Sixth-ave. 1t would be
very detrimental TO the business interests OF
Eighth-ave.
1--WE want a continuous line along Eighth-ave..
said Mr.. Leventrtt.
That Is the very application we have made
said John NJ. Scrbner. who represents the Metro
politan company
We'll, then. we want 10 have the whole route
changed at one and the same time. We don't want
Eighth-ave to get the change of motive power AT
some future time
Mr. Leventritt then formally presented the petit
ton OF the association asking that Eishth-aVe. be
included in the plan. I'VE want the Metropoii''.''
Traction Company" he said. Ito begin at both ends
of Eighth-ave at the same time so that the worh
OF building the underground trolley should 80 on
continuously until it is finished"
Mr. Scribner said that when and where ne pesdI
the work was mattersfor the Commissioner OF
Public Works TO determine.
Mr. Page here announced that the railroads ne
represented had withdrawn all opposition 10 the
character of the motive power TO be used w e
do this after hearing Chief Engineer fea'so"
testimony yesterday" he said ,,., ,ro,
W C. Tru who appeared for the Directing prop,
erty-owners of Tenth-ave. and Ninlh-ave sadd
there better system than the one p,Uposeu
10 be introduced. The open-slotted CONDUIT sys-
tenn which II is proposed to ntrodu nf esh in
Washington, where it is in operation has ooJec'eu
Chief Engineer Pearson Of the Metropolitan Trac-
ton Company, said that the closed-sl0tted c9mamt
is no difficulty whatever he said lin keeping the
open slotted conduit system clean
William A. Bartlett, Of No 1oI Mest MI MIhe Ky
secretaries of the Park Board and the Board OF
Electrical Control and the Clerk OF the common
Council. all of whom had Informed him that the
Metropolitan Traction Company had made no APP
pcation for change OF motive power to these
Mr. Trun at this point said that under the terms
of the General Railroad law there was no corpora
ton applying FOR the grant. and consequently, me
Commission could not grant the application. Mr..
Page then offered evidence the leases under
which the Metropolitan Traction operates the
Broadway and Seventh-ave. lines ana the BeccRer-
There is no provision in these leases authorizing
the Metropolitan Traction Company to apply for a
change Of motive power. although Mr.. Whitney
stated there was yesterday" said Mr.. Page.
scr9nsr here asked that a H1 be sn G
question which the Commission has TO decide is
whether IT is advisable or rot that this change
should be made from horsepower TO electricity.
The objection to electricity as motive power has
been withdrawn" Mr. Tru opposed Mr.. Serb
ner's motion and asked for an adjournment for a
ton and inspect the electric system there.
Chairman Chaplin here said that, Il II was neces;
sary. the Commission would visit Washington and
inspect the system In that city.
THE hearing is closed now" he added. "as far
sides can sum up formally and present briefs"
Adjournment was taken until next Wednesday.