New-York tribune., 1897-08-31
RAPID TRANSIT DELAYED.
THE PARK BOARD DECLINES TO Ar
PROVE THE COMMISSIONS PLANS.

As n direct result of the meeting OF the PARK
Board yesterday afternoon. efforts for rapid trans
In this city are set back fully four months nc
Commissioners said that they could not sec lheir
way clear to approve the amended plans vi '"e
Rapid Transit Commission In relation to Battery
Park and could not approve the orishai pI'"e o
account of the damage resulting TO the parh' pc.
retary Leary produced n communication from ACT
ing CORPORATION Counsel Connoy. giving an op'h-
ion on the position of the Board IN r.ic'ehcc y
the amended plans. The acting Corpora'ioh 'ou''-
sci said that the Park Board could not approve any
other than general plans showing the exact 'oca
ton of the tunnel. etc. The communication S'a''u
that the Rapid Transit Commission could not after
the plans which already have been approved ny 'he
Mayor and the Supreme Court and th~ property
owners interested
Next the secretary read communication H""
Tracy, Boardman & Platt counsel for l"e hap''
Transit Commission. 1t gave as the OPINION oi '"e
law firm that the Park Board could hot 10 "'"''
than approve the plans OF the Commission as APP
proved by the other authorities Interested anu ""'
| the Commission had no power 10 amend the p''''
without the consent OF those whose approval h'n
already been obtained. ,
Next Mr. Lcary read a report of Professor Will
lam H. Burr consulting engineer OF the farK De
partment. who had been requested TO examine lne
proposed route OF the Commission at the battery
Professor Burr said In part:
scrutiny of that portion Of the park lyng
westerly of the west portion ot d 5hf doTn between
to believe that route can De latn AM which will
battery Place and the Barge ONO, Mmdinv VIM over
the proposed route At the time of my eXam,haff
ton OF the park W. B. Parsons. CHIEF engleel, ,,y "
but Suggested TO his assistant. who accompan@isu @
the feasibility OF new surveys soD n ali the
trees In that portion OF the park ahJneSn Jya tbat
proposed Linz II this Is 1ohe r,II atfect much
smaller number Of trees than tnat pIopiTs, ppio ~ the
will be correspondingly less oojecuon""e ~ ~
would advise therefore that The chief i so
of he R9PG srvays Tra9s. with view Of 4
possible the route OF the westerly Sue Vi INV IVY
The line from the Barge ONCE under Whifhan ,sna
and state SITS seems to me 10 pe. ,ones on ,hat al
one point near the Intersection Of Wntehan, anu nn
State sts., be fur,her exs ex mined o{ o sv,dng one
or two large trees which are over 'he S''' Va ~"
TRe maximum depth of material over the % roo,
of the tunnel in the revised plans whcn heve eve ann
before your honorable boay Is soo iShieen Inches
varies from that amount to perhaps H ,nder
under some of the walks Of the PARK ahd er nIne,
,hat his dnpth OF material above the masonry roof
of the structure il as little should De pernlttec
shrubs and grass and ether vegetation which 1t is
desired 20 be maintained IN the pafh' IN conroction
with this portion Of the subject tna' II anrSoynosed
Of tunneling could be employed dTr m bp9rea feet
from a point near the Barge Office northerly on
ne west p3 # R The 90p TO PT Of Baey PARK
and Broadway the surface of the most importan,
part Of Battery Park would remain undisturDeh
during the process OF construction. The employ
ment of such a system as this would increase 10
some extent the of this part of the line. both
for the reason that tunnelling is more expensive
than the method OF opening cut and subsequently,
covering the roof in the open. and for the
further reas son that somewhat greater depth or
water would nave to be cOntended with. Such a
procedure would. however save for public
part of the park which in the milder Parts OF the
year. is much needed and enjoyed 10y large num-
ber of people
After the reading of the communications Com
missioner Cruger proposed that all three be re-
fcrred to the Corporation Counsel and to the coun-
sci for the Commission. with the statement that
the Board cannot approve the plans as originally
subm.ttsd by the COmmss on.
'It Is sad state OF anairs." said President Nc
MILAN after the vote was taken. 1T means a de-
lay of four months. We have got to protect the
parks however.
colonel Cruger's proposition put in the form
OF a res olution and adopted.