The sun., 1897-11-13
no HOLE IN THE GROUND!
oBJEoTORs ON ALL SIDES TO THE
TUNNEL RAILROAD SCHEME.
Protests In IncreasinE Number AEainst the
Pian-rhe Disauier with which II N1enaces
tho City's Credit By TahiuG the Bondea
lndehtNnncaa Tn A.. Gn.ntianfinnnl H.lnnit.

Protests In IncreasinE Number AEainst tire
Flan-rhe Disaster with which II Menaces
tho CitS's Credit By TahiuE the Bendea
Indebtedness to the Constitutional limit.
Now that tho report of the special commits.
sion appointed by the Appellate Division OF tho
Supreme Court to approve or disapprove OF tho
so-called Elm street route for rapid transit rec
ommended by tho Rapid Transit Commission
ers has been made public. and It has become
known that tho special commission has ap-
proved the route. as mighty protest 10 being
raised against the scheme as was raised against
the first route that was proposed. and which
was to run under Broadway.
The objections to tho whole proposition are
as manv and varied as those who make them
The citizens Of tho present city Of Now York.
within the few days that have elapsed since tho
report Of the special commission was made puo
lie, have become keenly interested in what many
OF them believe would be an almost irreparablo
disaster to the city. should tho court which cro-
ated the special commission grant the applica-
tion Of the Rapid Transit Commissioners to con-
firm that special commissions report.
The objections to tho scheme appear TO come
from all kinds OF the community. Women AZ
woll as men have enrolled themselves in the
great army of objectors. The particular charao-
ter OF tho road is objected to. The estimated
cost 10 objected TO. The figure named is not be-
neved to be adequate. Tho actual cost probably
would be much greater. thus entailing creator
expenditure Of public money than tho people
b,rGained for. and the bonded debt Of the city
being. therefore. brought almost to II not quito
mp to tho constitutional limit
The opportunity the scheme offers for corrup-
tion In public Office Is condemned, and incidon-
tally those sections OF the Greater New York
not cumprehendod within the confines OF the
toroughs Of Manhattan and tho Bronx de-
nounce the scheme unfair and unjust to
them. In the words Of one Of the heavy taxpay-
ers Of the city who was talking rapid transit
with SUN reporter yesterday:
''No scheme intended to be Of the nature Of n
public Improvement has raised such storm Of
protests in all directions as this underground
so far az THE, SUN has been able to learn,
nearly everybody is OF the opinion that there
The majority Of New Yorkers, however, seem to
ground, The Rapid Transit commissioners say
ieas bile scheme. and they point to Lon.
don. Glasgow. and few other cities
to show what good thing an underground rail-
way really is. New Workers say that, because the
covered with cirdcrs and inhale smoke 10 no
rsason why they should be subjected to similar
discomforts: And the women Of New York,
they can ruin enough clothes riding in sur.
face cars OF, on the elevated. without riding
OndCr ground.
The estimate cost of the system recommended
by the Rapid Transit Commissioners ard ap-
proved by the special commission 10 $35, 10000
This feature OF the scheme 10 the one against
which the strongest objections are urged. Those
who ought TO know say that In the first place the
road cannot be built for any such hgure. They
point to the fact that, when the contract is let
Tor building the road. II 1t ever is let 1t will be
a city contract. They ask whom. In the memory
n a ".
matter how he was bound, was not able. by
some hocus pocus, to ring IN y bill for extras,
/ which ultimately tho city had TO pay.
Article Will, section 10, OF the constitution OF
the State provides that no county or city shall
allow its indebtedness tu exceed 10 per cent. OF
county or city. the net bonded debt OF the pres
ent city of New York wRs on Nov. l, $129. .7sl.-
9O31I.
The assessed valuation of the real estate of
New York, according to the latest assessment,
was Sl,7S7. .1s6,79 From these figures the
S4s .O36. .77e Of the bonded debt limit: Even II
the actual cost of building the road should not
exceed the estimate. that would bring the city
altogether too near the limit for safety.
This, 1t is urged. Is very serious matter.
With necessity for funds to run the city Gov
opposed to the scheme. Who would be willing TO
buy the city bonds whom emergency to soil
arose, with the possibility OF the city being COM
ltlled to repudiate its debts staring every in.
vestor in the facet
1t is urged that the building Of this rapid
the city, and one which, 1t is very generally be-
levcd, the Appellate Division OF the Supreme
Court will not compel the citizens Of New York
to undertake.