The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-09
RAPID TRANs1Tys COST.
That ana tho City's ABILITY to Pay Very In-
portnnt Points.

That and tho City'a ABILITY 20 Pay Very Im-
portant Points.
The Supreme Court Commissioner who aro
to report rs to whether the proposed rapid
transit railroad ought to be built or not re-
sumed their sittings yesterday at the rooms Of
the Rapid Transit Railroad Commission in the
Home Life building, with John Sabine Smith In
the chair. During the intermission OF n fort
night or 80 since the presentation of the evil
dence on behalf of the proposed underground
road, Lawyers George Zabriskie and Archibald
Murray have been busy finding and c~ollating
evidence against 1t, and Mr.. Zabriskie began
tho presentation Of their side Of tho case yes
terday.
Two lines OF inquiry, no said, had been de-
clared by the Appellate Division Of the supreme
Court to be legitimate in connection with the
work OF the inquiring commission. The first
of these was as to the probable cost Of the road
and as to the correctness Of the estimate which
was submitted by tho Rapid Transit Railroad
Commission. I'VE have reason TO believe" no
said, that the cost OF the proposed road would
greatly exceed the estimates made by Chief
Engineer Parsons, which are about 1913, 900, 1000
for the road as originally designed and about
$40, OOO.0 900 as they were finally amended"
Zabriskie said, was as to the ability OF the city
to pay for the proposed work without exceed,
whether II would be in accordance with a sound
public policy to enter into such an expensive
VIII az VIC iltoCili any. n IL piVctLl titiN,
he said, the law limits the right OF the city to
run into debt to 10 per cent. of the assessed
valuation of its real estate. or about 81 .OOO,-
600. Deducting the sum in the Sinking Fund
the city's bonded debt is now about SIPS, 0OO,.
600. In addition TO this the city owes largo
sums.
Mr.. Zabriskie called to the witness stand
Commissioner Wright OF the Department OF Cor
~rection, President Mcmillan OF the Park Board,
and Commissioner Silas c. Croft OF the Depart
lnent OF Charities to testify to the enormous
sums which their departments were already
spending fr improvements, or were making
plans to spend, under many appropriations
which the Legislature had made for them, and
for which city bonds must be issued. Each tes-
titled in effect, as Mr.. Mcmillan did in words,
that it.was the-intention OF their departments to
spend every dollar which the law would allow
them to before they went out OF office. There
was no footing made Of the sums which were
testified to as having been appropriated TO be
spent under these various departments, but,
roughly speaking, the testimony showed that
the Park Department alone had between 50 ,OO0,-
900 and = ,00O,OOO under its control. outside
of its ordinary running expenses, and would
spend II If il could, and that the o,tc: Two de-
partments are about to spend 81, 500. 900 more.
Mr.. Zabriskie showed that the city's financial
standing would not lie improved when the
Greater New York became a fact. as the vari-
Gus cities which will compose it had assumed
obligations in anticipation OF the consolidation.
The commission win sit again to-day.