The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-04
TUNNEL PLAN LOOKS DEAD
AND ELEVITEb RAILROADS MA
HAVE NETTING TO OFFER,

Russell Sage snSs. Though, That Electric mo-
tors Have Not Been sunicieutiy Tried TO
Warrant the Company IN AbandoainE strnrn
An Tunnei M-n but orr DISCOURAGED.
After reading the Mayors message the rapid
transit tunnel people concluded that tho now
administration 10 not with them. In fact all
but the most s~anguine tunnel supporters admit
that the scheme 10 dead.
1t is true that the Rapid Transit Railroad
Commissioners can 20 right ahoad under tho
law. and II oil OF them act together except tho
Mayor and Comptroller, they have enough votes
to proceed. But this would not help them any.
for It Is conceded that IL the legal troubles
which the Mayor hints Mt wcro out OF
the way the opposition OF tho Mayor ana tho
City Government would still defeat the plan.
Contractors would not tackle tho stupendous
Job without tho full cooperation of the author
titles.
President Orr of tho Commission. being OF n
sanguine temperament. profcsscd yesterday not
to be discouraged. He thinks the Mayor may
change his mind.
Some OF the tunnel men say that their only
hope Is that tho Metropolitan Traction Company
will bid for the tunnel contract. That company,
they say, Is responsible enough to satisfy tho
court, and has plenty Of friends In Tammany
Hall.
Mr.. George Gould. President OF the Manhat.
tan Elevated Company. said yesterday that
he had heard Of what tho Mayor had sud
in his message. but that no was too busy to dis
cuss It.
Russell Sage spoke freely OF the Mayors NEE.
sage last night. lie said he had read it all
through, and that as a taxpayer he approved
OF 1t.
Tho Mayor" he said. has very properly
called attention to the risk we should run TO our
credit II wc should enter upon such n scheme as
building tho tunnel road" He said he should
have liked 1t better II tho Mayor had simply
suggested that the elevated road should in
crease its facilities rather than have recon-
service for traction purposes, and thai, It should
DO forced to build extensions. He intimated
t tss ESaa pshs saH Mayor sS so s,s dot %ssn th ss
was asked the direct question, whether
eny s'S road to Sq sspiace Sc Steam s9 @esors With sK ei tss
tricity and to make the extensions suggestSd BY
the Mayor, he said that ne could not speak for
what finally became of the tunnel scheme be-
fore the Appellate Division;
shall DO inclined to consider tho changes recon-.
monded.. We have been inquiring into the use
know yet whether anything would answer the
purpose SO well on our roads as steam. They
yet to be- ) n sure eN that Il would snSpa 90 tho how work ersV on our
roads with certainty and safely, and 1t would
S %s arg q sT prom asst q sre %Gn tSin 10 % froS a oom G@snssi
air. but the motor that was made to work on
our road was q failure. 1t did not have power
enough to climb grades. The company has
promised to make a bigger one which will do
Mr.. Sage said that the elevated company
would have to know just what it was going to
cost for damages to property and everything. be-
fore IL would undertake to mako extensions, but
he did not say that none would be made.
~ believe" no said finally, that tho time
roads will be running in this city" Express
trains. he said, would run on the upper tracks
and that would double the capacity of the roads.
This method Of adding to the roads. he said.
would not result in any further damages to tho
"1t would add to the Value Of property" he
said. instead Of hurting 1t. to build o double
deck road. The road would DO ornamental, too.
Tho upper deck would be built Of steel. and
would be supported on columns which would be
right beside the preSen; columns and be bolted
Mr.. Sage admitted that the Metropolitan
TRACTION people had been trying to buy a con-
trolling interest In the elevated roads for o
y %ieh as STOCK e half in.tead They q w %sated an I'd SSy
hole" he said. They have wasted millions.
No ono set of men know 1t all. When they
put in the, cable they thought they had tho best
Ing s%.I % saS ~; Sas sns cable, ana cart it. them IN
they won't. have to take. out, their
electric machinery. toof 1t looks all right;
@ho fnoRs 1 Mss so %ifi hsppd mf y viz viz T steam H %s
know what we have got. We carry 700. 900
people q day without q scratch. II we can't DO
sure OF, something better We will DO content
with what We have got and walt"