New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-27
Mr.. ORR REPLIES TO NR. GOTLD
HE DECLINES. HOWEVER, TO MAKE PUBLIC
HIS LETTER-POSITfON OF JOHN II.
STARTN AS TO RAPID TRANSIT

Alexander f. Orr. president OF the Rapid Trsns,
Commission. completed yesterday his reply 10 M.
letter written 10 the Board last week Dy Cieorg.
Gould The letter VIII reach Mr.. Could this morn
ing When Mr.. Orr seen yesterday afternoon
by Tribune reporter he declined emphatcally N
allow copy 10 be made for publication tn.
| courtesy WIS due 10 Mr. Gould. he said ths, ia
contents should remain private until 81 rad re-.
ceived the consideration OF the Manhattan direction.
In view OF the minute adopted BY the Commits.
sioners at thei- meeting last Monday. II IL no,
difficult. however, 10 premise the substance OF ths
communication
Mr. Orr refused to say whether not the subiec,
Of compensation mentioned IN his letter but hs
added that the Commissioners would give the Man.
haitian committee all the aid possible in the eyor,
to evolve some practical solution OF the rapid
transit problem.
Apart from Mr. Orr's letter there a decided
lull in rapid transit affairs yesterday Robert u
galloway, tho chairman % the special committee
appointed az the meeting Of the Manhattan direct,
on Tuesday. refused to give any mint 10 report
ers as TO what his committee had already done or
intended doing. Other members OF the committee
were equally uncommunicative Giovanni r. Moro
SIM and John I. Terry, however. ayaied them
selves Of the opportunity TO deny the rumor tina,
the company had suggested crossing Broadway 10
order 10 put an impe4imelt IN the way OK the pos.
Both declared that the Manhattan company mad
nothing TO fear from an Underground system tha,
even II IL were built the O-Slncs5 or the elevated
roads would suffer dlminuuOn.
John II. Starin vce-pres.drnt OF the Rapid Tran
sit Commission who returned home last Saturd
after spending several months IN Europe. made d
statement yesterday upon tAe rapid transit stua-
ton. in the course OF which he said:
After Investigation and study l arrived az the
conclusion that only by the construction 0. an
underground road operated, illuminated and ven,i-
lated by electricity, could mis- vast prooem BE ade-
quately solved | have not departed from this opn.
ion and 10 not think shall A. The sams time.
however no reasonable man can deny mat the cry'
ing need Of this city Is better transit facilities row.
not three or five years from now, but now. II has
TO granting 10 the Manhattan Elevated Railroad
Company further franchises. extensions or priv
leges. This l. not the case II me Manhattan
Elevated Railroad Company Is prepared now 10 give
increased accommodation 70 the people. and, FOR
the time at least, adequately 70 mgei ne demands
of travel l. as one OF the RAPID Transit Commits
soners am ready 70 aid them IN every way which
It Is lawful and proper for me 10 do
The Metropolitan Street Railway Company ls DIS
playing remarkable energy In pushing forward TIC
work Of Installing the electric system on the Sec, :,
thirty days no fewer man tWeniy-nlne miles OF
favorable conditions the company anticipates that
the whole OF it, system above tItty -nntn-sl. ahi
day next the underground electric troey-cars viii
be brought into Use in the upper part OF the NntA
through the Boulevard from Sixty-ffth-st. TO Sew
enty-second-st, through Amsterdam-ave 10 one
red-and-twenty-ffth-st As soon as the doubfs
conduits can be laid in Coiumbus-ave. from sixty
nfih-st. TO Fifty-ninth-st. the cars WIN run &C 70
trial Park. East and North River Railway 70 me
East River The purpose IN running me AHltteI-
dam-ave cars through Fifty-nnth-s, is 20 give a
more rapid connection between he Second Lex.n.,
Columbus ave lines OF the company. The entire
length OF the Fourth-sye. system from Astor Flace
Is completed. and only awaits now me lnstailat9n
OF the power This will be completed IN the early
part Of next month II The mean time the horse
is also so far finished tha- the horse cars begin
temporary service sunday from Fifty ninth-st
~ IIarle,r Three hundred closed cars are now
being butt, by the Stephenson Car Company. OF this
city and the Brill Company. u PhtaGcl phia Con-
lrscts Vii also BE- awir:et today tor three hun
dred omen cars for summer use. Hall the number
Will BE- OF the doubie-deck variety. such as have
been operated in LenoX-ave.