New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-17

THE RENTAL FOR THE WEsT-sT ELF
WAITED ROAD FRANCHISE

Tim Roard Of RAPID Transit Commissioners yes
,erdav held meeting and approved a letter 70
George J. Gould. president OF the Manhattan Kan
way Company. emhodynG the BOARDS crlu'ish 'i
the proposed franchise FOR tho "Wes-st. connection
and extension" submitted by Mr.. Gould 10 tho
Board and setting forth the features OF the PROPOSE
ton to which the Board returned negative answer
and others TO which tho Board was wiling TO
accede The Board directed thi, letter to be sent
al once 10 Mr.. Gould.
The letter. which Is signed by Alexander r. orr.
president OF the Rapid Transit Commission regrets
at the outset that Mr.. Goud's comIany ala h"t pro
1T to submit the text OF all tho franchises w"'c"
the Manhattan company would accept. hut con
tented itself with submitting only draft OF the
Vest-st franchise Nj Orr's letter then goes on
10 deaf with the West-st. franchise. Perhaps inc
mos, important statement made In the letter ia
that which declares that the Board WI" adhere 70
,s decision that II the wcst-st franchise Is to be
an isolated gran, by the city. - per cent 81 the
rros. receipts IL a rental well within Teas"n""'o
and moderate limits.
ON This point the Board goes on 20 say
We think however. tina, tho improvement o, nc
and Third and Ninth ayes. Is or tuch VAST .Hi-
nortance 70 the travelling public and TIE cry srn-
roads substantially I'm the manner pro. 4'i W. Ut"
should be willing 10 make some conr', sion rom ,i'
rentals for those fran hises. as Vol "N l
West-st franchise IN order promptly 20 "9'a'" .. %.
we learn whether you VII. unleiitN" i,'l f.
We cannot make any other suggestion az 20 rentals
WOULD TEND TO DEFEAT RAPID TRANSIT
The Board declares that II Will not allow the
Manhattan company TO convert an ohif"u'n 10
build into mere option as tas "ouiA IONA - i''"''
not 10 promote. rapid transit. Regarding tI' f''-
vls,ons FOR time allowance IN completing tie con
,ract {, the company should be delayed sIff'a''n
nv Mr. Gould the Board says that actual consFN'-
ton can be completed within one year. ana MAX 'l'
conpanv is allowed 70 have three years. "f'l"''
9th time equal 10 tho delay uuavolahiy caused ~
tho proceedings before the Appellate Division or ~
.,,sI Injunction or for condemnlng right Of Way.
Finder your text OF the franchise. says lho '''-
ter "your company could. II II desired 'e''f' pr
,oo,e utiratlon II you answer 10 this inAi We
ought not 10 imagine that your company "o''' 90
this. we have 20 reply that We are asked 10 grant
a very valuable tranchse-a franchise ""'-n '''-
ny,,abjv tends IN some measure 10 prevent o'her
$3.50 ,-a,s,, r.ue, II the franchise bo granted
.ha civ must be protected. not By your desire 70
nr,o ~. interests OF the city, bat hy your legal
ohueat,on TO DO what the franchise calls upon you
o. 40 Tint is the kind Of protection you require
{, vour contracts with other companies or win INC
c,,v Not 20 give the city as good security "oN'1
Va q roctlcss ,mprovdence on our part
INT poe,d os II is at present constituted, VIII
r.vA- grant your company or any company Il mere
ont,on TO provide rapid transit facilities. u any
conoanv obtains from this Board night TO occupy
the streets OF the city 10 the exclusion % others
will obtain II only by assuming = positive anu w
rorceable obligation 20 the city
,rho poard declares It's determination N adhere
., ,bo provision that the crossings Of the proposed
.v,onsion where they shall occur In SiNt'-a''
ord Creeuwlch-st.. shall not be Al E'""'' anu
ro,n,s out the dangerous features ua' io'"''' y
attended the grade crossing a. Forty -''"""-'''
and Third-ave. Mr. Orr's letter
,r.ns 70 eliminate from the franchise tho pro
toto, binding the Manhattan company to covenant
-. % onnose the construction or oth'r IhP'u-
,rorei, roads in the streets affected by us irah-
a,,ao and also refuses 10 insure the Manhattan
oor,ro,v erainst tho "ompcti.lon Of an under
ground railway along the same route
THE AMOUNT or RENTAL.
Az 10 the amount OF rental to be eXhc'e' '"e
BOARD declares that II ought 10 ne ue''iH'n'"
with some reference 20 tho revenue eXacted ny INC
crv from other railroads and with reference 10
49, oo,.rai conditions present and future. OF the
.r ..rho franchise proposed" says the Board
.,s Of great value In tho true sense OF the Term
Il Is an nssct OF the city; and tho holru mas 10
r,ght 10 give away that asset Grants OF U"' XIII"
made IN former years are now justly an" almost
rn,yoreollv admitted to have been improvident to
the last degree.
rho BOARD calls attention 10 the amounts paid
h, the lcssees o. the cty's docks ferries and
markets. and concludes that rental OF IL .p'r
cent OF the gross passenger receipts i"r IN" use
Of public streets not now used by Inc MhhHittdH
oornnanv would Doe utterly inadequate. II further
doclares That tho company has paid interest on
10 total cost Of constructing ~ rohd, hs taxes
AID Z Der cent per hunum upon |D"'"1 or stock,
representing. IN tho Roerds opinion. h1lniit n,t
me value Of the franchise which n"s nrcit Eireh
tn ne company by the city or New YORK Tho
reu.ai maid bv tho predecessor or the MrtioNohihh
street railway Company Tor the use OF lfoad-
earGod by public opinion as very Inadequate. The
letter pointS out the fact that while IN" Manhdt-
Inn conuauy last year carried s2ecs,l as-eng'rs
70 tho Metropolitan Street Railway company
Manhattan company only Nfyy,0 AS against
SGia rs 20 paid by the Metropolitan company. Inc
that per cent of the gross receipts be paid TO
''' ONE POINT YIELDED.
The Board yields tho company's suggestion that
rents shall he adjusted AZ the end OF thrty-nvc
v.ars instead OF twenty-five. but insists that the
reimbursement shall be made with the annual rental
for tho frst term taken minimum. II insists.
too that the siipuatons Of the franchise regard
ing the companys righi, 10 occupy streets adj
lions tho height and places % columns and cross
incs Shall be definite and preciss. and refuses TO
strike out the provision tnat II me consent oil We
throo years OF the time the franchise IS executed
II shall be void. II yields 10 the cornpanys sur-
rcstion that the West-si franchise be granted
executed when the Board Is informed OF It's ac-
ccp,anco BY the company, with the amendments
so far as allowed by the Board. Mr. Orr's letter
further expresses the hope that the company viii
propose the precise form Of every franchise II VIII
accept. that the points OF difference may become
apparent.
with Mr.. Could TO the motives Of tAo lOard. or
to reply Mr. Goulds innuendocs. which. tho
ord ao some no ns
made by Mr., Gould, however, declaring that the