The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-26
THE EIG HTH AVENUE.
Its sunerinEs Because or the Obstacles Put In
the Way OF improved Tranait.

To TIE EDITOR OF THE SrS-Sir: Citizens doing
business In Eighth avenue. south of Fifty. min III street,
are anxious I olearn through THE SUS from the proper
authorities why 1t is that so far they have been de.
prived OF the benefits which would accrue to them
from the Introduction Of the electric street transporta.
tion that has done so much to build up tho com.
mercial interests OF all the other main business
avenues of the city since the Metropolitan Traction
Company assumed control OF the street surface
railroad lines. 1t is said that legal complications OF
some kind pending before the Court of Appeals for
the past nine months present the only impediment
standing in the way OF the work of constructing the
new system. II this is n fact, is II not the duty OF tho
proper legal representatives of the city to press the
matter TO a hnal decision with all the power they can
the HrtHs sfeatest ]e s5nT iSI" arts ans 'h of t P.sy masr ONE Of
from falling into a business decay from which Il will
take IL years TO recover. II IT ever does
Eighth avenue. years ago, was CO nsidered TO be the
best business street IN the city north of Fourteenth
street. ana 1t would be so to-day II 1t had not been
for the mean, niggardly. and entirely selfish manner
In which is Interests were treated by those in con.
troll OF the old Eighth avenue railroad syatem
Though they made immense fortunes out II the
prsat, or me tfanic, they st"adfa.tiy refused to cx.
their roadhet or rolling stock. which IL NOT a whit
dents, properly owners. and merchants Of Eighth
avenue have been praying year after year for n
would mean q reconstruction OF the system In ac.
cordance with improved msthcds in use on the
II 10 offered them. and when the COMPANY AZ
present IN control stands ready to begin operations
y 4 NJ TN
u accept the resulting benefits, some wild men
up at Albany arc beginning to shout for munIcinai
ownership. construction. and operation OF ali street
railroads. and. II the bills they have introduced he
taken into serious consideration by the Lrgisiature
! suppose we may expect further delay. Witch viii
surely result IN the destruction Of the business aud
property interests OF the avenue. Already aIrnn.,
one third Of the stores are vacant, or will be vacant
on the LIST OF May. II ITO Let' signs are TO he he.
lieved. Property has appreciated through a shrink.
age In rents. and every other merchant IN business on
the street will tell you that hts receipts are moi within
80 per cent. OF what they were a Few year, ago
when, SO far as transportation facilities are con.
cerned, he stood on an equal footing with his sixth
avenue and Broadway competitors.
We protest against Eighth avenue being srIectea :.
a fighting ground by the dcnagogues who advocate
municipal ownership" or similar ridiculous and
nonsens,cal measures. We want to preserve the ~.
nue. as a main business street. aud tn that end wa
want rapid transit-such rapid transit as the Nero,
politsn Traction Company is willing and anxious 10
give US. and we want II at the earliest possible mo.
ment. We want also our representative in Albany
and political leaders TO understand that any furth.r
Interference by them with the proposed chance on
the Eighth avenue railroad viii he understood by tha
,eople OF the great west side and will be red
by them with interest on the sth OF next Soyember
NEW YORK, feo. ~. EIGHTH AyESUE MERCHANT,