New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-24
OPPOSED TO FOUR TRACKS.
IN A STATEMENT FROM THE INDEPEND-
ENT CLUB OF THE XXIST ASSEM-
BLY, DISTRICT

The following officers and trustees Of the Independ-
dent Club Of the XXIst Assembly District have
issued the appended statement regarding the laying
OF four underground trolley tracks on Amsterdam
ave an dthe appeal 70 the legislature William r.
Ellison president: s Carmichael first vice presi-
dent: John ?. Peters. second president. Alfred
z. Dodman. treasurer: Charles 5. Patterson secre-
tary and Frederick l. Beattys Charles Bonner
Collins. Edwin Z Dusenbury. William Ebbett.
Thomas A Fulton. L. A. Houghtaling James
Stroud and William @ Yer Panck trustees:
Some forty years ago the Forty-second Street
Horse Railroad Company obtained charter for a
road in Tenth-ave.. now Ansterdam-ave. The road
was built for a reasonable time. and finally the
people forgot that such charter har ever been
granted
About 1880 the Ninth Avenue Horse Railroad Com
pany obtained charter. laid tracks in the avenue
and commenced 70 operate a horse railroad After
this road had been in operation for three years
the Forty-second-st company undertook TO lay an
other road in the under the terms and per
missions OF their charter. granted many years
before. Against this second road. which would dis
figure the avenue. interfere with ordinary traffic
and impair the value Of property the citizens and
property holders Of the neighborhoOd strenuously
protested They carried tho matter into the courts
but ware defeated in the court OF first instance So
against the wishes and in spite OF the protests OF
the citizens and property holders. II came bout
that four tracks FOR horse cars were laid along
Amsterdam-ave from Seventy second-st 70 One
hundret-and- twenty -seventh-st.. occupying the
greater part Of the surface Of the avenue and leav
ing only twelve feet clear between the cars and the
curb eithr side
Last year the METROPOLITAN Railroad which baa
leased the Ninth-ave road and the Third Avenue
Railroad which had leased the Forty-second-st.
line. applied 10 the Railroad Commissioners for
permission 70 change tho motive power on their
Amsterdam-ave. lines from horse 70 underground
trolley. The citizens and property-holders heard
ic9f md b., -
Commissioners simply granted the permissions ap-
pied for. The Commissioner Of Public Works
granted 10 the METROPOLITAN company permission 70
tear up the for the purpose Of changing its
motive power but refused the application OF the
Third Avenue Company The latter company APP
piled for a mandamus 70 compel him 20 grant Il
permission. and the general public learned what
had been done The whole region west Of Central
Park from Seventy second 20 One-hundred-and-
twcnty-seventh-st. aroused Indignation meet
ngs held. and the Commissioner was called
upon to rcscind the permit granted 10 the Metro
pol.tan company. with view 10 forcing both com
panies the same tracks. and the Railroad
Commissioners were asked TO reopen the case II
was evident that four tracks OF sw.ft-runnns sur
face cars on the avenue would be a most serious
menace 10 life and limb There three large
public schools the avenue. with another close 10
thousand children from the public schools must
now cross that avenue twice n day on their way 70
and from school and soon the number Will De
fifteen thousand twenty thousand so serious
was the menace 70 these children involved IN me
proposed four electric tracks that the school Board
the school inspectors and the school supern-
tondcnts ana teachers united in most vigorous
demand that the outrage be not permitted 81.
The dozen or 80 churches along or lose 20 ,me
protest for the same reasons The Teachers COL
iegc. Columbia University. 8 Luxe hospl'a55 1Ie
iho Hone for old Ladies he Methodist Home, and
similar institutions on the avenue or IN lne nelsm
same erounds-namely that By them me hyes OK
seriously endangered The property-hoders the
shopkeepers and the residents OF the region were
press Of the city Win one voice opposed The four
electric tracks The Fire Department condemned
men denouuced il The Commissioner or public
Works. having granted the permission 10 the Met.
rescind Il The Railroad Commissioners took the
same ground but In Il written opinion stated mat
The directors Of the TWO companies were APP
preached with view OF inducing them 20 run
10 run over the same tracks the Metropolitan
Io oc nsre6 10 any proposlt,on ond stood
UPON is technica and legal light 70 the exclusive
use Of - tracks. II pushed the change Of power
10 peen d, "n an sPeg ANA Is no" operating
There was nothing left but an appeal 10 the Leg.
stature which had originally granted the char
ter Accordingly. a oil was drawn UP by the In
dependent club o; the NNIsi Assembly District,
restricting he TWO roads 10 space OF about twenty
feet IN the middle OF the avenue. provided they op-
e. 'ou s1Se n' NJ hon, rwntv ,o, ,,aa esr
tracks and the curb on either side This would
or eis to intcrlay their tracks when would amount
20 very much IA" same thlng n iar public in
terests are concerned The bill was introduced IN
the senate by joan Ford. II was referred to tho
Railroad Committee. In the Assembly II was in
PRODUCED by 7, Murray, and aas referred to the
nue. Railroad Company which had formerly
pressed itself willing TO the same
tracks the Metropolitan company. opposed tho