New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-06
TAMMANY AND RAPID TRANSIT.
MORE HOPEFUL VIEWS OF THE MAYORS
ATTITUDE EXPRESSED BY FRIENDS
OF THE UNDERGROUND

OF THE UNDERGROUND.
Tho latest rumor regarding the rapid transit
situation Is that Tammany intends introducing a
bill at Albany TO legisate the Commissioners out
Of office. No confirmation of this report could be
obtained yesterday. As a matter OF fact. II was
generally discredited The Rapid Transit Com
rissioners have knowledge Of any such pur-
pose on the part Of Tammany. and. indeed. were
more sanguinc than ever yesterday that the pres
ent administration would ultimately declare in
favor of the underground plans They DO not re-
gard tho Mayors attitude as essentially unfriendy.
and are confident that after they have had an op-
pOrtunity TO lay before him the whole scheme.
with all its advantages. his objections Will van
ish 1t was pointed out yesterday that Mayor
Strong when he entered office took almos,
the view the present Mayor. Colone!
Strong thought that rapid transit could be secured
by extending existing lines. but after putting his
theories TO the test he gave them up as impracica-
bic. and has since been advocate OF the under
ground project
Alexander T. Orr. George l.. Rives. A. b. Board
man and Lewis l.. Deaned while denying all
knowledge of any proposal on the part OF Tam
many 10 Gust the Commission. and while declin-
Ing 10 discuss the probability of such action. did
not appear to be at all disturbed by the rumors.
The Contract Committee in session yester-
day and Mr.. Orr said the Commissioners intended
to go right ahead with their work In preparing
contracts and specifications One of the Commits
sioners. who did not wish to be directly quoted
because Of tho agreement which the members OF
the Board have arrived at not TO speak for pub
lication. said TO a Tribune reporter:
Il believe there is truth In this reported
Tammany move. or course. well under
stand TINT Mayor Van Wyck would like to re-
move those Of who fought Tammany in the
last election. and appoint Croker men IN our places
II IS possible that some Tammany leader has been
heard TO suggest that We ought TO be removed
and tho rumor Of bill was born of this sugGes-
ton. But Mayor Van Wyck has no power over
the Commission and the act specially states that
all vacancies are TO be filed by the Commission.
ers themselves The Commission appointed
for a special purpose. and tho Legislature did no,
intend that It should be dominated by political
Influences. No anti-re pid-traDsit bill could b.
carried at Albany unless Croker and Plat decide
upon some deal. The Tammany men can do moth
ing except probably delay the beginning of the
tunnel but public exigencics VIII ultimately COM
pei the adoption Of the COMMISSIONS plans"
Edward VI. Shepard declined 10 comment upon
the situation az counsel to The Board. but said:
"As a private citizen. may say for myself that
! 90 not at all read the Mayors message as n
message OF hostility rapid transit hostility
10 the plan lately adopted by the Appellate Di-
vision Any one in the Mayors place must view
a problem of this kind involving large expenditure.
with great concern. II is natural that the Mayor
should not more commit himself until tho exact
situation is better known"
IT, H. Vreeland, presidcn; Of the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company when asked what in
The underground road would have upon MS com
nam SAID that if his engineers decided that the
rlans were practicable" his company would bid for
,Ln contract despite any change In the political
comDcxiOn Of the Commission. lie doubted. how
eynr II any such thing was contemplated.
MI Vrecland announced that early in the spring
the service OF his company uptown wouI" pc so re
nT-anged that persons living north Of Onc-hundred-
ami eix,ecnth-s;. may 20 downtown witAout i!,ns-
fcrrinR at one hundrcd-and-ffth-S 81. on the East
SIDE ana One-hundrcd- nd ninth on the West
cIde T'his will be accom- li?hcd by turning Ienox-
ave cars into Mad! on-ave. hy way OF Ol"-huhIred
ard-s!xteerth-st. ana BY connecting thc ihierNai
In Coljrnbus-nve. between Onc-hundrcd-and- nlnih
and .-hundred and-siXih SITS. The electric cars.
v.hlcn s;o at hundred d-Nini hist. VIII th"h
reach hmstcrdaIn-aVe. Is Co!ntnbCs-aVc ana one,
Observation-Disclosures. Thence they VII travel
1"yutown by the regular Ninth-are. Hnc. Ihs
pin viii relieve tho L. !nsion and Columbus- We.
mrnnoeeI steamboat pier a; one-hundred and-hf-
rp,bs, ond the North River
Ninvor Van Wyck refused 10 answer inquiries
,.~"t.Ilnr rapid transit yesterday ,, =,
.jichord croker said that ne fne" OF 10 PHI IN
,rsn,raiion for presentation II the state I-egl5
l. ire "a abolish tho Rapid Transit C0minisslon ana
a nestToy an hope for the underground iaiu"ay;
Hr Croktr said that the report donDtle.s OF
,hroueh misccrc erton Of some parts OF NlaHT
W; x-cI,'e message. Mr.. Croker says ne IIe" "
.~,e.s with Mayor Van Wycks Fl.wS ~ lh' iiit
80 ,,ut ,haf lie doesn't think tho mayor opIoSi,
- 10 tho plan will be carried 10 me i1It'n 81
o.,nrcn,frg 10 secure State icgIsIatlon. nc ,,Ii
49, tndoDendont member might oii'r suCh -,
~, ,,n ia date he did not mink any si'' P'"''
but ~ oiecnssod within the organizttl"''