New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-30
TUNNEL CONTRACT DRAWN.
MAY BE PRESENTED TO THE RAPID
TRANSIT COMMISSION TOMORROW.
CONTROLLER coLER's PRESENCE DEEMED NECEs-
sARY. HOWEVER. AND THE CONTROLLER
NOT CERTAIN TO BE THERE-rHH
CORPORATION coUNsEI!s RE-
PORT READY MR.. ORR
AND MR.. DREAMER

PORT READY II MR.. ORR
AND MR.. DREAMER
II Controller Cocr attends to-rnorrows meeting OF
the Rapid Transit Commissioners some important
progress may be achieved. 1t is understood that
the Committee Contract has decided upon ali
the details OF the contract for the construction OF
the underground road Should the Controller ne
present. the contract will undoubtedly be presented
TO the meeting for formal approval will also the
Manhattan franchises
AS regards the approval OF the contract It must be
remembered that before bids can be advertised for
the contract must first be submitted TO the Cor
poration Counsel Therefore. IN view OF the
tagonism which the Tammany municipal admins
traton has shown toward the Commission. 1t is
possible that in Mr.. Whalen the Board will find
another obstacle 10 the plans that have been
mapped out. The point that the Commission did
not fear that the Corporation Counsel might IN
definitely delay the legal approval OF the contract
was put 10 Alexander f. Orr yesterday and he
piled that he did not anticipate any unusual
trouble. adding: mo stand in the way OF
the form OF contract for any extraordinary length
OF time after It has received the Endorsement OF
the Commission"
In the pursuance Of its plans the Board Il Is
tain, canno; depend upon the aid OF Controller
Golfer and Il is unlikely that any definite action
gardng either the contract or the Manhattan fran
chises Will be taken until Charles Stewart Smith re-
turns 10 this city next week Mr. Coer said yes
terday that II doubtful II he would attend tho
meeting 10 be held tomorrow. Il shall certainly
not attend he said. unless am prepared 10
vote inteiligenty upon the proposition. At the
present moment am not prepared. and It Is not
likely that will be by Thursday"
An important factor in the contemplated award
Of the contract for the building Of the under
ground line is the question OF the debt limit of the
city. The Corporation Counsel has this matter
under consideration at the present moment. and
is expected TO make a report on the subject some
time in the next two three days Mr. Whalen
asked yesterday what he thought Of the pro-
posed intention OF the Rapid Transit Commission
force the issue at once by awarding Its con-
tract He said: while 1t may be true that the
Commission has the power TO award contract,
It is quite another thing TO raise the money TO pay
for IT,"
Mr.. whalen also gave It his opinion that
capitalists would hesitate 10 begin the big under
taking of cutting the tunnel under the conditions
which exist just lie admitted that he had
his opinions prepared upon the debt limit bugaboo
but would not make 1T public until 1t had been
handed to the Controller Although he refused
70 make known its contents, however. II is be-
heved that he comedies with Mayor Van Wyck IN
deciding that the authorized, but unissueo. ponos
amounting 81 10000 fixed charge against
the city.
After the emphatic reputation by Mr.. Orr of the
statements made by Assistant Corporation Counsel
Creamer that he CMr. Orb was largely interested
in Manhattan Elevated Railroad stock; Mr
Dreamer publicly sought TO mitigate his charges
by asserting that even II Mr.. Orr personally heIu
no stock il the company. yet as the executor OF
the David BOWS estate he was interested Decau9o
he q holder OF elevated STOCK . TINS
Mr. Orr issued the following statement yesterday
MIR. Bows always greatly Interested IN I'M
proving the public transportation iaclntles OF tiis
city and especially IN. securing some form OF raP!u
transit He was. indSed. the originator or the nIHl
horseless l!ne extending from the Battery TO mn
tieth-st, and operated by means OF an eiluIeSS
chain The method was. as II turned out, cIuue
and defective and the enterprise failed entdlilhg
upon the investors the loss OF all the money theN.
had put In II. Mr.. Bows. however, being man or
great perception. courage and persistence was n0t
deferred from continuing his attempts 10 OBTAIN
for the city better line, based upon a more pIac
ticable design. He, therefore, was one or the N =
and stanchest promoters OF the earliest elevated
railway and acquired a considerable amount OF
Manhattan stock. All these holdings however. no
disposed OF before his death, which occurred OF
His estate IL is true stun retained
some Manhattan bonds. but these were caLleu IN
and paid off on January /, 1891 since when unle
the estate mas had no manner OF interest IN inc
Manhattan company i may not be irrelevant 20
add concerning Mr.. Dowss long concern about ana
activity rapid transit facilities that IN my opi
ION he was actuated far less by any desire 70 IN
crease his fortune than by high sense or obhga,
ton TO the city. whose advantages had comtrputeo
30 largely TO his success and prosperity. IhuS mo
only statement in Mr. Creamers letter when
agrees with the fact Is that am an executor OF
The Dows estate: and II his Is a crime. i plead
guilty. for | am not only an executor, put the
chairman Of the body of executors ana was so eX-
pressly named IN Mr. Dows's WILL