New-York tribune., 1898-01-01
RAPID TRANSIT PROSPECTS.
THE METROPOLITAN CoMPANY's DECIs-
ION TO BECOME A BIDDER.
REGARDED AS STRENGTHENING THE POSITION
OF THE CoMMrssIoNERs-RUMo OF
CONSOLIDATION DENIED.

CONSOLIDATION DENIED
The decision OF the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way Company to enter the competition for the
construction and operation of the proposed un-
derground rapid transit road was received with
pleasure yesterday by the friends of rapid tran
sit. who argued that II went far TO demonstrate
the practicability Of the Commissions plan. and
who saw in 1t way out Of the difficulty created
by the Appellate Divisions stipulation for a
S1J.OO000O bond. in case the Court shall declare
that the bond must be a continuing one. cover
ing the entire period OF operation under the
charter and not merely the period Of construc-
ton. The Metropolitan company, 1t is pointed
out through its extensive excavations for
the laying of cable and underground troll
ley conduits In all parts Of the city. mas
complete knowledge OF the engi-
neering problems to be met in the building
Qf the rapid transit tunnel than can be pos
sessed by any Of the other bidders, and Will,
therefore. have the advantage Of being able 10
make close and practically accurate estimates
/ IN preparing It's bid. II will too, be a responsi-
BILE bidder. for its resources are vast and the
| men prominent n its direction are all large
capitalists The control of the underground
line. it can easily be seen would be OF the great
est benefit TO the Metropolitan company. with
/ haul" feeders for the '1ong- haul" tunnel road
! The Manhattan Elevated Road has not yet en-
| tered the competition IL indeed It intends to
| take such a STEP
! Alexander Z. Orr, president OF the Rapid
Transit Commission, said yesterday afternoon
/ that he had heard about the Metropolitan Street
! Railway Company's reported intention TO be-
come bidder under the Commissions plan, but
had been too busy TO read the published state
ments OF Mr.. Ryan and other leading men IN
the company concerning the matter The COM
mission he added, would soon ask the Appellate
! Division to modify It's stipulation regarding the
| S15OOOO0O bond by constituting 1t as extending
over only the period OF construction. To exact
q continuing bond OF $15.OO0O00. in addition to
tho 81. 900 900 deposit which the successful bid
der must make. and the S1OOoOo0 more or
! less which II must eXpend on equipment
upon which equipment the city would nave
| lien. would be practically to make
the contractor furnish S22,Voooo or 60
100000 bonds for an enterprise ihVoiV"e
from $50. 100000 to S50.OO0.OOO. Not only ooes
Nr Orr regard this as a proportion unprec-
edented and contrary to all business usage ou'
ro also feels that greater objection is that 1t
.o,,Id tend 70 restrict competition. The en-
trance Of the Metropolitan company into the
| makes
William Barclay Parsons. chief engineer O
.b. Ranid Transit Commission, said that, acting
under instructions from the Commission, ne wa
rrenaring for the use of the Metropolitan Stree
railway COMPANY a full set Of plans and specih
cat,ons Of the proposed road, identical with tn'
sets ,,h. h he had already furnished to the thre'
other prospective bidders. TWO or three groups
IN addition. he added, had applied for plans ah(
snecidcations, but their applications had peei
refused. since It was the policy OF the ComMis
sion 10 furnish such information only TO synol
Gates and corporations which they had reason
to believe were thoroughly responsible bidders
and which in addition, were willing 70 sno"
| their hand by disclosing the names or their ledu
inc members Mr. Parsons will early next WeeI
meet Mr. Pierson. the Metropolitan company
| engineer for a conference regarding the pro
n H. Vreeland. president of the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company, was asked by IrlDune iie
reporter yesterday TO state the posiI0h oi liIS
company with regard to the nuHdlnS OF Inc tne @ tuIi
neI 'I have nothing TO say" he replied. IhoraaS
F. Ryan speaks for himself and his associates
Whatever he says is authoritative. and II there
any more talking to be done mes 'ne "id" u
"Then you can't say anthing more?"
II don't say anything. and haven't said any
thing, except 70 say that Wouluh say any
The decision of the Metropolitan 10 bid for
the tunnel road gave rise yesterday 10 rumors
of various consultations ana aDsorptlons 9i o.
other companies by the Metropolitan, and II
was repeatedly said that the control or the Ihlrd
Avenue Railway Company would soon be ac-
ouired by the Metropolitan. Edward Lauter-
bach counsel OF the Third Avenue Railroad
~ompanv I'm an interview yesterday afternoon
said. '"The Third Avenue looks with favor upon
this move OF the Metropolitan, but we have no IN
terest in It's bid. our company VIII not put IN
any bid on its own account on the plan OF the
Papid Transit Commission. 1t is not true that
the Metropolitan will absorb the Third Avenue
or that there will be a consolidation ot the two
companies"