New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-20
GORHAM
Sterling
SnVerWareS
Broadway & 10Th St.
3 Maiden Lane.
ORR ASKS PLANS OF GOULD
A PLAIN REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
AS TO WHAT THE ELEVATED
ROAD WILL DO.

MANHATTAN DIRECTORS AND TRIES TO
SECURE DEFINITE Proposals.
WHERE THE HITCH WILL. COME =
II there is sincerity in the reported Intention
Of the directors Of the Manhattan Elevated
Railroad Company 10 improve and extend thei.
system the opportunity TO carry their proposals
into practical effect is now before them. Yester-
day Alexander +. Orr. on behalf Of the Rapid
Transit Commission forwarded a long letter 10
George J. Gould inviting full statement OF
what his company purposes 10 do TO give the
city better means Of transportation. and what
additional facilities the company desired for the
development Of is plans.
Mr.. orr plainly intimates in his letter that the
Board is willing to grant all the facilities II
can. II there is an assurance forthcoming from
the Manhattan people OF prompt action on their
part. Further however. he makes IL clear that
the company must pay due compensation 10 the
city for the new franchises thus granted IN
doubted'y this will be the rock upon which
split between the Commission and the Manhat-
tan company Will occur. Already the directors
Of the latter are pooh-poohing any suggestion
that they should be called upon 10 pay the city,
and are inclined to view the mere idea Of such
A thing as preposterous and impudent But the
Commissioners. as was made evident in the re-
port adopted last Monday and as is also clearly
shown In Mr. Orr's letter. while they are pre-
pared 10 help the company 10 the extent OF their
power in meeting the need for rapid transit
will not grant any exceptional privileges TO Mr..
Gould and his associates.
THE RAILROADS PAST DEMANDS
Once before. when the Manhattan directors
PROGRESSED to be ready to extend their lines they
sought to obtain the franchises without being
called upon 10 pay for them. and went the
length even Of asking the city 10 insure then.
against all claims for damages on the part OF
properjv-ownors. As a matter % fact no such
exemption as the latter ca be granted by the
Commission. but there is steadily growing i'm
preston among people interested in rapid transi:
that the directors Of the elevated railroad will
ultimately make these conditions contingent
upon the carrying out Of any Improvement. and
will make the legal imposs billty OF the Board
10 grant such extraordinary privileges the ex-
cuse for wriggling out Of their promises.
conhc; between the Board and the company is
looked upon as inevitable. and II Is considered
equally certain that the railroad people now
that their end has been attained will disavoH
the responsibility which the Board has put upon
them. The result Will be that having directly
aided TO Kill the plans that would have given
real rapid transit system 10 the city. the Man
haitian company will do nothing TO increase or
improve the travelling facilities in the metrop-
oils.
What the Commission will do In this contin-
gency is rot known. Members Of the Board
who were seen yesterday declined to talk upon
the possibilities Of the situation. bu: II the Man
haitian company fails 20 give the looked-for re-
liet 1t IS thought that during the existence OF
the preseu, administration at least. New York
ers Viii have to remain content with the trans
portation provided By the inconvenient and
oyertaxed elevated and surface roads
Mr. ORR's LETTER
Following IS the letter sent yesterday by Mr.
Orr 10 Mr. Gould
New-York. January 49, 1885
George }. Gould. Esq, President Manhattan Rail-
SIR: on June i. iSs9, YOU presented to the Eoard
formal application II tn Manhattan Railway Com
pany for leave 10 construct manv niles OF railroad
over streets not then occupied by your railroad.
ana 70 eA."ig- your struet.Te In certain streets
th"n occupied ~ Il. and th!s application was sup
pcmented end 10 a certain extent modified by
he same day by letter from YOU the Board
lied by you wl;h 10 Eo4rd Oh july IT, ISL
Upon The examination OF this Application as thus
undertaken hy the Board. IL appea.ed th4t youI
conf any had mace application tOr certain priv
10 power TO graft that Il contained no assurance
that such additional franchises might be granted
would Dc exercised within a reasonable time that
il ronsue0 no oiier 10 onpensate the city for the
valuable franchises thus sought although this
board had no authority. under the l-W. 10 grant
sucn franchises without eXaci.ng reasonable com
rensation). mat il was technically defective in
other particulars; ana, finally, that 1t was based
upon the condition. with which this Board had no
power TO comply, That your company should be
Insured In some manner - NE cty AGAINST all
claims for dan ages on ne part Of properly holders
y hose properties might he injured by tie alteta-
tons ana extensions Of your railroad thus sought
=. the Instruction OF the Board I accordingly
wrote 10 you on Angus o. !sy., vomiting Out the
respects wherein the Application 80 made oy you
aTtracea matters transc,.alng the powers Of the
road and the other particulars III which 1t was
deemed insufficient. and Ad.eG mat the Board
hopes hat your co!nIaH., ~ Jew OF me eHcep-
or ;he exceptional advantases II enjoys Tor the
extension OF rapd-tltns.l facilities VIII promptly
FULLY and also explicitly anu understandineiy deal
vltn H." And also conVe!cd 10 20. the ASSURANCE
cation the board uho' mi. ie,t,r 5id nor imSiy
-, nnfsIn ne best possible terms for the stock
ne4e'J AnS the cfitcism OF your application con.
med In Il was simply designed 10 bring about
50 eE n yo Ss 70 E whcb sbond
30 -raucd more literally III ne interests OF the
lbii-. ana should not be based upon ilega! or i'm
pcT his letter the Board has received no reply.
y .t. et'rii .ation thus mace by your company IS
ana ,,.r,nrg before this BOARD. but IN such shape
and based Up, Upon 10 SI Iell With H.
WIZ however and always has been the opinion
- e. Troro that the exceedingly valuable and
Oh 1'i'Soliv exclusive franchises now possessed by
pI". n,,rnuauv ia u the streets OF this city
49, liable H. y It's present structures were en-
Ispccd streng ,hencd. and we're extended TO the
I'M ,,uder the authorization OF this Board. 10
nOla.i, trcrease its capacity and 70 AFFORD large
e'.s-ire Of relief 10 that section or tho city lying
.n.@S-' .hc northcrly portion Of NewYork County,
wncb IS now practcllly deprived % all means of
rM,'i trsrsDoriation to thc lower end more ponu,
i"t.' - ~ the city nd that these TuCh-needei
s,'7.,ie. could be afforded by your company more
outrkly and perhaps at less expense tnan by any
other corporation .,-..,... ..s -, .-o,.- ..--
-..-ar,eI abatement tLai II ~ the desire or your
1,,rnv to enlarge and extend It's present fsciii-
-. a.. Rapid Transit BOARD nstructs me 10 IN
~, ron, ycur company a prompt applicat ton for
si,cn ADDITIONAL facilities or extensions as II may
80 a. desire. and 20 add 10 this Invitation the assur-
ance that this board = willing 20 20 as far ~