Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-05-28
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE. |


Is more of u muddle than ever at the
present time. A year ago there seemed
to be hopeful prospect that the subway
scheme proposed by the rapid transit
commissioners, the only practical ana
genuine scheme for the relief of the city's
congestion lately suggested from any
source, was about to take shape. 1t was
expected that by this time reasonable
progress would have been made on the
construc ion of the work. hut the muni-
cipal election wrought change in the
conditions. The Tammany administra-
tion, with it's Platt attachment, had 9TH
er views These forces at once planted
themselves in the way of the flow of
progress, and supposing themselves to
be in control of both parties in the legis-
lature, undertook to work bill III the
interests of the Manhattan company
which meant in their own interests
also, and that in no inferior measure.
Matters went smoothly with them at
first, and the stocks for whose beneht
they were working felt the stimulus and
went up with frOlicsome confidence. The
relation Of cause and effect was never
more clearly disclosed. But Governor
Black needing the protests of the pub
lie against this arrant jObbery, let 1t be
known that such measure as that in
the works would not receive his APP
prevail and it was prudently withdrawn
before it's demerits were ventilated in
contest between the legislature and the
executive in which the latter would doubt
less have been the victor. Now, the pres
ident of the Manhattan Elevated Rail
way company, Mr.. Gould, acting for HIM
self and Sage. Galloway, Hartley and
others, gives to one at least of the SYM
pathizing newspapers of the city, an ally
and defender of Platt, the fat dOucenr
of a four-column reading notice, done IN
skiful lawyer style, and intended as bit
of special pleading to prejudice the public
against the commission and win SYM
pathy for its own projects. 1t would
seem from this manifesto that the
Manhattan company had been chafing
against the restraints which the rapid
transit imposed, and which alone pre-
vented its going ahead as public bene-
factor and rendering at the least cost
and in the completeSt measure that serv-
ice which the public required. OF course
this manifesto Is hostile to the transit
commissioners underground scheme,
but it is singularly disingenuOus in its
reasoning. 1t makes use of the recent
Tammany statement of the citys finan-
cial condition and argues on the strength
of it that the constitutional debt limit
of New York had been exceeded by $780,
0O0, 900. A grave financial situation con-
fronts us. There Is no money for schools,
none for bridges, none for libraries none
| for public parks. Contracts already
made, agggregatng millions of dollars
| 1t Is suggested, may be declared null and
| void, and 40. 600 workmen may be thrown
out of employment. And yet you pre-
tend to ignore this crisis, and demand
that the city Immediately add s35, 900. 900
to it's outstanding debt. 1t may be years
before you can legally construct. with
city funds, single foot of your road"
But ex Comptroller Fitch has shown that
| this statement was q dishonest and q
Juggling statement, carrying into the
debt account the items Of contract liza
bility and acquired lands, which had no
| legal place there, and which eliminated
left the debt almost forty millions be-
| hind the constitutional limit. or $5COO,-
| 900 in excess of the estimated cost of the
subway. 1t is claimed that the general
| term promptly repudiated the municipal
| tunnel plans in 1895 because the comm:s-
sioners had not Counted the cost" But
| those plans We're approved later by d
| higher authority, and 1t was shown to its
| entire satisfa ction on the testimony of
| eminent engi neers who had experience
| in similar enterprises both in Boston
| and Baltimore that the work could br
| done in the most thorough manner, and
| all possible engineering difficulties over
| come at a cost considerably within the
| estimates of the board. Nothing but the
opposition Of political bosses and un-
scrupulous stockholders, an opposition
that sefshly and utterly ignores the
public convenience and welfare, now
stands in the way. Boston has demon
strated in practice what various experts
have demonstrated for this city in the
ory, that the most convenient, economi-
| cal and effective method Of furnishing
rapid transit through the congested por-
ton of a great city is by subway. The
cost to the city Is one that cares for itself
in time, and If our citizens would enjoy
the privileges to which they are entitled
they must fight those msnOpolies and
their political allies who would forge
more tightly yet the chains which bind
the public.
The business men of Manhattan are
| loud in protest against the curious new
economy in the postoffice department
embodied in an amendment to the ap-
preparation bill, which would reduce the
| number of deliveries in this and other
large cities to only four day-whereas
| at present there are nine deliveries q
day in the business centers. and three a
day in the suburbs. Postmaster Van
Cott says the letter carriers can't posi-
bly, handle the mail in four deliveries
it would mean that they would have tc
start cut with twice the weight they
carry now and they would be physically
unable to do the work on their routes
and would have to bring back a large
part of the mail to be sent out again. AMI
the public service would be immensely
injured. He says: New York is thu
best paying Office in the country. II tht
number OF deliveries were reduced the
income Of the New York office would b'
proportionately decreased. Every GU
in the efficiency of the office means a re
duction in the profits, and every improve
ment an increase, just as in every othel
business. Not only is the profit earned
by this office greater than that Of any
other in the country, but it is increasing
more rapidly. Last months receipt!
showed an increase of $52. S82 over thos'
Of April 1897, while the receipts for tn
first quarter Of this year were s121 81
more than the same quarter last year.
The Merchants association has sent {
circular letter to the president, ever!
member of the cabinet and every senate
and representative.