The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-18
TUNNEL SCHEME HELD UP.
THE RAPID TRANSIT COMMISSION
TURNS TO THE .ELETATED.

C.mpauy to state what Further Facilities
n Nseds-The Court Go ne Asked to Mod
n, the Terms fine Tunnei Contract bend.
The Rapid Transit Railroad Commission met
...,.rday to receive the report of the Commit
30 on Contract, which has been searching for
,ome one who could put up a Sl5,O o 900 bond
~ s.curo the construction and operation Of tho
rronosed underground railroad. Those present
rors President Alex lndor E. Orr, Commission.
49,. George l.. Rivcs, Woodbury. Langdon, John
Cloain and Charles Stewart Smith; William
p,rclsy Parsons, tho chief engineer; A. b.
poardman and Edward NJ. Shepard, counsel to
,ho hoard, and Lewis L. Delaleld, secretary.
II was expected that Mayor Van wyck and
Comptroller Coler would be present, but 8 tcle-
nbone message was received saying that tho
Mayor was presiding at a meeting of the Board
NJ Estimate and Apportionment and could not
come.
The most important feature Of the report Is
thu statement that the committee has not found
any contractor that could meet the conditions
imposed by tho Appellate Division OF the SUI
nreme Court. II recommends that tho commits
sion shall not advertise for bids for the con-
%ttruction and operation Of tho underground
road until the board learns the extent to which
the Manhattan Hallway Company proposes to
meet the demand for rapid transit, The Com
miSsiOnerS accepted the report anu auoptou the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That the President be requested to
invite from the Manhattan Railway Company
tho early presentation of any application for
additional facilities or extensions which that
company may now desire; and to state in such
invitation that this board is ready to go as far.
upon assurances Of prompt action OH the part
ofthe company and Of It's willingness to make
the city will permit. toward enabling the com.
pany to take such steps as will relieve the needs
Then the commission took up the part of the
%9aiPement Of a, bond Of s15,oooyooo. and
"Rssolred, That the counsel of the board be
instructed to present q petition to the Appellate
D DUdiient 20 .n Of 1 t&e recent H0 DECISION sisnin %4ssl ISi SSR te
the bond to be required, under section "a OF the
Rapid Transit act, such petition to. be in har-
port Of the committee, and TO be verified by tho
President and authorized by the seal OF this
board"
The Committee on Contract consists of Presi-
dent Orr, George L: Riyes, and Charles Stewart
smith; Referring tE the decision Of the ! Met hIi
for the tunnel in view Of the improvements TO
be made on the elevated roads, the report says:
problem BY the elevated railway company, or
the terms of such solution, remain in doubt, 1t
4 f. the opinion Tl n Of y9 Sn,n committee tee that Til 6 mot only rS.
fponsible bidders, will decline to make pro-
posals for the contract to construct and operate
proved by your board and by all tho local au-
thorities,' and conditionally approved by. the
shall enter an order approving the, routes and
plan Of construction now nroposed-this com
not, advertise for bids until the board shall
know tho extent to which the elevated railway
Division we'll calls the tmperious necessity of
improved means OF rapid transit It VIII be
the problem is under serious but Incomplete con-
.ideration by the board or other local euthori-
ties, to mako any proper contract for tho con;
plan, recently approved by the court. In the
opinion OF the COMMITTEES, therefore, the deter
ton "a ought, II possible, to await the result
of the present suggestion of solving. the rapid
, ,Se esi pfiGSle9 eier By Sa faiiqosa 5 sysiliaaos and dp3Sg g
extensions Of that system
The report recommends that tho Appellate
bond required. raises the question whether the
commission could lawfully agree to the stipula-
s st9n feau that no oy in adj HHuaf Woa ihG Il he Could Id
give such n bond. an that no security company
or Ds so sn,n' ca0i,s Of s sIsh CO oSsm nj ths co com,a do III If
that kind in the state, 1t says. is only $4,000.
ono The Committee suggests, therefore, that
to q bond for the construction of the tunnel
only, leaving it to the board to fix the amount
gard to the rentals and the operation of the
road. 1t reviews the largest bonds ever re-
CURED on public work. declaring that 10 per
cent: Of the total cost was usually tho amount
OF such bonds. 1t says that, in its opinion, the
utmost security to be expected from n con-
tractor. without utterly defeating the idea of
municipal construction and ownership. would
be as follows:
]. The deposit OF 81 900. 900; and. in addition.
= The Withholding or deposit. subject TO the con-
trol or the board. OF II reasonable percentage of the
IHce OF construction. such percentage to be paid TO
the contractor only upon his providing proper equip
,hent OF equal value upon which the city should have
u nrst Hen 10 secure the rental and satisfactory oper-
ftion. md not to he fully paid until complete deliv-
cry OF the railroad ready for operation; and, in add
ton.
=. Several bonds to secure construction and equip
nent. but not rental. the total amount of such bonds
NOT TO exceed S1,5OO.OOO and, in addition,
A bond under section 81 Of the act IN All amount
which. with the cash value of the equipment. shall DO
equal to the estimated rental for seven years.
The committee says It cannot assure the
commission that even this can be obtained.
lhere was a meeting of tho Executive Com.
nittee OF the Manhattan Railway Company
yesterday. Mr.. Sage said after the meeting
that as President George Gould had been
drawn to serve on the United States Grand
Jury at Trenton. (which begins its sessions to-
gay there would be no meeting Of the directors
curing the next two weeks.