New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-02

new mortsages made for the construction and
equipment OF the tunnel would necessarily be sec
Vilu mortgages. and therefore make the bonds OF
less value II is. of course. a mistake that the bill
as amended or otherwise permits the use of steam
~, The language in Section of the bill. beginning
II III shall not have been determined by a vote OF
the people" etc. which has been characterizef as
sn,smaticaI Is simply part of the law as it
situation; it having already been determined by
vote ,,. OF the people that the Commission may au
The statement TO the effect that If franchise
any par, Of broadway it would result in loss to
the city of the sum Of s5oON which the broadway
ccssor of the Metropolitan Street Railway Com
pany. has agreed to pay, the city annually so long
or under Broadway. even If technically true, IL
The Metropolitan company operates the road upon
Broadway south OF Fifteenth-st.. as the successor
tand Of the Broadway and Seventh Avenue Com
pany its lessee) which was bound by the terms OF
Us franchise TO pay the annual rent OF $4,000 into
earnings after the first Ave years OF its existence
ropolitan RAILROAD. The bond by which the Broad
way and Seventh Avenue Railroad guaranteed that
n year was given by that company in consideration
assuming tha, h. bond We're no onEer obgai oT
upon tho Metropolitan. by reason of the construc-
be entitled to- receive $40 o YEAR and So per cent Ss,t
Of the gross earnings Of the Metropolitan Railroad
original franchise under which it enjoys that part
Of Broadway. These facts were pointed out in a
il. 1896 W '''N ~
MIR. CROKER NON-COMMITTAL
Richard Croker. speaking upon the subject Of
rapid transit at the Democratic Club last night,
said II can only say. as have always said.
that am In favor Of rapil transit and that
believe in the underground road. But the cOnd-
ton OF the city's finances is such that II could
not. in my estimation. undertake its construc-
ton at this time Con- equently, private capital
must be employed for the project. l believe in
allowing private capital build the tunnel, pro-
vided that the provisions such that the city
gets its full measure of revenue and is able to
keep a guardian hand over the company"
When asked what he thought of the merits of
the Metropolitan's proposition Mr.. Croker said
he had opinion to offer.
SHEEHAN CONDEMNS THE OFFER.
John c. Sheehan is unalterably opposed to
granting the proposed franchise for an under
ground railroad to the Metropolitan Street Rail
road Company upon the terms named
The proposition to give this company such a
franchise" he said. sis of the greatest out
RACES of our time. In Chicago they got out
ropes and threatened to hang certain people
upon similar provocation. and 1t seems to me
that the provocation here is equal to that of
Chicago This company has already grabbed
everything so that there is practically nothing
left for the city to derive benefit from by which
the rate Of taxation can be decreased. This
company has in the past denounced tunnel as
unfeasble, but when they saw that one was
likely to be built they came forward with a
proposition that provides nothing for the city
but further enslaves II. l think the city ought
TO build and operate the underground road ana
! think they could build 1t and have II on
paying basis inside Of four years. and the money
derived would greatly reduce the taxation
SUGGESTION FROM sTUYVEsANT FISH
Stuyvesant Fish. president of the Illinois Cen
trail Railroad, las forwarded a letter TO Alex
ander e Orr congratuating the Commission
upon securing 80 fair proposition as appears
TO have been n de on behalf of those controlling
the Metropolitan company" and proceeding theh
to submit suggestions based upon his experience
of rapid transit In Chicago. THE title ana the
reason for the being Of your Commission, Mr..
Fish writes require you to exact rapid transit,
and that Of the rapidest kind consistent WIN
safety and comfort. The utter lnellclency OF
existing means, and the failure, In the past, OF
such means to even keep abreast Of the times
much less TO meet a growing demand require
that such guarantees of speed should be most
strict and broad enough to cover the needs OF
the future. AS such guarantees can be ful,
filed If the carrier is hereafter TO he burdeneu
with the payment of an excessive per cent Oh
it's profits as taxes, or restricted too much IN
respect 10 maximum charges, liberal, broad
minded, ive-and- let-live policy should be ADOPT
ed and adhered to in this respect
Mr. Fish goes on 10 urge that speed should
be one OF the main considerations 10 which the
Commission should give its attention After
pointing out the speed on the Manhattan ran
wav which averages between twelve and four
teen miles an hour he explains that the only
thing which | have found in the tunnel com
pany's proposition in respect 70 speed apples
solely to express trains. and is as follows: NO
train to be deemed an express train except one
which is scheduled to run, and, barring accidents
does customaril, run over its entire route below
NinetN--sixfh hist the rate OF twenty miles an
hour and for at least two miles below Forty
second st at the rate OF thirty miles an hour.
1t is not stated that intermediate stops are 20
be made below Forty -second-st.. ana from Ine
different speeds offered above and below that
street II is to be inferred none VIII De rhaue p5
express trains.
POSSI BIIITIES AS TO SPEED
As indicating however. what may be done in
the way OF rapid suburban traffic Mr. Fish in
c,udes a schedule of the running time of the
express suburban trains Of the Illinois Central
Railway in Chicago, which, including stops.
shows speed from Randolph-st. to South Park
of 81 - miles an hour and from Van Buren-st
10 HYDE Park Of 1927 miles an hour without
protesting to know" he continues. Il should
euess that the tunnel company could safely
covenant to put IL stations averaging about
half a mile apar. q Jse of the Manhattan COM
rany average q lltle less than One-thlrd Oh d
mile apart) and run their ocal trains al a Hhl-
mum speed Of fifteen miles per Houi' IHCi"H''S
stops at each, from FL ny second-st south anu
also TO guarantee minimum speed Oh seNe"
teen miles pei Aour. Including stop at each
station for the who'll distance from Ninety
sixth-st TO the southern terminus
Mr. Fish suggests also that the tuhhel con-
rany should be required to find a seat Tor eaG I
passenger This can be done he asserts IL
Vas done With few and rare eXcepu0ns' an
throughout the summer Of lS"} III our WorIu
Fair trains II is done daily on me Lonuon
Underground railways. indeed on al EneHsh
ranwavs with rare exceptions The use OF side-
iI.iDls cnrc ,nares Ibis possbe. and II was