The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-23
NEW PHASE OFTUNNEL WAR
CoLER WANTS RAPID TRANSIT COM
MISSI OVERS TO TAKE A HAND.

C0LER WANTS RAPID TRANSIT COM
MISsIoNERs TO TAKE a HAND.
Says tho Act Creating That Body Gives II
Power to Dig Under River or Anywhere
Else In the Greater City-One of the
Three Johns Sends Out . Protest.
Comptroller Coler will send letter to-day to
Alexander z. Orr. President OF the Rapid Tran
cit Commission. asking him to call a special
meeting OF the com missionerJ for the purpose
OF deciding whether they have power to extend
the underground railway to all the boroughs
Of the city. Commissioner George l.. Rives
and W. Barclay Parsons, chief engineer OF the
commission, believe that II has power. under
the act creating II. to dig tunnels wherever IL
thinks wise and proper In Greater New York.
and In this power Mr.. Coler sees means to
beat Mayor Van Wyck In the bridge-tunnel
row that has been going on between them.
This. In my opinion" said Mr.. Coler. yester-
day afternoon. rs the only way In which We
can solve the present controversy In regard TO
the relative merits OF bridges and tunnels. I
have thought always that the Rapid Transit
Com mission has power to extend It's lines 80 as
to include every borough. but have not been
certain OF II. Mr.. Rives says that under the
law It has. aud to my mind that settles II. am
glad. too. that nothing stands In the way OF the
commission constructing a tunnel to South
Brooklyn. am satisfied that the city will have
tunnels. and not bridges. and / am confident
that they will he built under the supervision OF
the Rapid Transit Commission.
Il am satisfied that the city would meet with
many difficulties II II attem pied to build the
tunnel independent OF the Rapid Transit Com
mission. There are the franchises for tunnels
which are In existence to-day. for instance.
They might not prove very bothersome. but
they do complicate the situation. Wherever
such franchises exist. there 10 a possibility OF
trouble. think that any trouble which might
arise could DO handled better II the whole mat
ter wa. In the charge OF the Rapid Transit
Commission. I hope. for that reason. that the
ssion will see Mt. at the meeting which
requested them to hold. to take the matter
In hand"
Mr.. Coler's advocacy OF the Rapid Transit
Commission taking charge Of all the tunnels is
regarded as an open declaration against Tam
many control. II was so interpreted at the
City Hall. II his plan was adopted the inde-
pendent commission. which elects It's own
matters and M1c Tammsny n' would " not have p any
The Hon. John %hsIen q TIC trta%yifats Of
matters Issued last evening this statement:
As to the right Of the commission to do the
siSe an opson on so sna
until had m ade careful investig alton. speak:
ing OF. hand. my recollection 10 that the Rapid
Transit Commission to New York county: In
order that the proposed tunnel may be Of use
ras from ,Ss ctS Ha
Battery or Bowling Green. To consider such a
thins would practically be to throw the whole
when we have reached point where the work
Of construction Is about to begin.
they have SSa and
man or official who seeks to Interfere viii IND
ina, such interference VIII not De 1olsEs,ea ,b
what this tunnel question would do. 1t Is In
ject by loading II down with schemes or plans
that would take years to conspmmate; ana al !
do anything that will set us back on the eve Of
the ACCOMPLISHMENT OF what the people have
Yesterday delegation OF residents OF Queens
borough. all Of whom are anxious to have
bridge built TO Long Island City. attended a
Tunnels and Bridges. which has under consid-
Grafton a resolution providing for bond issue
SSIsi:ooOO9o each Tor s, the Long Island . CITY
Cohen Cohen and Frsa Pe9Tns argue
ConkIins said that he 'represen ted property
owners IN Manhattan who would pay $40 to
Sq1r Rsh az All the sc
were In favor OF tunnel IA against bridge.
Mr.. Cone. as an engineer. explained the
precticabiity Of tunnels. Mr.. Cohen. repre-
senting the Social Reform Club. wanted ex-
perts appointed to consider the whole matter
James B. Townsend OF Bay Ridge urged the
building OF South Brooklyn tunnel.
. For the Queens borough representatives. ID;
agitation was put up by the Long Island Rail-
road Company. Judge Manly said Brooklyn
motives.
That's not So" snid Mr.. .Conkline, Mr. Per-
You don't count" said the Judge. You're
afraid people will leave Manhattan for Queens"
Mr. Cohen tried to speak. He WAS ordered to
alt down. When he refused the bridge ndvo-
Gates began to shout at him. President Bowley
OF Queens was raradinG W aud down In front
constituents were shouting to Mr.. Cohen that
" he lived In Queens they'd lynch him. Tho
gu ct was TO adjourn. which Il did. II took tho
Long Island pcop!e half an hour to get out Of
the room. The committee will report favorably
an hnth Bird syAa "..Ip