New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-04
LACKA WANNA'S EXPANSION.
TT MAY BUY AND COMPLETE THE HUD-
son RIVER TUNNEL


presidency of the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western Railroad Company and that his sue
cessor was to be man trained in the progress
sive school OF Western railway management
radical changes in the policy of the Lackawanna
road have been looked forward to. With the
assumption by Mr. Truesdae of the duties or
the presidency. II is believed in Wall Street
that the era Of government under blanket
for the Lackawanna has passed 1t is also
reckoned as one Of the changes certain to re-
suit from the replacing Of Mr.. Sloan by Mr..
Truesdale that the position OF the Lackawanna
In relation TO the other anthracite-carrylng
roads will in future be more satisfactory. Ihe
company has been generally regarded IN the
past perhaps the chief disturbing factor IN
the coal business. but general confidence is eX-
pressed downtown that, with the installation or
Mr. Truesdae as It's president, the Lackawanna
road has entered upon a policy Of better faith'
which will make possible the ending Of the pres
ent Generalization in coal rates and the put
ting into effect Of a plan Of operation when
shall be for the mutual benefit Of all the coal
carrying roads and shall be adhered to by all.
THE SHORTEST LINE TO BUFFALO.
Rumors Of far-reaching plans Of improvement
and expansion Of the Lackawanna system are
aAoat in financial and railroad circles plane
which said 70 include the extension Of the
road westward a trunk line and its en-
trance into this city as the sole owner and user
OF the Hudson River Tunnel The line Of the
New-York Central. from NewYOrk to Buffalo.
is i42 miles in length; the West Shore, 40
miles: the Erie. 42i miles; the Lehgh Valley.
AS miles, and the Delaware. Lackawanna and
Western. 4lO miles-the shortest of all. The
Lackawanna stock is largely held. if indeed not
controlled by tho Vanderbilts at any rate it
is generally understood that the Vanderbilt and
New-Jersay Central interests, which have long
acted in harmony in the Board Of Managers. to-
gether represent large majority OF the stock
holdings The selection OF Mr.. Truesdale for
PRESIDENT is universally believed to have been
the ratification Of ". X Vanderbilt's choice Of
a successor to Samuel Sloan.
The L1ckawanna has at Buffalo traffic con-
rections with the New-York. Chicago and St
Louis 0he Nickel Plate" road. which is Van
derbilt line. In a sense. IT may be regarded al
ready as rart Of a Vanderbilt trunk line to
Chicago. but II the reputed project of its man
agemcnt in relation to the North River tunnel
be carried into effect giving It direct access to
this citv it may assume much greater impor-
tance. as to its through traffic than 1t now pos
sesaes. There is owing on the tunnel nearly
$1,000 600 and that property is within a month
or two to b advertised for sale under fore
closure
LACKAwANNA MAY BUY THE TUNNEL
II had been expected that it would be bought
IN bv the Reorganization Committee, represent
ing American and English interests; but. as
member Of that body said yesterday: The
CTaclawanna can have the tunnel if il is willing
10 hid more than we shall"
hoe hpep hiIi three
thousand feet on the Jersey City side. starting
at F-ifteenth-st. and for about two hundred and
sixty feet on the NewYork side, from Norton
St These sections are now flooded but the
water can easily be pumped out whenever fnan-
cial ARRANGEMENTS shall be made for resuming
the work Of construction.
II had been part Of the original plan that the
various roads having termini in Jersey City and
Hoboken. among them the Lackawanna, should
use the tunnel jointly; but it is said that there
is nothing in the charter Of the tunnel company
TO prevent one railroad from monopozing the
right Of way. The Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western owns a large tract of land surrounding
the Jersey City end Of the proposed tunnel and
has stoutly resisted the efforts Of the Jersey City
authorities 10 recover the property, urging that
It needed the tract for terminal purposes and
was justified in its closing of several streets
"
Of the tunnel the approaches to which it thus
already holds. would give the Lackawanna an
enormous advantage over its rivals with termini
in Jersey City especially if it should. in addi-
ton expand its line into a trunk line to Chi
cago for It would be enabled without change
Of cars 10 land all its passengers. by local as
well as through trains, in central part OF New
York City thus effecting important saving OF
time as well as adding to the comfort OF its
patrons.
SUNDAY TRAINS LIKELY.
II seems likely that regular Sunday trains
will before long be operated on the Lacka-
wanna President Truesdale said yesterday that
If the people wanted Sunday trains he saw no
reason why they should not be accommodated
70 q reasonable extent The people OF some of
the towns on the Norris and Essex road have
within the last few years been brought into
measurable distance Of the city on Sundays
through the construction Of trolley lines TO the
arb ap1Hf he OOI lab