New-York tribune., 1899-03-27
RAPID TRANSIT IN PERIL.
rpr BILL APPARENTLY ASLEEP IN THE
LEGISLATURE.
..>.,rss IT IS PASSED THIS WEEK MAYOR
VAN WICK MAY KILL EX-SENATOR
prATTs VISIT TO ALBANY

pIATT VISIT To ALLAN !.
,. March 26 (SpeciaD.-1n some respects
eas,or Of the Legislature is disappontingly
,-..,,,ess 70 few Of the New-York Citv mem
I'O'''> g.. work measures of less Importance.
oe'' .Ao Ar,sterdam-ave. bill and the Ahearn
-, teachers Pension bill. get forward. hut
49,, - increase the rapid transit facilities
-. rreat city is yet unpassed by either the
,.so,,blv or the Senate.
10 will dispute that the greatest need Of
vork is an underground rapid-transit sys-
Rut while the Amsterdam-ave. bill has
IT., occupied the attention OF the Legls-
.',.. IN consequence partly ~ the activity IN
49, hehslf of Senator Ford and Assemblyman
r.novs the bill of the Rapid Transit Commits
IN, is permitted - rest on the order Of second
.sad,nr In both the Senate and the Assembly
W New-York member seems much concerned
about lis fate. and yet IT is obvious TO every
o,e that the session of the Legislature is rap
idly approaching an end.
one especial reason why immediate action on
the bill should he forced. which does not seem
% be thought of is that the measure should
rot he left a. the mercy Of Mayor Van Nyck, II
passed There Is a suspicion. probably well
founded that the Mayor Will veto the act unless
II is So amended as TO give Tammany Hall con-
troll u the patronage incidental 70 the con
s.ruction or the great engineering work. II il
is vetoed by the Mayor the Legislature ought
70 have time to consider it again and pass it
over his veto
The Legislature it is now believed. will ad-
tourn on April Il II will not have completed
is work by that time. but II the precedents OF
recent years are followed it Will he dispersed
by political chieftains then in response 10 the
demands of corporations threatened with a tax
on their franchises. or some other tax which
would decrease their income and increase tlat
of the State or the cities. The Rapid Transit
bill Il the Legislature is 70 be adjourned on
April 10 ought 10 he passed this week.
There is another rapid-transit hill Of impor-
tance. that Of Senator Marshall. authorizing the
Long Island Railroad Company TO build tun-
nel under the East River, which also should be
passed Immediately if it is TO avoid danger at
Mayor Van Wyck's hands. The Long Island
Railroad Company plans 70 have tunnel under
the East River which will start al Cortlandt-
81 in the Borough Of Manhattan. and emerge
al Flatbush and Atlantic aves.. in the Borough
of Brooklyn The design is to run electric cars
from Cortlandt-st TO Jamaica in twenty min
utes.
The Tammanv Senators and Assemblymen
have been opposing his bill on the ground that
u would violate the New-YOrk city charter
rrovsion in regard to the time limit Of fran
chises In defence of the roads Application for
a franchise Of unlimited life rs officers nave
stated here in Albany that capitalists "ould hol
he willing 10 advance the large amount Oh
money necessary for the construction OF tun-
mel when the franchise would have only twenty
five years Of existence. Any underground ran
road they say would he an expensive under-
taking and the franchise therefore ought 10 ne
OF such a nature as TO tempt capitalists 10 as
sumo IT, rather than 20 compel them 10 decline
II a street railway franchise might well nave
only twenty-five years life. FOR street railways
can be- built at comparatively small expense
but underground railways are enterprises OF
different nature and demand different treat
nent.
The NeW-York political bills VIII he passed
this week in order 10 get them. II possible. out or
Mayor Van Wyck's clutches. The single-headed
police bill viii he submitted 10 vote IN the
senate having passed tho Assembly As long
as Senators Wilcox and Cogeeshal are opposed
10 i there can he only small hope Of It's passing.
United States Senator Platts visit here is be
ieved 70 be with special reference 10 this meas