The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-31
TUNNEL RAPID TRANSIT.
BOARD ASKS FOR POWER TO UTILIZE
PRIVAT TIE

Memorial Sent to Albany with Amend
ments That VIII Make Il Possible to Com
slider the whitney Ofer-Proposed Sub
way Privileges Startle One Commissioner
TIL Rapid Transit Commissioner sent to
Albany yesterday their memorial asking the
Legislature to amend the law so that bids OF
private capitalists for the buildine OF tho road
may be considered. The Commissioners in
clude In the memorial the proposition made
BY the Metropolitan Street Railway and say:
The board is at present without statutory
power to grant or deal with this proposition.
Under the law as 1t now stands 1t is bound to
construct with the funds OF the city or not to
construct at all. The board is convinced that
municipal construction is now. and. perhaps,
for a long time will be, impracticable. II rapid
transit 10 to be secured now the board must
have the power to make a grant to private
capitalists, The amendments already sub
mitted to your honorable bodies provide most
OF the power necessary to action upon any
proposition like that now submitted by the
METROPOLITAN Company. But the amendments
are in some respects Inadequate.
The present law contemplates a fare not
exceeding five cents. hut the system Of trans
fers included in the METROPOLITAN application
had not then been proposed. and the board
cannot say that the convenience OF such a sys-
tenn to the travelling public is not fully worth
the auultlOndl cnarRc. ne lletTOpOlltdn Ooh-
pany asks that the grant shall be made to q
separate company which will lease to the Met
r%opolitan Comnany. under the a%mendments
direct grant only TO m existing railroad cor
%uoration itself operating a railroad within the
THE board has prenared and now submits
with this memorial additional amendments
intended TO enlarge Its powers so that i may
fully consider and act upon the proposition OF
the Metropolitan COMPANY or upon any like
proposition. The board has entered into no
and, except to make the application public. will
not further consider or In any way deal with
struction ola rapid transit road by private
capital, unless and until the Legislature shall
grant s Il k sH5if! fran and B FsnsFh Is T TeiTs aware that
the legislature has no power under, the Con:
s%titution TO make any ,snecial or local grant OF
railroad rights. Nor does the board consider
It within the limits Of It's own duty tc consider
any application for such a grant until It shall
cation and all applications OF the same class.
Il he Legislature shall. IN ITS wisdom. deem
transit problem in New York resort to- private
capital should be permitted. then the board is
clear noasrt that at the teg ss ,bns. should grant 5T tb i.
amendments, already submitted and those to
be submitted with this memorial"
stranahan and Aisembiyman Mazet, The Com.
missioners think there will he no opposition:
that the commission would hold a special
meeting before THURSDAY. its regular meeting
day: and that ne would call one II anything
ai One M @e 4etes' Of The board, who will not allow
n n tn ns% ofi. to 6 ns Bs9 BY tss M Il nSgSina to s pnsss
Railway, on the ground that 1t does not.cive
enough to the city. In speaking of the subject
Of. the offer to which he Is opposed is that in
which provision Is made for pipe ga !leriss or
snbways. without compensation to the city.
The Metropolitan Company asks for a per;
petual franchise not only for an underground
railroad hut also for n gigantic Aulway run
ming the whole length OF Manhattan Island. In
my opinion o. mic m tn: trans fpanshhli s n w 5Ss w prEye o to be e
would in time make the tunnel a profitable in
yestmenti. even though no trains were run
operation OF pneumatic tubes. conductors for
heat, light and power and hot and cold air;
gas and water pipes for q distance of eleven
miles. and from them would be derived a large
the %itv. where land is comparatiVeiy chean.
could sell, their products in the heart OF the
city,:and, the conductors could always be open
nal cost. Wedonot know,how great thetdevelop-
ment Of, electricity as a power agent will be
mas become OF enormous value. In nv opin-
ion any. city, official who votes to grant a fran
ties. without provision for adequate return to
the city, may within q quarter 81 a century be
clasSed as a thief or bride tRker. OF at least as
one inattentive or ignorant OF the city's inter-
Mr.. Orr. when he saw this interview. said
that no such opinions had ever been expressed
in tho board. but that every detail Of the enter
prise would be closely scrutinized by the com
mission when the Legislature granted power
TO II to consider private bids.
ALBANY. March W,-Senator Stranahan and
Assemhlyman Mazet tonight submitted In
their respective houses OF the Legislature the
memorial OF the New York City Rapid Transit
Commission regarding the offer of the Metro
the rapid transit roads In New York city. The
amendments TO the Rand Transit law which
would allow the commission to accept such an
Offer, and which have been prepared by that
body. will be introduced in both houses to-
morrow.