New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-22
THE MAYOR URGED TO ACT.
RAPID TRANSIT BOARD WANTS IT'S
FORM OF CONTRACT APPROVED.


RENDER AN OPINION. so THAT THE
INCREASED DEBTINCURRING CA
PACITY MAY BE TAKEN AD-
VANTAGE OF AT THE
EARLIEST oP-
PORTUNITY
, Mavor Van wyck has placed himself rec
ord as favoring the construction of the under
ground rapid transit railroad, and. in fact, on
Friday assured delegation OF representatives
NJ labor interests which waited upon him that
the work of building the road would he begun
before his term Of Office ended. Relying prob
ably upon the good faith of the Mayors promise
the Rapid Transit Commissioners have ad-
dressed q memorial to him. pointing out how
ne may give practical effect to his apparent de-
sire TO help forward the tunnel project by remov-
ing AT least one obstacle by which the Tammany
administration has impeded the progress Of the
Board.
Under the provisions Of the rapid-transit stat
ute IL is obligatory on the part OF the Commits
sioners to obtain the approval Of the Corpora
ton Counsel to the form of contract for the
construction and leasing of the road before that
contract can he put up for bidding. over a
wear ago, in conformity with the legal require
nnents the Board submitted to the Corporation
Counsel the form OF contract that had been
drawn up The Commissioners requested that
the Corporation Counsel would examine the
form OF contract and return il to them as soon
as possible with his approval or with such sug
gestlons OF modification alteration he
might deem advisable. Thirteen months have
elapsed without the Board receiving any in
timation from the Corporation Counsel to
whether he will sanction the contract or disap-
prove IT, It is well understood that this mac
ton is the outcome of premeditation and Of
the policy which Tammany has pursued toward
the Rapid Transit Commission. This official
"hold-up"-for it is nothing leSs-of the Com
missions plans the members of that body
seeking to end In the memorial which
they have sent to the Mayor they point out that
the new assessment OF realty in the city and the
constitutional amendment TO be voted upon next
November TO separate the city debt from the
county debt will permit the building of the
rapid transit road without interfering with any
other necessary improvement
ACTION DEMANDED
In view OF the possible early increased debt
incurrihg capacity of the city. the Commission
urge upon the Mayor the Importance OF the
form of contract being settled upon, so that
upon the completion of the reassessment. the
advertising of the contract may begin and rapid
transit construction may be undertaken With
the least possible delay. The Commissioners
further impress upon the Mayor the necessity
for the completion of these preliminary details
in order to obviate the possibility Of any post
ponement OF the underground project because
of the prior creation of debts by the city.
II is plainly put TO the Mayor that no contracts
ought To be made by the city tending 70 ey.
haust or diminish the extent OF the city's debt
raising power until after the rapid transit con-
tract is made. until after a reasonable op-
portunity has been given TO make such a con-
tract.
on those grounds the Board beseeches the
Mayor to stimulate the Corporation Counsel to
action on the matter OF the contract so that
there may be no further delay when the city is
IN position to undertake the work Of excavat-
ing the tunnel.
The Commissioners draw attention to the fact
that the so-caled tunnel act recently amended
and passed by the Board of Aldermen does not
give effectual rapid transit to New-York Many
rumors being around the suggested
building Of tunnel under the East River 1t
is reported that transfer system will be in
sttuted between the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way Company and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit.
and that among other developments Of such a
tunnel will be making Montauk Point the
destination Of the American Line steamers. The
contemplated plan. according to report. is TO
land the steamship passengers at Montauk
Point end 10 bring them over the Long Island
Railroad, through the proposed tunnel 10 a
central point in this city. This scheme Of MAX
ing Montauk Point starting place for European
steamers Is an old project OF the Long Island
Railway people. and, while il has often been |
spoken Of has never gone beyond the stage OF
suggestion. And. again. while there is no doubt |
as The Tribune has frequently asserted an ulti- |
mate combination of the passenger carrying |
roads of New York and Brooklyn will be per-
fected there is immediate prospect OF any !
alliance between the Metropolitan and the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit companies
THE BOARDS MEMORIAL.
The memorial sent to the Mayor by the Rapid |
Transit Board is as follows
The Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commits
TO submit this inquiry concerning The extent to |
which the municipal authorities will feel able TO |
rapid transit road It's routes extend form sSe
City Hall and Brooklyn Bridge northerly along
ond-st thence under Forty TO rosgwsy
thence under broadway TO One-hundred-and-fourth-I |
and along the east side to Bronx Park ana the |
TSee roues and is pSS o TO Kngsbrde
railroad prescribed by this Board on FdhIn S the
Common Council on March 25 1877 by tSe parH arH
Department on april H. 1897, and by the commits
wards on April 49, 1897 Later. and after prolonged
litigation, they were approved by the Anneiia4a
Division by its order made on April s ls9s The
routes and plans have. apart from such official and
judicial adoption. received general and nracficsii
unanimous public approval. In the proposal re-
Gently made by the Metropolitan Street Rsiiu,oy
Company they were adopted almost In their on
tirety practically the best routes and plan which
IN the judgment OF that company. were avaIlabIe'
even II construction 10 he by private canitsl
The Board. without any delay, after securing the
necessary apprOvals prepared the form OF contract
for construction and leasing of the road iu con-
formty with the rapid-transt statute the vote OF
the people and the provisions OF the order Of the
Appellate Division Pursuant 20 Section 10 OF the
Act OF 1894 this form submitted 10 the Cor