New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-30
TRANSIT LINES COMBINING.
THE METROPOLITAN REPORTED TO
HAVE SECURED THE MANHATTAN.

BROOKLYN RAPID TRANSIT ALSO SAID TO
BE INCLUDED IN GRAND SCHEME
OF CONsoLIDATION-THE POSITION
OF THE THIRD-AvE IN DOUBT
WHAT WOULD BE GAINED
BY COMBINATION
For many months rumors have been in frequent
circulation Of impending consultations. small
and large among the street railway corporations
Of the present New-York City. and for many
months the newspapers have been chronicling
the appearance Of these rumors all Of which at
one time or other met denial. but some OF
which nevertheless. have proved 10 have had
foundation in fact Only yesterday The Tribune
said on what Il had reason TO regard as trust
worthy authority that the combination Of COM
binations. the assembling under manage
ment Of ali the transportation lines Of Manhat
tan and Brooklyn. while II was practically sure
70 be effected in course Of time probably
still long way off. But The Tribune now has
reason TO believe that that vast consolidation or
virtual consolidation, is very close at hand. al
though it may not at first include the Third
Avenue Railroad Company
For the last day or two there have been
vague. rumors afoat that an important deal
was about to be announced by which the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit Company was to benefit. and
the sudden departure for Europe a few days
ago Of William c. Whitney ostensibly for rest,
the ascertained fact Of the presence in Phila-
delphia Of George j. Gould. president Of the
Manhattan Railway Company, and the depart
ure yesterday for his home in that city Of P.
A. B. Widener. after the meeting Of the Met
ropoitan directors at which meeting II was
said much more was done than 10 vote the is
suance Of S5.0O0O00 stock are believed TO be
part and parcel Of the same deal
THE BROOKLYN COMPANY
Within the %ast few months the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company has absorbed the Mas
sau Electric Railroad Company. its chief COM
pe;itor in the business Of transportation in that
borough the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad
Company. owning elevated lines in several parts
Of Brooklyn and operating the Brooklyn Bridge
railroad and the Brooklyn and Brighton Rail
road and IT is soon 10 take over the Kings
County Elevated Railroad its control Of which
will leave only one company, the comparatively
small Coney Island and Brooklyn system. out
side the fold. Its elevated lines are rapidly
being equipped with electricity, the third rail-
being already in use on the Bridge and on parts
Of the roads in Brooklyn itself. Its surface cars
100. now cross the Bridge their terminus in Man
0dtan Delng close 10 lNt terminus VI tht A4iN
Avenue Railroad ard Of the Second and Fourth
ave lines Of the Metropolitan system. The elevat-
ed lines Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit system
have their New-York terminus at point
almost adjoining the terminus Of the Third
ave- elevated road although their station is now
on q higher level than the Third Avenues
The Metropolitan Street Railway Company
controlled by the powerful Whitney syndicate,
leading member Of which is Anthony ~ Brady
who is also perhaps the most prominent figure In
%Ne group of capitaiists owning the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit system has steadily absorbed line
after lire in this borough until now 1t operates
seven main lines running north and south. and
large number OF branches and crosstown lines,
which II is as rapidly as possible equipping with
electricity II is building. too, at Ninety sixth
81 and the East River. great power house IN
which II expects 10 generate more than enough
electricity to run its cars, its purpose being IN
conjunction with the New-York Gas and Elec-
tric Light Heat and Power Company, owned by
the same interests TO sell its surplus electricity
for general commercial purposes.
TO HAVE THE THIRD RAIL. TOO
The Manhattan Railway Company recently
arranged for the issue Of S1S0o00O0 Of new
stock. the proceeds Of $4,000 600 OF this amount
10 be used for the equipment of Its road with
electricity. Like the elevated roads or the
BROOKLYN Rapid Transit Company. the Manhat-
tan lines are TO have the third rail- although
Il has not yet been announced whether the
"unit" or multiple unit system is TO be in
stalled; and like the Metropolitan, 1t is build
ing big power house on the East River at
seventy-fourth and Seventy fifth SITS, and viii
sell its surplus electricity TO the general public
The Third-ave road, too. Is 70 enter the nelo
as a seller Of surplus power. the plant WHICH
It is erecting at Two-hundred-and-si -sixteenth-s'
being Of capacity much more than suinceh'
10 supply the electricity necessary for the pro-
pusion Of the cars Of its many lines In Man
haitian and The Bronx. Thus all these lines
under separate management would be competl-
tors in the general electrical field as well az IN
the business Of passenger transportation
As for the Third Avenue company, william Z.
Whitney declared in March that no negotiations
Of any kind were in progress between that com
pany and the Metropolitan. and that there had
not been and would not be any sort of agree
rent entered into Denials Of the same sort were
made yesterday by Third Avenue interests. But
no such denias were secured from Manhattan
interests With the electrical equipment Of each
successive line OF the Metropolitan the business
OF the Manhattan has SHOWN dimihur
tion. and with each week the rumors Of
gradual absorption Of Manhattan stock by
the Metropolitan interests have become
more persistent The TAKING over oI lne
elevated roads by the Metropolitan company. IL
has been pointed out, would be 10 the adVan-
tage Of each company. the short haul" traffic
thus going the Metropolitan lines and the
long haul" business TO the Manhattan, which
by this arrangement would be enabled. on the
completion Of its equipment with electricity 10
give NewYork a measure OF real rapid transit.
and the plans published yesterday OF the re-
ported extension OF which 10 FOrdham would
seem to indicate purpose in line with this
plan OF furnishing speedy through service 10
the regions beyond the Harlem.
And not only would the often predicted posi-
bility Of person riding without change Of cars
from the furthest end OF Brooklyn 10 the Har
lem River, by way Of the Brooklyn Bridge, be-
an q rlar