The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-23
TRANSIT BOARDTOWHALEN.
1T ADOPTS SOME or CORPORATION
COUNSKLIS sUGGESTIONS

TO an Agreement with the Com mission
About the Rapid Transit Matter-Board
Doesn't Think Much of His suR-
gestion That the City BE Represe nted on
the Work by n Supervising Engineer.
AT special meeting OF the Rapid Transit
commission held Yesterday afternoon the
committee appointed to draft q reply to Cor
poration Counsel Whalen's letter suggesting
changes In the contract for tho proposed tun-
mel presented its report. The commission APP
proved OF the letter prepared By the committee
and h,was signed by President Alexander f.
Orr and sent to tho Corporation Counsel
while the commission approves OF some OF Mr.
Whalen's suggestions. II rejects his PROPOSE
tions that the oity DO represented upon the
work by supervising engineer; that the
work OF construction be begun 81 the upper
end OF the road and that the southern
terminus shall be South Ferry. instead OF
the City Hall. In regard to the suggestion
that subways for electric wires. gas and sewer
pipes be constructed In connection with the
tunnel. the commission holds that 1t 10 not at
present empowered to act, p tho matter. but ex-
presses it's willingness to unite with the city
authorities In application to the Legislature for
power to construct the subways Referring to tho
matter oil the condemnation OF lands the COM
mission says that It must be governed by the
Rapid Transit statute. which PROV des that the
commission may direct the Corporation Coun-
sci TO take legal proceedings to acquire the
land needed. The expenditure for lands. It is
added. Is not likely to exceed $1.500.000 The
letter In full follows:
o; Sir:1 ~ have submitted your sommpnicston
railroad Commissioners. and. after careful
consideration, the board has authorized me to
AZ the outset to point out that. under the
statute. IT has neither the right nor the power
troll Of the proposed pid transit construction.
The board is by law made primarily and solely
material terms of the proposed contract The
board. however. welcomes from you any sug-
Contract or the speeding Of the great and para
mount public work which the board Is glad to
poseoh city Is IN ySn6a qnRon oT o
yenience will deal with your specific sugges-
j. You suggest that there should be incor-
pSor1ted into the contract t. provison giving sS
for e Of snS f6s
form OF contract already provides that the en-
&c. 40. Il, a. -. "A and later sections den.
nitely deals with this matter, Section Al PRO
sd ha the EsPd ssaf pn
direct the Counsel to the Corporation OF
sci to the Corporation ehall thereupon
The board does not understand that the con:
tractor can have any con troll over the mode OF
that the contract with him should prescribe It,
That matter 70 governed and. we assume me.
entire expenditure for lands ia not likely to
exceed $1,000. 900. 80 that this. therefore. Is
only detail. although an important one. of the
You suggest some provision for the trans Ans
a Gn gns Sod hs use OF the
Rapid Transit Railroad for the Transportation
the S @ Wou
NIT tho contractor, II the contractor should 40
Rnt to to the r tSo
provision that the contractor may so use the
the use Of the railroad FOR Transportation Of
property shall be strictly subject to it's use and.
Unnecessary it's full use, for the transportation
g. You suggest a provision of space neces-
sary for the installation OF electric wires for
lighting and telephone purposes. aAd to some
extsnt for gas and sewer pines." This Board
has NO power to incur expense for any purpose
hot directly or Incidentally necessary TO a rail-
By sh tn BoSra
aid propose to construct adjacent to the tun-
necessary to the construction OF the rail-
s snS
removed and placed In come subway in order
But that purpose would not require along tho
whole OF the route now proposed the expense
hs Bosts HRn 0 ne %s The b sPq
and OF the pecuniary means at Its disposal.
Sed ss fora es fnssm ns
such enhancement even i the pee az s tsi
che eniareement OF. the street area occupied.
That would. under the Constitution and Rapid
ines heretofore taken should be taken H'o over
again up to and including, the hearing before
ticaiiy. would occupy about eighteen months.
and. as experience has several times demon;
very large exprnse. II rapid transit work is 10
D., begin promptly. any modification of the
the view Of the board. the control and use OF
the tunnel should be with the Sont t,;.;Ss
control p1 Without serious impairment OF EN-
cheney. and still worse. without serious i'm:
rss q the city TO Ss
tunnel wires conduits and tubes for po-
si Opinion snd of the boa9 hy
might reasonably insist, perhaps. upon the
OF hs S snd II h hs
tunnel for municipal use should be- Limit Limited by
the com eontrsetor The Board is considering a
suitable modification Of the contract to cover
m mis- in the public mind as to the
vaSs ths subway thu prvRsggISs Thoh
for reasons already stated has been designed
fsF asr %sh % SEVER
orwater pipes and no unlimited humble OF wires
T beat in he Th IS
fuily alive to the great value of suitable sub
ways specially dssig for such purposes. and
Common Council dated May o. 1895, the sub
ject was discussed at very considerable length.
Although for the reasons already stated the
board cannot insert in the contract the pro-
vision you suggest for subways. 1t is Wiling to
mite with the city authorities in application
TO the Legislature for power to construct
such subways along the route OF the Rapid
Transit Railroad so that the city may not only
have the ownership and enjoy the sole revenue
OF such galleries. but may also avail itself Of
the very material economy incident to their
construction at the same time with the rapid
transit road. and under the same direction
and authority.
T. You propose that the city shall be repre-
scented upon the work BY supervising en-
Rineer who can at all times advise tho city
authorities OF the progress and conduct OF the
work. The board cannot legally or with any
due regard to it's own control Of the work.
delegate to any engineer. except its own, any
function OF authoritative superysion. There