The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
TAMMANY WANTS TUNNEL.
TIE BIG CONTRACT WOULD AFFORD
MANY NICE, EAT JOE.

Corporation Counasl Whnlen Proposes to
Join Forces with the Rapid Transit Com
mission to Hurry tho Project Along
Debt Limit No Longer an Obstruction.
Corporation Counsel Wbalen has invited
George l.. Rives. OF the Rapid Transit Com
mission. and Edward NJ. Shepard. ofcounsel to
the commission. to meet him at his Office on
Tuesday afternoon for the purpose OF making
a few amendments to the form OF contract sub
mitted to him by the commission to be entered
into between the city and q contractor for the
construction. at municipal expense. Of the
underground railroad from the Battery to Har-
lem. Tho form OF contract was submitted to
Mr.. Whalen more than year ago. Since then
the commission has appealed to the IeRis!a-
tura for permission to allow private corpora
ton to build the road. and has made two ap-
peals to the Mayor for action on tho draft OF
the contract. The ommissioners have thought
that Mr. Whalen was delaying action on the
contract In order to annoy them. Mr.. Whalen
says. on the other hand. that he has always
favored municipal ownership. and that the
delay has been due solely to the fact that not
until now has the city been in a financial con-
dition to build the road On Thursday Comp
troller Coler announced that the city would
have q debt margin sufficient to allow IL to
build the tunnel In sections without hindrance
To other public works. The letters from Mr..
whalen to Mr. Rives and Mr.. Shepard follow:
my DEAR Mr.. RryEs: The city has now for
the first time since the creation OF the Greater
New York, reached the point where II can be-
gin building the rapid transit road. l have
always believed It TO be the most Important
public improvement undert by this or any
other city. and my most sincere wish is to see
II consum mated
Il had hoped to meet you to-day. but 1pdnR
on the subject with Mr.. Delailed. your former
secretary. who as you know is very much in
The proposed contract. will have, to be
changed; Among the most important changes
enforcement OF the Labor law. and that the
condemnation proceedings, shall be entrusted
could arrange to meet me at this office on
Tuesday next. between and 3 O'Clock. II the
hour Is agreeable to you. l have invited Mr..
Shepard. one OF your counsel. to be present"
my DEAR Mr. sHEpAnD-The city has at last
reached point where its financial condition is
no longer barrier TO the building Of the rapid
should Immediately bo taken to prepare the
way for that great undertaking,
The o me- GHt es
Ing him. However. have written him. asking
him II he could meet me at this Office on Tues
letter advised him that should invite you. I
hope that your engagements will permit you TO
you and him the proposed contract and specf-
cations. which want to change before approx
Ing them"
MIR. Whaen's advocacy Of municipal owner
ship Ia taken to mean that Richard Croker and
his advisors believe that the construction OF
the tunnel can be used to the advantage Of
Tammany Hall. II work is begun promptly. 1t
will be we'll under way In the fall Of 1900 when
q National and State tick OF and State Senators
are to be elected. and In 1901 when there will
be the first general municipal election under
the new charter. The tremendous work will
necessitate the employment Of thousands OF
men. and 1t will be to the interest OF any con-
tractor who may have a portion Of the work to
do to have friends In the city government. The
White Civil Service law will prevent the appoint
ment to city of1cc OF many persons whom the
organization wishes to care for hereafter but
1t will not apply to the contractor building the
tunnel.
Before the contract can be let. the expendi-
ture OF the money necessary to carry the work
on must be authorized by the Board OF Esti-
mate and the Municipal Assembly. Opposition
TO 1t may be expected from the Brooklyn and
Queens Councilmen and Aldermen. who will
not be anxious to vote 30 much money for ex-
pendituro in Manhattan and The Bronx. and
who have no love for Tammapy Hall. The
representatives OF Brooklyn and Queens are
constantly complaining that their boroughs
do not receive any consideration or money. and
that too much 10 spent in the old city OF New
York. When the bond issue for the tunnel
comes up. they will be able to hold it up ndef-
nitely II they wish to do so.
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