New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-04
RAPID TRANSIT HEARING.
MERITS OF THE BILL DISCUSSED BE-
FORE THE MAYOR.
NECESSITY OF THE MEASURE TO REMOVE
LEGAL OBSTACLES URGED-BUILD-
-. ING OF THE ROAD BY THE

|
LEGAL OBSTACLES URGED-BUILD-
ING OF THE ROAD BY THE
CITY ADVOCATED.
Mavor Van wyck gave public hearing yes
terday morning on the Rapid transit Dill. Inv
hill in it's amended form gives authority to the
| Panid Transit Commissioners either TO provide
for the building Of an underground road by the
CITY or TO grant to a private corporation a
| nftv-year franchise with the privilege OF
twenty-hve-year renewal on a revaluation OF
| the franchise.
| There were a number of persons who are IN
terested I'm the, bill present at the hearing. in
| Guiding members OF the Rapid Transit Com
| mission merchants and labor men. When the
| Mayor announced that he would hear those VINO
favored or opposed the bill. Samuel Prince rep
resenting the Central Federated Union. asked
the Mayor to veto the bill. He said the city
should build the road instead OF leaving 1t TO
private corporations
A. b. Boardman, counsel for the Rapid Tran
| sit Commission, said that the Commission IA
yored the bill. The city ought to build the road
IL It could. but II 1t did not have the money
available. then the bill gave to the Commission
the right TO have the road built by private
capital The bill also amended the old law by
providing that the road could be built III sec
tons
PROVISIONS TO MEET CONDITIONS.
The new provisions were put into the act to
meet certain conditions which have arisen.
Controller Coler. he said had made state
ment to the effect that the city could spend
| s1OO00O00 to begin with in the construction or
the work This would permit the building OF
the first section, from the Postoffce to FORTY
second-st. There no difference OF opinion IN
tho Commission as to the wisdom Of having the
city build the road.
After the first section had been built to Forty
second-st the city would have an idea OF the
cost of construction The work OF construction
| IN Elnst could now be done more cheaply
than after the street was paved and graded. be-
cause the street could be excavated in the same
| manner as II the road was running through the
country.
The Commission, he continued, ought to get to
work at once and let the contract for the nrst
section within three months. and the city
| should build the section. BY next year the SKY
would be clear and the city would know exactiy
where it stood
Alexander E. Orr, president Of the Rapid
Transit Commission, said the only thing he mad
ia saw was that the Commission favored the DILL
and he asked the Mayor to sign 1t.
Philip Kelly of the Central Federated UNION
said that organized labor believed the city
should build the road instead of leaving 1t to the
corporations He opposed the bill.
Senator John Ford said that under the oid
law the city would be compelled to make con-
tract with the construction company 1or the
oneration OF the road for period Of not less
than thirty-fve years. with privilege OF one
or more renewals This would prevent the city
| .tokt ha Lob
tended for. The present bill remedied this. and
gave to the city the option OF building the road
or having it built by private capital with
franchise TO last fifty years only.
This would enable the city to go ahead with
other needed public improvements to build
schools and increase It's water supply. The pres
ent bill would bring in S50,OOO,OOO of outside
capital. and leave. the city unhampered. IL
would give to the city the control OF the road'
and the absolute ownership Of 1t after hfty
years. 90 bjHsi'
A MEMORIAL PRESENTED.
.JuIlus II. Cohn, representing the Social Re-
form Club said the existing law permitted the
construction of the road in sections. and there
Was no need of an amendment to bring about
that and Mr.. Cohn argued against the Dill. he
presented a memorial from a committee OF iifty
OF the Social Reform Club asking the Mayor
to veto the measure Inc suostacs % RI, r.,'
memorial has already been printed IN Inc
Mr.. Cohn said the new bill, instead Of pro-
viding for one renewal at the end OF nifty years.
made provisions for an indefinite number OF
renewals at the end Of each twenty-five Years
thereafter. He contended that, inasmucn as
the people had by their vote directed the CITY 10
huiid the road neither the municipal attnori-
ties nor the Legislature had the right to go
hack on that verdict until the question was SUD-
mtted to the people. !.
Labor. asked the Mayor to veto the bill He
said the Knights OF Labor could raise money
Cbristian Thinks representing the Washing
ton Heights Association favored the BILL He
declared that parts Of Washington Heights were
further away from City Hall, in point or time
than Philadelphia is. He demanded the appro-
val of the bill in the name OF the people.or
Washington Heights. Richard Deeves. repre-
said the city of New-York should build and
operate the road. and that the Mayor should
sign the bill
Miles NJ. Dawson representing the Social Re-
! form Club and the Citizens Union Of the XXlst
| Assembly District. opposed the measure. II. H.
| Browne president of the Kingsbrdge Property
| owners Association. asked the Mayor to APP
| prove the bill.
charles Sprague Smith, managing director OF
| the Peoples Institute said that the people or
this city were In favor OF municipal construc-
tion and ownership. j. Hamilton Hunt. repre-
senting the West End Association. favored the
! hill as did Joseph Loth OF Washington Heights
who said that the city snoulu DeBln 10 puliu the
| road at Fort George Walter Stabler also spoke
! In favor of the bill. Moses Oppenheimer said
| ne doubted whether il wise to increase the
| powers of the present Rapid Transit Commits
sion.
CLOSE OF THE ARGUMENT.
| A b. Boardman closed the argument in favor
! OF the bill The Rapid Transit Commission had
| taken the position that, under the old bill, 1t
! could build the road in sections, but the APP
| nellate Division had decided against II, and
that defect was obviated in the present BILL
The present was opportune time to sell the
| franchise because there would be active COM
petition between the various transit companies
Every substantial interest except labor was In