New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-19
UHyIT UITiIDREW7YI OFFER
MOTIVES WHICH PEOPLE SAY INFLU-
ENCED THE METROPOLITAN.
IT'S OFFICERS HAD KNOWN FOR SOME TIME OF
THE INsURMoUNTABLE OPPOSITION IN
THE BOARD TO THE PER
PETIITY CLAUSE.

PETtITY CLAUSE.
Three members OF the Rapid Transit Commits
slon-Alexander f. Orr, George l." R'es an"
Charles Stewar, Smith-accompanied by 'he Pu"-
sci to the Board went to Albany yesterday ior
the purpose of comforting with Governor MOUSE
Welt who, although anxious that iegisia'ion io' w
underground road shall be enacted this session.
hoe oxnressed himself as opposed to granting Il
nernetual franchise to any corporation such az mas
been demanded by the Metropolitan street nan
road Company. 1t was this expression Oh opi
on the part of Governor Roosevelt compheu WIN
the pubIic criticism which has been hurieu "e"',''
Tho granting Of n franchise in perpetuity to the
Metropolitan people. that led that coihpa"'' "
cordng to its own explanation to wi'hu'aM 81
Monday its offer to build the road AS matter
of fact the company has known LOT coup rru,, Va
weeks that there not IN siish'es' P
tho. its arbitrary terms-which the CITY ""o W.
80 occon, mr. leave as It saw it-would be accepted
Despite the favor which the company Is repu'.u
70 enjoy In the eyes OF Richard Croker po'h "a'o'
Van Vvck and Controller Golfer. the two eA-
oecio members of the Commission were Opposed
to the perpetual franchise scheine' anu az "
Tribune has already explained two o'her nie"oe''
of the Board have firmly determined not 10 'o'9
away summarily FRANCHISE ioie'e' VI -,
enormous prospective value. AS II requires 'i~
, Of the total Of eight votes to grant frahchise
:, ,,as made clear to Mr.. Whitney and his ASSOC
ciates that they could not hope to secure 'he 'u
mel contract and the privileges "hch "e''' -,
If in the shape of carrying air and electric 'uo,'
and wires through the galleries. "i'"'' ~
zeal modiicatio OF terms ,
r,Oa onIrion however. is expressed in several
ouarters that the last has not been hearu VI 'no
Metropolitan's bid. Having once mace Wy ..' .,
minds that there was money IN the 'u'i''''
uncomfortable that the Metropolitan people shou'u
draw back from the scheme on purely se'''i'''e"'"
m Th Snrrod trim of the Commissioners to Albany
would indicate IaSt and al, m mani people do not hest
tate 10 give 1t as their opinion that me sun, ~
iiic cTiticism" was decided upon more for the
influence the step might have on me P'd ea NJ
az Albany than from any really sincere uea ~ "a
reinquishing the project 10 secure con'io' u '''
tunnel. -, l., -. ,Ao loost necessity
for +be stir which the Metropolitan company iat-
a not action has caused. With only four members
L., :" 10 cbancn Of IFS offer being accepted
while the outlook for municipal construction OF tn
Controller Coler is now preparing II Is
that he will show that the city, with the sepa5a.lon
TO the charter provisions which it Is said VIII UNI
ouestionably be adopted by the hegls'a' az WI
be able dest to Of es so Loo oSo 'O""e' III 's''''
That the citys debt limit provides no very seti FL
Underground railroad is shown IN the evidence %,
Richard Croker before dhe mn Maze 1bs cv wss in
nositon TO build two new bridges across me bas.
River and that II was hhahcia a works 70 cost
100000. 100 hf,ro b,, one,
to- na"otiations with the Commission and then
backing out OF the offer made seriously deay sa
t,fi and neople were remarking yesterday that
the exact repetition now Of the comrsI ' see com, ~
PSb6v, that The METROPOLITAN capitalists are hteh
onIy on impeding as far possible the buildins III
Herbert IT, VreelaHd president OF inc Meuropoh-
tan COMPANY was not in town yesterday .,
'" lewis L. Delafeld the secretary OF tho Comn ms
sion said Yesterday that the Board had no i. .V
marion 10 give out but that probably some sta
ment would be prepared upon the return oil S'esS'
Orr Rives and Smith from Albany