New-York tribune., 1900-03-25
SPEECHES OF THE DAY.
MR.. ORR LOOKS AHEAD, MR..
COLER RAPS RAMAPO.
MAYOR SPEAKS OF MISGUIDED ONES
WHO SAY THE CITY is
IMMORAL.

How widely this rapid transit contract
differs from the proposed Rnmapo water
contract! by this one the city will Mt the
end of Atty years own railroad worth
more than S35 5,OOO,OOO without the outlay of
dollar; while mt the end of fifty years.
under the proposed RnmnpO water contract.
the city would have owned nothing after an
outlay of more than s2oo.Ooo.ooO.
CONTROLLER COLER-
! Rapid transit for Neyv-York IL this. A sys-
tenn of economic passenger importation
from all sections of the city that will con-
tinuously meet the requirements of onr con-
tfnual1y increasing needs; and this,
claim, Will be assured by Intelligent de-
velopment of the tunnel system fnauEurated
here to-day PRESIDENT ORR
No Roman citizen entertained
| keener pride in the glory of that imperial
city than does the Nevv-Yorker in the fame
of his home city. The foundation q her
structure Is too solid tn be shaken by the
| unjust attacks of the misinformed stranger
or the misguided son. The people
be relied upon to resist both.
| MAYOR VAN WICK.
The orators of yesterdays celebration were
Mayor Van Wyck A. E. Orr president OF the
| Rapid Transit Commission. and Bird s. Coler
Controller. The Mayor made the opening ad-
| dress and his first words caused some appre-
| hension that he going to mar the general
| air of satisfaction which pervaded the occasion
| by characteristic attack upon those who dare
| to criticise his administration. but he was con-
| tented with broad generalizations that point,
and before he closed pleased his hearers by max
| ing public the first intimation that has come
i from Tammany that the organization favors
East River tunnel extending the underground
/ roadway system to other boroughs.
THE MAYORS SPEECH.
The Mayor spoke as follows:
| No Roman citizen ever. entertained a keener
| the New-Yorker In the fame of his home city.
shaken By the unjust IN @ atta"ks Of the sinfored
| stranger or the misguided SON The people can
| 1t has been the custom in all ages TO eonlmemo-
rate the eventfui and novel IN nations or ct,ys
: songs Of victory and the enterprise ot peace or
trtcity and engineering skill have been Celebrated
IN their application to public uses. Each city has
| railroad connection This occasion stands IN
9i SPEAKS 30r 70 i0rh us
Man has always been re ready and anxious to Join
| and art over the obstacles Of nature. to witness
5sidsing seas he gladly Joins II this esisbFation
Of blazing beneath busy city and the arms OF
than e1er Bfora s bT o
e1fX oG and @ seT Says f2r the d eay
men and women to their homes and business cen
Canal celebrated in this city seventy-fve years
Lake "r Erie With -t those of MewDYork a BAY. This
this our nd ne ed
Snion % 1ns2al Sqf pS9pe % With the 9sn f millions 20, or
| wealth and riches of the West poured for
New-York City.
WHAT 1T DID FOR THE CITY.
This made our city the commercial and financial
metropolis of the world. with population Of three
modatIon and Comfort this rapid transit under
between the two periods is striking and Instructive
De Witt Clinton saluted In 1873 a city OF 10000
the Slow sasecoach was the only " means Of pas
senger transportation. now superseded by steam
The GonTsS for the work osay .; i9SOiyss
largest single contract eyer given out for such
the East River to Brooklyns business centre.
ent parts OF our city. separated by the bays and
The people Of Greater New-York are to he con-
graduated that. with all of her former heavy X
ance of bonds. she is now, for the first time able
to undertake such an expensive enterprise which
of municipal ownership OF public utilities on such
us indulge IN the sincere hove that the early com.
pletiop Of this eventful and gigantic UNDERTAKING
transit than It's most enthusiastic advocates ever
About fifteen years ago was secretary. of
Rapid Transit Railroad Committee having for It's
L. Olmstead was chairman We held several meet
ings at the Murray hin Hotel and invited contrac-
tors and capitalists 10 come before US and give US
their views this very important subject We net
who felt that the project could b. carried out.
I said to my old friend. Senator Francis NJ Bixey.
who was a member Of the committee. that feared
there would be underEround rapid
transit railroad In NNw-York- He said YES, there
would be-that ! would live 10 see its conpletton
II had thOusht Of this incident before ! came
out here would certainly have had ex-senator
III cbv here at my side to-day. So YOU see II IS
possible for q loyal friend sometimes even tom
porarily FORGET a friend occasion like this
/ little thought In those davs that I would be
standing here to-day engaged in this interesting
ceremony. and you have idea of the great pleas,
ure this event gives 20 the members OF the Renfd
Transit Commission and TO myself To the totins
masses OF this city this day Is OF great import an'
meaning II means 70 them very much. indeed.
and now will begin the work by turning the hrst
shovelful soil and then the construction or tns
underground rapid transit railroad tunnel VIII De
under
PRESIDENT ORR FOLLOWS
President Orr followed the Mayor. He erieny
reviewed the obstacles which had beset the
path OF the Commission. and gave generous
credit TO ex-Mayor Abram s Hewitt and the
Chamber OF Commerce for what they had done
Iya fharafF fFr1xy