New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-07
CHANGES IN M. S. R. LINES.
DIRECTORS DECIDE TO SPEND NEARLY
s1oOO0O00 ON IMPROVEMENTS
AND EXTENSIONS

The Board Of Directors Of the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company yesterday adopted
recommendations of H. H. Vreeland the presi-
dent Of the company. to spend $S0OO0O0 and
possibly 100000 600 in improving and extending
the surface lines of railroads now controlled by
the company. The work is to be begun next
month and completed before the end of this
summer. Mr.. Vreeland announced yesterday 1t
| involves the abandonment of the cable system
on the Broadway. Columbus-ave and Lexing-
ton-ave. lines for the underground electrical
system. the supplying of all power for the COM
panys electrical cars on Manhattan Island from
the new power house at Ninety-sixth-st. and the
East River and the building of several new
electrical lines by which there will be direct
connection between the great East Side of the
city with the Upper West Side and direct con-
nection between the Sixth-ave. line and the
Christopher-st. ferry. Incidentally there will
be improvements and change of motive power on
several crosstown lines now controlled bv the
Metropolitan company
In reporting his recommendations yesterday
Mr. Vreeand said that the company, acting on
his recommendations that were submitted more
than year ago. decided not TO take up any
large work of improvement or reconstruction of
its properties in 1899, as 1t was foreseen that
the enormous demands for iron and steel would
very much delay deliveries OF electrical equip
h
which would result in large investments in in
complete work which there would be no
financial return Early In the present winter
IL was decided that this condition would be
very much improved in 1900 and plans for the
Improvement and reconstruction of the
pany's lines were made accordingly.
The recommendations submitted by Mr. vree-
land and adopted yesterday are the following:
First-rhe new electrical power station of the
has been constructed. and is now turning out a
laTgs AMOUNT of electrical power. and will by the
inlodie or the coming summer generate sufficient
power to operate all of the lines of the company
entire cable system to the standard
electrical system now in operation on the principal
lines OF the system. This change in the system of
operation will add very much to the comfort and
Of the system and greatly facilitate the movement
Of heavy traffic on Broadway, as with one system
q The of 9SSEs lo nes fef
in the morning and afternoon cars loaded with
through passengers be diverted to the side
THUS 0bf better Of
the total amount of equipment. greatly relieving
In the theatre hours when patrons from all parts
Between '' and sf ss ali tas
OF the upper West and East Side lines can be d.
Fifty -nnth-st. and Seventh-ave, running directly
from the home to the theatre and return making
Madison aves., Central Park West and Columbus
and Amsterdam aves.. to get through without
second would recommend the change OF motive
power OF the Thfrtyfourth-st. crosstown line. This
Is Of the important crosstown lines of the
conpanys system now unimproved. and improve
ment Of its facilities would add largely TO the
earning capacity of this line.
Third would recommend that the present track
construction of the Twenty-eghth and Twenty
ninth-st line which was constructed for horseears
and which is too light to operate the heavy type
of air cars on be reconstructed with the standard
9-inch girder rail construction.
Fourth--I would recommend the extension of
the Sixth-ave line the Christopher-st. ferry by
the building of a short spur from Sixth-ave and
Eighth-st. to Christopher-st. ferry This would
bring the central line of the city operated through
the shopping and hotel districts of the city and
by transfer to all points of the city. in direct
nection by through with the Christopher-st.
ferry which has yearly traffic of from $1,000 coo
20 10000 passengers. the majority of whom desire
10 reach the central section of the city, those
passengers for downtown the Barclay-st. ferry
of the same company.
Fifth would recommend the completion and
opening Of the line in Broadway from Fifty-nintt-
st. to Sixty -ffth-st., which your company has a