Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-17
WILL NOT BUILD TUNNEL.
Or Start Steamship Line, Says the Pennsyi
vaLia Railroad Co.

WILL WI DOlLp ONNLEs
Or Start Steamship Line, Says the Pennsyl-
vaiiia Railroad Co.
Philadelphia Times May 9Th.
While Pennsy lvania railroad officials
frankly admit the fact that they have
acquired control OF the Long Island
railroad, two projects which they were
said to have in mind IRE denied by
them. Ono is that they will construct
tunnel from Jersey City to the
Brooklyn terminus of tho Long Island
road, at Flatbush avenue, and the
other is that they will organize a
steamship line to run between trans
atlantic ports and Montauk Point, on
Long Island.
At the same time, it Is known that
such tunnel is being built, and that
such line Of steamers is under con-
temptation; and 1t Is regarded as
likely that the Pennsylvania Railroad
90. will profit by both. For instance,
while the latter company is not at
present interested In the tunnel, which
is now in process Of construction under
the North River and Bowling Green,
at the extreme lower end of Manhattan
Island, and thence under the East
River to Brooklyn, there is nothing to
prevent them from acquiring control
OF this means of communication after
it is completed, and IL is regarded in
railroad circles as altogether probable
that they will do so.
As to the steamship line, if either
the International Navigation Co. or
the American Steamship Co. concludes
to run their vessels tn Montauk Point,
instead Of bringing them down to New
York, it is hardly likely that the Penn
sylvania Railroad Co. will refuse to
provide adequate terminal facilities to
handle the large volume OF passenger
and freight business which would
naturally follow from the Long Island
point.
For the present, barges will be used
to transfer the Pennsylvania cars to
the brooklyn terminus, and also to
connect with the New York, New
Haven g. Hartford Railroad at 10th
street, New York. The Long island
road, having connection ut this point,
will afford the Pennsylvania an easy
means of communication with this
great New England trunk line, tapping
all the principal points in the New
England States.
1t Is understood that the holdings
purchased by the Pennsylvania Rail.
road Co. are those of the late Austin
Corbin, former president of the Long
Island road. These amount to sc, 030,-
600, out Of capital stock of S12, 600, 600,
and have beer held in II Just since Feb
ruary LIST, 1897. The road is money
maker, the gross earnings for the year
1898 having been "a, 6S3, 956. "a, and the
net profits, clear OF taxes and all other
expenses, s2l3, 569. 81, for the same
period.
An executive officer of the Pennsyl.
yania railroad last night explained the
object of that company in acquiring
the control of the Long Island railroad.
The traffic Of Brooklyn" he said
"has been almost entirely confined to
the East River front. The river facili-
| ties are limited and crowded and bust
| ness industries have necessarily been
| confined to the district along the
water. On the other hand, the tracks
of the Long Island railroad in the out
skirts of the city, with lines into the
various centres, afford the means OF
establishing freight depots, yards for
carload deliveries, and coal and lumber
yards conveniently located and oil
opportunities. which will no doubt be
extensively awaited of, for the erection
of manufactures Of all kinds requiring
direct rail connections.
when tho new freight terminus OF
the Pennsylvania railroad at Green.
vile, opposite Bay Ridge, is com.
pleted, connections with the Long
Island system will be made at Bay
Ridge by comparatively short carfloat
ferry. Meanwhile the present transfer
barges at Jersey City will be used, but
ultimately tunnel from Staten Island
to Bay Ridge may be built. In thai
cage traffic between the Pennsylvania
railroad lines and New England would
pass through the tunnel and over the
Long Island tracks and tho proposed
bridge at Wards Island to connection
with the New York, New Haven &
Hartford railroad.
THE Pennsylvania railroad manage
ment believes that, with the improved
communications between New Yorl
and Long Island, which will be PRO
yided by the proposed tunnel from III,
Battery to Flatbush avenue station, a,
well as by the bridge under con
struction, and other rapid transi
tunnels that are sure to follow, tn,
business of the Long Island railroad
will be largely increased"
| ."....