New-York tribune., 1900-01-25

the street railroads aud the owners OF real estate,
property situated along the line Exactly the re-
verse OF these sinister predlctions nas ~ Iaoss %
a great boon the residents OF Ne7V-fork and or
great financial value 20 the city in largely increas
ing the area ana amount OF taA-0lS p-1t--e5 - -
caused SLxth-ave-, for example. 90 become one OF
ana il mas increased the value Of in that ave-
nue in its most favored locations more man ne
csiDts and value OF the surface lines
owing primarily 70 this improved transit, aided
by the recent extensions and improvements OF Jne
Metropolitan surface lines the growth q & ne Sisy
been unparalleled both 1or residence aaa BUSINESS
hardly be estimated
ELEVATED ROADS PROFITABLE
The original investment in The elevated roads has
been very profitable 70 their promoters Iney
nave probably returned > Fer cent anllua1y Upon
S1I 0o o0 mainly n narrow streets for obstruction
70 light and interference with access TO property
where street stations have been located
confirmed by the opinion OF the best engineers had
carefully studied the present and future Reeds Of
the Battery 10 Harlem and beyond that river. BE-
came convinced that We must have Il We man
and this could not be furnished by elevated roads
underground system with four tracks. giving IN
addition 70 local trains opportunity FOR express
cS1I1,Ira+a5 IN rI7s ,rzse-- rs-7ri- - -,Ils,9 -
rsnjd transit VS. <T-rl- Is s~ 49, ~ 80, =
Hewitt in 1SSS largely Supported by the acton q
the Chamber of Commerce OF which body he IS 2
most distinguished and active member
In the year above referred 10 Mr. Hewitt then
lature. in which was proposed Substantially ne
iafer was atoo[e5 5v me Rs1I4 7ra1zs g Ceor5Tis
sion Mr. Hewitt supplemented his message a. that
scanJ courtesy from rhe feEfsatU-s and v-srs d.
srSsd ssrrsd N TIE ani''se 20 "hen 'nss were
Mr. HEwITT-s GREAT WORK
If in the course OF three OF four years the citizens
Of Greater New-YoEk may derive ne beneats q
just say that AR HeEitr's wise and patrfotic
b 5ses1os3 5i3 ne 59fe s92h y Any 95aer n3a H1sS
T1s r1-.fa-g-o---T ~-9fe-r =~-e- n E4a----. an
was defeated in the Legislature. was dropped until
the Chamber Of Conmerce ghica passed u1ani-
m0usIy the following preamble ana resOlurion-
where's The srowth OF lhe city and the con-
with oy reason OF the wa3l Of me necessary and
.'E5scI,.9 ~ -T, - ~ G7i-L- - - ~ % :, os L. !.
upoE the Legislature and Governor ef the STATE the
competent Commission. Irrespective Of party 3h0
- their standing and intelligence VIII insure fair
v0lved. and who shall be empowered 70 take al
York complete and efzciens system Of rspid tran
sit, the euolGments whereof shall largely accrue
20 the city.s benefit and not 10 rhat OF any Pr1-
titied An Act to provide for -a1i5 transit rsIsvs
n critics Of over one raiLion tnha5itancs- passed
Hin On January 81. 1ss1-
THE FIRST COMMISSION.
Under this law Chapter Of The Laws OF 1ssD
Mayor Grant appointed as Rapid Transit Comuis-
n startn- Eugene l. Bush and Samuel Spencer
LIS 6oara spent considerable tlIne, as did the-
the question Of providing extensions Of the elevated
specJs the elevated system OF extensions because
or CsasI Istl1Ils between t-e Conl1lssl loners and
7 the Manhattan company in the matter o. rent pro
posed 20 be paid the city for occupations OF
q 4asiraI L1- ~ 1T-,f--.--S - - - 95 -l--
cred by the Rapid Transit Commission a legal
me 1891 act provided for the sale of the franchise
above and below the sround- The franchise vas
offered for sale at auction on December % 1s92
and proved 10 be "a conspicuous and morrifyllg
Several members Of the Rapid Transit Commits
sion appointed under the sct Of 1881 resigned, pre-
hard work. OF producing tangible results.
ls p,.4c I ~ S CI - ~ +, - % 1- = %
year 1894. with determination % secure solution
o. Jhe great problem assi9 rendered SUBS -an'iai g,
7 80, ~. - - ~, Sfs,- =,
devise the best possible system The Cnaroer con
was the most practicable and three separate meth
Ods were considered as fellows.
Firsc-By private capital alone,
Secondly private capital 20 the extent Of ons-
for two-thiras. secured by a hrsr lien upon ths
Thlrd-The proposal Of 1Ir. Hsxitt that the city
should furnish all the money, should own the road
interest on the amount 81 the bonds issued for its
construction with additional payment OF Der
cent per aCuun s. sinking fund. that the road
would revert 90 the ctcy without cost 20 the tax
The hrsJ proposition had been an experimental
failure. and rejected
The second was ably advocated BY r. T wilson.
who gave assurance that he could form party who
would undertake 20 provide the required oue-thlra
capital in case MS proposal was put in force
CHAMBER INDORsED HEWITT
The Chamber az hrst upon the recomnendatfon
OF It's committee, were Inclined approve Mr VIII
sons plan. but it proved that there were legal
objections 70 its adoption J laid aside. and Mr.
HeWtT'S proposal unanimously substituted
A bill Immediately prepared Judge Beck
under the direction or the COMMITTEES OF thu
Chamber embracing th- plan of the Chamber. and
was passed by the l.eglslature On May - lS94.
which also provided for the submission Of the
question Of construction oy the city 20 the uuaded
electors" This method OF construction ap-
proved by the vote OF the people In November OF the
year
For the last three years the present Board OF
Rapid Transit Commissioners has encountered IN
Vulnerable obstacles and opposition from the courts
with its S5.000os0 bond. now wisely reduced 20
. the Controller did 50 much 70 remove, from the
powerful 81 Interested parties frpr the
preiudices OF good people who dlstrusted the
cess Of the hole In the ground. unti the ciry %
Boston. by IT'S tunnel success demonstrated thar
this cry was without foundation
A majority OF properly owners n Lower Broad
way refused their assent Co the tunnel in 'front.' or
their property. and must pay tor this refusal BY
viii anford TO those whose otsces are nearer the
City Hall
L. NIXON EXTENDS his WATERFRONT.
MUCH OF THE IRON FOR THE UNDERGRoUSD