New-York tribune., 1901-03-26
0RR'S TERMS TAKEN.
A. L. JOHNSON SAYS HE'LL
BUILD BROOKLYN TUNNEL.
WONT COST THE CITY a CENT. HE DE-
cLARES-THREE CENT FARE AND UN-
LIMITED TRANSFERS - OUT
.,-7ES HIS BIG SCHEME

Albert /. Johnson has lost no time in answer
fng the letter Of the Rapid Transit Commission
asking him for specific proposition for extend
ing the tunnel to Brooklyn. He offers a plan
by which he says that he viii he able to carry
passengers from the City Hall through BROOKLYN
~ the furthest limits of the Borough of Rich
rnond in thirty minutes for three cents This
system. Mr. Johnson says. it will not cost the
city one cent to install. He is so enthusiastic
over the possibilities % his proposed system and
81 anxious 10 he allowed to build IT. that he does
not ask for any profit on the construction. and
even offers TO furnish the engineers and all the
plans himself.
How can I afford to do it?" he said last
night. AT Staten Island the road Will connect
with my line 10 Philadelphia that reaches
ninety towns in Pennsylvania besides all the
towns along the route to Philadelphia. l am
operating in sixty-six of those towns already
and have the rights TO go into twenty-four
more. BY July 1 will he operating in all Of
them Before the snow flies next fall l Will
have my through line Philadelphia completed
With all that traffic TO draw FROM why shouldn't
] he able 10 make money on this proposition?
And then consider this tunnel itself 1t will
cost about S120O0000 20 build. Well. I have
only 10 build that tunnel and pay for it,
don't have 10 carry big Indebtedness besides
don't have 10 pay dividends on a lot Of
4
gers for three cents and extend the system into
any part Of tile city the same terms. Be
sides that. my lire will have the most modern
equipment. The will all he double trucked
with eight wheels, built to carry ffty-two pas
sengerS each.
NO GRADE CROSSINGS
There will be no grade crossings and that
will eliminate big item of expense. When
rln the Nassau line in Brooklyn / had one
cident that cost me S4o0e0-more than the in
terest on S11G00o0 for a year. With grade
crossings you can't prevent accidents. but with
out grade crossings L save all Of that money.
The financing will give any trouble.
have the best hacking in the world. The citi-
gems Of New York are behind me; could
have better security, and the rate of interest is
lower than / could get from any bank. Then
the saving material is another big item.
am Just closing the deal for building
an underground road in London, Well, sir. every
dollars worth Of material used in the construc-
ton OF that road will be made in America. The
members Of my syndicate make the material, and
give me credit when I buy IL; besides that 1
get my share Of the profits and part of the cost
comes back in that way. If I could float that
rIan in London. three thousand miles away, /
reckon can float another one like it right here
al home
4 will make plenty OF money on three cent
fares too. When ] bought the Nassau Railroad
the people from whom 1 bought il kept three
eishths of the stock. and for the other five
eighths had TO supply all the money 10 build
and equip the road. l did il and made money
charging five cent fares That is shown by my
having sold il again for profit over what it
cost. ] will all Of this road. ! won't have
to make my profit from five-eighths Of it,
u have made this proposition and cut out
every possible item Of cost TO the city, because
I want to build the road. ] wanted TO make
proposition that no one could beat me on, and
] believe have done il. If any one can find
way to make a proposition Offering better terms
n the city will do better yet, because l want
10 build that road.
when il is completed the tunnel will be open
to any company now operating in Brooklyn or
that may operate there in the future that is
willing 10 bear its share Of the burden when
] had the bridge ] did not close il to other
roads and 1 will not close the tunnel 1t Will
be open to any one and every one"
THE PLAN IN DETAIL.
Mr. Johnson's formal statement follows:
win accept Mr. Orr's proposition. His
proposition is most beneficial for me ana TOT
the city. ] viii furnish free OF cost 10 tne clly
nv own plans for a route. small peslil Hls
route at the Jersey shore on Staten lsland, at
the nearest point 10 Philadelphia that the en-
gineers may decide 10 be the most feaSlple' my
object being 10 make this nearly as possible
an airline between New-Tork and Phlladelphla
Crossing the Narrows from Staten Island 10
Brooklyn AT a point between Fort hafhIlloh
and Bay Ridge the line Will run north Wherever
the surveys viii lead u.s. probably through sec
ond-ave Brooklyn. 10 about Twenty-eighth
ST. thence TO Fourth ave, thence to tiatoush-
ave. and thence by the most practicable route
TO the City Hall. New-York. there TO connect
with the underground system now Delng punt
b. Mr. Mcdonald. and extending the length OF
Manhattan Island and into the Borough or Ihe
Bronx
would also have spur run from this line
al Thirty-eignth-st. and Second-ave-, South
Brooklyn. extending through the cut to an over
head structure which shall extend to a point
where lines viii branch OFF one 10 Coney
Island and one to Manhattan Beach. My pur-
pose is TO supply a system of rapid transit WIN
out a single grade crossing, I'm order 10 make II
safe and comfortable 10 all who travel. while
protecting all others along the line from th1
fast moving trains. To he quite clear desire
TO have this system composed OF tunnels. de-
pressed tracks and elevated structures, so as 10
avoid all grade crossings
ENGINEERS AT WORK NOW.
I shall accept in toto the terms specified in
Mr.. Orrs letter. / have ordered my engineers
10 work with all dispatch possible, and shall
before many days be able TO lay before the
Rapid Transit Commission route with plans
These plans viii be made under the direction or
=. Payton Legare. who furnished all the English
Parliamentary plans for my railroad between
London and Brighton
The fares on this proposed tunnel system VIII
be three cents from any point to any other point
with free universal transfers.
Will make the contract for construction AT
the lowest possible figures. / will guarantee the
construction with no profit 10 me or payment
TOT my engineers and shall invite inspection
of my books and OF ali my accounts by the
RAPID Transit Commission and the Municipai
Assembly
WIN accept in payment for this construction
9c car he lipHH nm