New-York tribune., 1901-12-07
AGAINST ELEVATED PLAN.
PLAIN TALK AT THE HEARING ON
BRIDGE RELIEF BEFORE BOARD
OF ESTIMATE.

Plans for building elevated railroads in Centre
and Park Row. additional approaches 10 the
Brooklyn Bridge, opposed vigorously before
the Board of Estimate and Apportionment yester-
day. John L. Shea, the Commissioner of Bridges,
brought the plans to the attention of the board,
apparently the belief that the board would ap-
proprate millions for the connecting rail-
roads and other alleged improvements at the Man
haitian end of the bridge. He introduced several
men connected with boards of trade in Brooklyn
which said 10 have passed resolutions IN
favor OF the plans Then he said:
stood that it needs but words explain. the
dsgraceful conditions which evening and morning
and is found in the report of the engineers For
= Irle sahe d Of me iI men 20 say fyd Iod rise fo the
occasion and wipe out this blot on our civilization
As soon as the various resolutions had been
handed in Herman Ridder jumped to his feet and
vigorously opposed the proposed plans He said in
part:
nit that they do not know anything about this
port admit that they don't know anything about
it They wish to devise a plan to build road
the Brooklyn Bridge by means of the new bridge
p "a snd k scfGss t r the od ID PTags 10 Fa
where you go around the Falls and see the
scenery. but II any one wishes TO go on the cana
roundabout way The engineers say in previous
Park ROW and vesey-st eieTated would cost about
se74Qooo and that the other would cost about g So
600, but they now say that the Centre-St. elevated
road alone will cost that much 1 think it an
amazing report by the engineers or men who call
themselves engineers, and it is ridiculous
How nice II will be to have more elevated roads
Of the Bridge! That will relieve the crush won't
! it? An elevated road u2 Centre-st won't help the
crush from below the Bridge. and one who
thinks this is going help should go home and
should give this elevated road to the Mammalian
Raway COMPANY and that the city should 5735 pay for
get any money from that corporation. also oppose
ms 1d @ pan asmten as II VIII De r rlqSGlouS anG & I
south of the Bridge entrance
Ex-Mayor schieren of Brooklyn the next
/ speaker. He expressed belief that when the pro-
posed tunnel and Bridge No. completed. it
will be found that traffic is diverted that 1t
Will be very hard get it back TO place again
| Mr.. Scheren put a plea for the workers east OF
| the Manhattan terminal who work in the neishbor-
! hood of William and Gold sts He asked that when
the new plans are finished a stairway 10 the Bridge
| be built in Gold-st-. some other nearby street
| Colonel Frout. the chairman of the board of ex-
| perts who drew the plans. said there were three
| fundamental points in the consideration OF the
plans-an elevated road in Centre-st-. another In
! Park Row and a change in trolley terminals He
| said Mr.. Ridder mixed
Mr. Ridder asked pointed questions, and
said 1t was the expert engineers who failed IN
! knowledge. Colonel Prout did not answer him
| N Pauson president Of the HecIa Iron Works.
| opposed the plans engineer A P Boiler
another experts. then spoke briefly reiters'-
ing what Colonel Prout had said Mr. FtIdder wished
to question Mr.. Boiler, but the Mayor refused 10
! allow him. ,
| The last speaker was Israel z. Fischer OF Brook-
| lyn who opposed the plans He said II was ldlolc
: to think OF going over on one bridge ana coming
| back another. would not relieve any
crush. This statement was Immediately denied oS
! Commissioner Shea and the engineers.
/ well" said Mr.. Fischer. that IS what was
told outside but see the gentlemen have changed
their minds since 1 surprised to see these
South Brooklyn advocates here fayoring TINS pan.
! when 7 vii the kind OF trafnc lIltL
East Nevy-York is 70 get I understand that they
held a meeting at the Brooklyn Rapid Transit once
! recently and were informed that II they Favored
| this approach they would not get bad trafhc;
THAT is absolutely false. shouted several OF the
! men present -, - ~, r-9-orro,s
| The Board of Estimate and ApporuoIuleht ulu
| not take action the plans