New-York tribune., 1901-12-18
TRYING TO SAVE ELM-S1.
REFORM CLUB PROTESTS AGAINST AT
PROyAL OF PROPOSED FRANCHISE
FOR \ STREET RAIL
ROAD THERE.
ROAD THERE.

The Reform Club, through Milo h Malloie' is
secretary, has Controller Coier pi
against approval of the proposed trafchlse hoi
street railroad in Elm-st The proposed Iranciiss
- -ort b,- tho NrnicipaI Assembly to the Board
of Estimate with request TO have the 'alue oi
the franchise fixed. and the board TeIerfeu - "
Mr. CoIer for Investigation The Reform Cluo ne-
leves that the franchise should be opposed hol '7
following reasons stated in the letter
FTirst-Traff1c will be interfered with Win liz .te
exception of Elm-st, there is at present no
south thoroughfare in or neaL ntair , At least
one set of streetcar tracks. The streets al are 80 "a
congesed that the quick delivery OF sreatiy re-
tarded and at times impossible rms ia Goautia tad
WILL @Llua ii eaTs ago and steps were taken to widen
EImst and thus TO relieve Broadway ana 3Inei
parallel streets Of Th6 a6oT WoFs * But relief
has afforded for 5ns Street. ready
for use) the rapid transit tunnei N! haS So,eth ~
SscconGThe compensation offered is insignificant
The ordinance provides for annual paEeht rs T 0a
Gears and per cent thereafter Taking as pass pass
the amounts paid by the MetropolLan tbe to,al
compensation under this provision would not e,, ex
ceed 5000 for the mile or mile r,ere anu than s It is
proposed for this insignificant sum to allo" c1,s s+
Pany g oane to sPa at cos of s the interest
which at the low rate OF per cent nccnnWing per
haps one-ft OF the street pays only ae
of the cost of widening alone Inc M trscs
and two feet on either side. but this Is nor hedES
burden and the companies have eVaoeo Iile &c. -
0ufrernent in the past, and now owe tne Sity hahS
6IIn6reds of thousands of dollars for paving >.
Third-The ordinance can be easily eNauea. - l.
nrovjdes for payment to the city of percentage
of the gross receipts, but Em-st ooes Aot d
the Citv Hall. where many would enter the cars
AT night and 1t ends at Astor Place from peEona G
which the large traffic in the morning comes mus
the receipts upon Em-st. itself would be small ana
only very inadequately represent the Faiue OF the
Fourth-Fares are too high The ordinance legal
ICES five cent fare for twenty-ti years ana yer
the line only about mile IN length. Inc CITY
has no power TO compel a reduction
FifthLThe franchise period is too Ions. tor
twenty-five years Il is rrevocahe. except Tor VIOLA
tion of the contract-a theoretical but not a prac-
tica remedy-and the company may nave d re-
newaI for twenty-five years more upon a reFaiua-
ton of the franchise. -, s,.s
Sixth-The grant completes the monopoly desired
hv the METROPOLITAN company. This company al
ready controls the entire surface street raiiroaos
and south street of any length that 1t does not
control is Elm-st Chapter 1e9 of the Laws or 1913
granted portion of this thoroughfare 70 suoordi-
nate company of the Metropolitan Railway, but IL
has not been used. and there is some question
whether the courts would consider the grant valid
they should not. the city could use the Elm ST
line with east and streets reaching the fer
ries as leverage. either by promoting the COM
petition of rival companies by refusing to grant
The franchise until the Metropolitan company ac-
ceptsd the city's terms. But whatever may be the
policy adopted the city certainly ought not TO
complete the monopoly OF the Metropolitan COM
pany on such unfavorable terms to the city and
without a provision rendering the franchise rev
ocabe at the will Of the city.