New-York tribune., 1902-12-18

NEGO7T4 TIONS TO LET THEM BRING PASSENGERS
THROUGH N Y & j. TUNNEL.
rc VIII Sim PENNSYLVANIA Franchise Neat Railroad to Com
plete Work Three Years.
PROPERTY OWNERS NEXT
Tt VIII Take Three Months to &c.
Their Consents for p. R. Il.

Mayor Low will sign the Pennsylvania tunnel
| franchise next week. as soon the legal time
elapses after he receives It from the Board OF
Aldermen. II will take about three months to
perfect the franchise by obtaining consents
along the tunnel route in the city. The action
of the city authorities and Of the Rapid Transit
Commission does not carry with 1t the consents
of owners of private property IN the streets
under which the tunnel is to be bored in Man
haitian and Queens and not spade can be
turned in the work of tunnel construction until
the consents are obtained.
1t is not to be expected that the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company can obtain consents from all
the owners Of property along the route OF the
tunnel in the two boroughs by private negota-
tions. Some Of the property is tied up in Htga-
ton belongs to estates in the care Of the courts
or is in the hands of trustees for minors. The
company probably will be obliged to make ap-
plication TO the Supreme Court to appoint
commission to investigate and give the consents
for considerable of the property This method
involves inevitable delay, even after the COM
nanv has obtained consents from many Of the
property owners
A B. Boardman, of counsel for the company
said Yesterday that he would be satisfied IL the
necessary consents could be obtained in three
months BY that time the engineers of the tun-
mel headed by Charles NJ. Jacobs will have
their plans in such shape that active work on
the tunnel can proceed.
President Cassatt of the Pennsylvania Rail
road said in Philadelphia. soon as Informed
of the massage of the tunnel franchise, that
not a day would be lost in beginning the work.
The company he declared, would spend S4O,-
100000 and the tunnel would be completed IN
three years. The boring Of the tunnel unoer
the North River will be the task involving
the longest delay, since work can proceed only
from the two ends. It IS possible that the East
River and the Manhattan tunnels will be COM
pleted and the terminal station in Manhattan
erected q year before the North River
tunnel is finished. In that case the Long ISL
and Railroad may enter Manhattan before the
Pennsylvania Railroad can get in
President Baldwin of the Long Island Rail
road was asked for information that sub
ject and he said: "I have no knowledge as
to the time in which the tunnels can be COM
pleted. but I know it is intended to have the
work completed rapidly as possible, and II
the Long Island Railroad can get into Manhat-
tan in two years it will come IN then"
No official confirmation Of report that the
Pennsylvania Railroad is to take over the Sus-
quehanna road could be obtained from rail-
way officials in this city yesterday: 1t is
derstood that much Of the Susquehanna stock
is held by Erie stockholders. and that on the
purchase of their holdings would depend in
a large measure the control Of the road.
Mayor Low said regarding the passage of the
PENNSYLVANIA tunnel franchise:
I am greatly gratihed by the passage of the
Pennsylvania tunnel franchise It is one Of two
things already accomplished that will make this
year memorable in the history of New-York. In
the year all who have taken part in Sc
curing this nvalua BILE benefit for the city viii
joice that they were permitted to be in any way
identified with great a matter; for It is not
often in any mans life, that he has the oppor-
tunity to help to initiate work OF such far reach
ing and enduring Importance, not only to his city,
but to the people of the United States.
The terms secured for the city, also IN connec-