New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-27
SUBWAY AND ELEVATED ROADS.

The official announcement made yesterday
afternoon that the Manhattan Railway Com
pany had been leased to the marlborough Rapid
( Transit Company. which controls the subway
enterprise, caused little or no surprise The
robust denials which have been vouchsafed
during the last fortnight by some of those close
Is related to the transaction and the silence
which others have maintained were consider
ably less effective than the course Of the stock
market 1t is sometimes embarrassing, no
doubt. It is naturally irritating to men in
charge of such negotiations to see the public
coming to pretty accurate understanding of
plans which they are not ready to divulge but
the protection of such secrets becomes more
and more difficult. Those who would like 10
protect them have right to make the attempt
but they have no particular reason to complain
when they fail. Wall Street has its ways Of
finding ont what is going on, and the news
papers usually succeed in ascertaining what
Wall Street knows.
The prevalent belief is not always so near
the truth. however, as it has proved to be in
this instance Current predictions are almost
exactly fulfilled in the announcement that
permanent lease has been made at per cent.
and that the Manhattan company's stock is TO
be increased by some millions; but public inter
est will continue keen. Every combination
affecting the city's transportation facilities in
timately concerns all its inhabitants, but this
transaction must be regarded as of special i'm
portance, both because of what it actually ac-
complishes and what it infallby suggests.
Much curiosity has already been expressed as
to the purposes of the Interborough Company
in taking over the elevated roads. To some
minds the theory of economy in the production
and application of. electrical energy is not q
sufficient motive for a combination of the trans
portation lines above and below the surface of
the streets, and they have feared that a Joint
operation arrangement might be in prospect
which would injuriously affect the interests Of
the community. There would certainly be no
patience with any scheme to render the under
ground roads, built on public credit, less ser
viceable than they are capable Of being and it
is not strange that some suspicion is excited by
a combination which will eliminate the natural
rivalry of two long-haul routes But we do not
seriously apprehend harmful consequences. for
two reasons In the first place, recent ex-
perence suggests the contrary. The Metro
politan Street Railway Company. by means of
many consultations, is now providing under
the pressure of self-interest service incom-
parably better than ever existed or could exist
under the competitive system which 1t sup
planted. In the second place, as we pointed
out the other day, the Rapid Transit Commits
sion retains large authority over the subway
roads and can cause them to be operated with
Scrupulous regard for the public welfare.
Mention Of the Metropolitan company sug-
gests the thought, as the negotiation completed
yesterday will revive discussion, of a far
greater combination. Whatever present inten-
tons may be, the past policy of that company's
management and its present situation afford no
inconsiderable foundation for the belief that
all the transportation lines on both sides Of the
East River, above. below and on the surface.
will be united under one control before many
years have passed. Unquestionably the trend
Of events has been in that direction ever since
the Metropolitan began its remarkable course
Of expansion, and shall be surprised if the
transaction just announced is not widely inter
preted as long step toward that consumma-
ton.