New-York tribune., 1902-07-25
CONTRACT GOES TO BELMONT.
RAPID TRANSIT BOARD ALSO DECIDES ON SECOND BROOK.
LYN TUNNEL, FOR WHICH B. r. T. MAY BID
ACCEPTS 100000 BID.
BROADWAY SPUR NOT CONSIDERED
BECAUSE NOT IN SPECIFICATIONS.


BY unanimous vote the Rapid Transit Com
mission yesterday afternoon accepted the ST.
100000 bid Of the Rapid Transit Subway Con-
structiOn Company for the Brooklyn extension
Of the rapid transit system. The IS. 100000 bid
Of the same company could not be considered.
according to opinion submitted by Edward
NJ. Shepard. counsel FOR the commission for the
reason that the Broadway route from Forty
second-st. to Union Square was not included in
the specifications. The $1O00OOo bid Of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company was rejected,
but on resolution of President Orr. the COM
mission provided for a second tunnel to Brook
lyn on which the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
pany. if it chooses. may bid Colonel Timothy
5. Williams. vice-president of the company.
said however, after the meeting. that his COM
pany was precluded from bidding such
tunnel by reason OF the statement made by
Mayor Low, in explaining his vote. that uni
fed system of underground transit DESIRED
with a single five cent fare Mr.. Williams said
that the Belmont people were the only ones who
could offer these advantages By Mr. Orrs
resolution the chief engineer Of the comnission
is requested to prepare plans for second tun-
mel TO Brooklyn.
August Belmont addressed the commission.
saying that his bid OF 100000 was made so
that the city would have enough money left to.
proceed with an East Side tunnel and the pro-
clared that work the Brooklyn extensiou
could be begun within six months.
The resolution awarding the contract for tha
Brooklyn extension 10 the Rapid Transit SUBJ
way Construction Company follows:
THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED. y
Resolved. That the board in behalf OF the city
Of New-York. hereby accepts the proposal ford
the construction OF the Brooklyn -Manhattans
Rapid Transit Railroad made BY the Rapid
Transit SUBWAY for ths@
price OF S2,OOOOOO in addition to 81 100000 for~
terminals. and hereby authorizes the presidene
and secretary TO execute in the name of th9
board. for and on behalf OF the city of New
York. the contract for the construction OF thei
Brooklyn-M Manhattan Rapid Transit Railroad
as heretofore approved by the board and by SUCH
proposal; and IL is further
Resolved. That the president OF the board. to-
gether with Messrs- Starin and Smith, be and
they are hereby authorized a committee To-
approve. in behalf Of the board. the securitiesI
II any, 10 be deposited by the Rapid Transic
Subway Construction Company the said con-;
tractor. pursuant to the terms OF the said con-
tract. and 10 approve the sufticiency of the sure
ties upon the bond or bonds to be given by such,
contractor pursuant TO the terms OF such con-
tract. and in behalf Of the board TO approve the.
execution OF such bond or bonds and in ali other
matters incidental 10 the execution and delivery
OF such contract to act for and on behalf OF rhs
board and In It's name.
In explaining HIS vote. Mayor Low said:
1 stand as the representative of the entire
city of New-York. and my vote must be cast,
and will be cast, from the best consideration
that can give to the general interests of the
entire municipality. propose to vote In favor OF
this resolution, and il is due to my friends in
Brooklyn that state clearly my position No
man has more appreciation OF the kindness OF
the people of Brooklyn than L First they
elected Mayor OF Brooklyn, and only last
autumn they gave me a substantial vote for the
office which l now hold. 1 remind them of
these things because / apprehend that their
thoughts upon this subject are clouded.
THE MAYOR EXPLAINS HIS VOTE.
In voting for this resolution / am irving +rx
vote in their interest we'll as in the in
terest Of the rest of the people of New-York.
There are certain objections to the bid OF the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company In the first
place, this is the tender for a second franchise
of New-YOrk If their bid is accepted every,
body who rides over these two pieces OF railroad
feel sense of outrage if he could not ride over
these two roads for one fare. In the second
place, if the Brooklyn bid is accepted every
body VINO comes from the upper part Of Man.
haitian and The Bronx has got to pay a second
fare to reach the Battery. The multitude Oc
people affected by that is by means small
/ would like the Brooklyn people to consider
this proposition. They claiming the right
or every person in Brooklyn to ride to the City,
Hall for one fare. Is Brooklyn never 70 have
any inhabitant who will desire to go beyonds
the City Hall? Are there not thousands who go
10 the shops the theatres and the railroad sta
tions? Brooklyn has been made what il Is by the.
East River. The population has gone north be-
cause it difficult TO cross the river 1t is now
proposed to make artificial separation of the.
City Hall and say that il is the limit that naonIs
can reach for single fare. / am sufficiently ia
miliar with the topography of Brooklyn to know
that there is a very large population along the.
route or this tunnel from the river TO F1atbush
and Atlantic aves. You hear that the Beluontf
people want to build on the East Side and that
is the end of their desires. The subway will
spread out in every direction If we make a
single fare over the entire subway system we,
convenience everybody who lives in BROOKLYN
Because Brooklyn is not cOnvenienced by this
tunnel as il hoped it might be. that doesn't
make IL impossible to convenience then, in
reaching the City Hall The second bridge
ought to be finished by the first of October nextl
year. The Bridge Commissioner and the en-
gineer of this board now at work on plansi
will then be available to the City Hall No
greater mistake could be made than to Iet this
opportunity so by to get one fare from The
Bronx to Brooklyn
MR.. CIRCUIT PROPOSES A SECOND TUNNEL.
Controller Grout said that he was cordially
in favor of the Belmont bid for the reasons so
clearly stated by the Mayor. If the contract
awarded to the Brooklyn company he was
afraid that the cOngested condition underground
at the City Hall station would be as bad as that
now on the bridge.
My second reason he continued ais because
think that the board now has the opportunity
TO lay out an additional tunnel to BROOKLYN
The present tunnel was laid out as a two track
submit a resolution for a second tunnel The
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company will then have
an opportunity TO bid for this tunnel. We will
probably be ready next year. then. TO spend
$11 100000 for an East Side tunnel
Mayor Low then said that he was entirely
unwilling that the city should go without ad-