New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-05
VIEWS OF PRESIDENT ORR.
SAYS THE PRESENT SUBWAY is ONLY
THE BEGINNING.

Endorsement of the chief engineer of the Rapid
Transit Commission was the cause of great
qualification to those citizens who VIII De az
fected by this improvement. 10 was the cur
rent belief that when the plan was clearly un-
derstood little opposition would be met from
the property owners along such feeder. for
the reason that the ultimate benefits to be de-
rived from the underground railroad would more
than offset the temporary inconvenience When
it is taken into consideration that work on the
present subway is going on for a distance OF
over thirteen miles, the casualties and accidents
that have thus far occurred seem to be reTarka-
bly, few.
The majority of the members of the Rapid
Transit Commission yesterday declined TO dis
Cuss The Trfbune's proposition for an eastern
subway. but admitted that it deserved the
deepest consideration. and all agreed that un-
questionabIy the demands of the East Side for
rapid transit most emphatic
''It is only question of time" said Alexandsr
E Orr president of the Board of Rapid Transit
Commissioners, yesterday to a Tribune reporter,
when there will be an East Side subway. con-
Meeting with the trunk line at Forty-second-st.
AS soon as it is evident to the commission that
the city is able TO undertake the work within a
reasonable time the board will give hearings
on the project and canvass the situation thor
oughly The ground will. furthermore, need To
be looked over carefully and the most available
route selected. This will have to be determined
from an engineering point of view as we'll
as with regard to the needs Of the people EV-
ing there
"As far as my opinion goes L believe that
rapid transit cannot come to the East Side any
too quickly. II was intention ar the outser
to build an East Side branch. Because Of the
limitations of the city debt, however, by whtch
we were restricted to S35OO0OOO. work on this
| tributary to the central system had to be post
poned for a time. What felt was most I'M
| portant was to tap the far outlying districts
in The Bronx where at present there is room to
grow to build homes. and thus to spread
out the city over wider area We thought
that by this certain relief would De
brought to the more congested districts.
The tunnel Brooklyn will be the next STEP
| This Improvement be made at cost which
| comes within the debt limit Of the city And,
furthermore it must be remembered that this IS
now the greater city of NewYork. The bless
ings of rapid transit have already been promised
! to the boroughs of Manhattan and The Bronx.
! and the time is almost at hand when this
| promise will be realized. II is Brooklyn's turn
/ next,
| TOO great emphasis cannot be made on the
1 point that the system as now planned is only
( tentative. The present subway when compieteo
| will be good only as far as it goes. This is a
/ growing citv No man can measure in advance
! what It's future development will be. I consider
/ the present route from the City Hall to the two
| terminals in The Bronx only a starter Ine
/ Rapid Transit Commission. when this under
/ taking is finished. will not be able to rest upon
! its labors If anybody comes along with good
plan for additional rapid transit extensions. tne
board will he obliged to consider it. if he makes
( his case good and can show that the city will be
benefited
I .1-Lo .ir,e v,.;11 como T have no doubt when
/ there will be a branch of the underground rail-
( road now under construction which will ex-
/ tend down lower Broadway from Long Acre
/ Square to the City Hall To my mind. IT was
! mistake to put tunnel there before laying
/ out the route for any other street in the city,
/ The Broadway property owners thoughtf IL
/ would iniure the value of their holdings BE-
! fore the present subway has been running very
| long ~ou will see these same property owners
/ coming to the board with petition for a tun-
[ mel under Broadway. The same may be said OF
/ the East Side and other parts of this great
[ city which are in need of better transportation
| facilities We are just entering a tunnel
/ age
DO YOU think that there would be any op-
nostion on the part of residents along Lexing-
ton-ave.. if plans we're drawn for branch OK
the subway in that thOroughfare?" was asked
Il think that there might be from some per-
sons at the present time" was the answer.
But when II is seen from the operation OF tns
tunnel now under construction what oeheHtS
will follow have doubt that these people
will be only too anxious for the Improvement
II was learned from another source thdt Ol7
subject of an East Side subway. such as IS
prnposed by The Tribune. would he consldered
tentatively at the next meeting OF the commls-
sion in order to get the consensus OF opinion OF
i,s different members From the drift of opin-
ION Yesterday il is Furthermore believed thar
favorable action on such extension Will De
taken without delay.
TO RELIEVE WEST SIDE CONC'ESIlUN-