New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-30
CONCESSION ON TUNNEL
p. r. r. AGREES TO SOME
MODIFTCAT TONS.
COMMITTEES TO BE APPOINTED TC
ARRANGE DETAILS FOR THE
AMENDED CONTRACT.

The net result OF the conference held yesterday
in the Mayors office between city officials and
representatives of the Rapid Transit Commits
sion and the Pennsylvania Railroad. with refer
ence to modifying the proposed tunnel contract.
is that the company tentatively and informally
assents to certain notifications that will give
the city more complete supervision OF the tunnel
when built.
The matter of perpetual franchise and an
eight hour labor day. with 81 minimum wage
scale are still left open. with the probability OF
the company not asserting
Mayor Low was authorized to ask the alder.
men and Rapid Transit Commission to appoint
conference committees. which are TO meet at ar
early day to work out an amicable understands
ing.
Borough President Cantor says that the rail-
read people have practically agreed to organize
their tunnel corporation under the laws of this
State and under the Jurisdiction OF State courts,
and that this concession means that the city. II
IL should be deemed wise. would be able TO ac.
quire the TUNNEL by condemnation proceedings
after a recognition OF the railroad company's
vested rights.
The conference was attended by Mayor Low
President Orr. Chief Engineer Parsons and Ed
ward VI. Shepard. counsel TO the Rapid Transit
Commission: George V. Massey. assistant gen.
eral solicitor: First vice-President John P
Green and Joseph t. Richards. engineer OF main
tenance Of way. of the Pennsylvania: Borough
Presidents Cantor and Cassidy. Aldermen Good
men. Diemer. James. DeuH Whitaker and
Nehrbauer.
Nathan Spering. OF President Cassatt's office,
was also hand 10 answer questions concern
ing technical matters in Mr.. Cassatt's Office. but
he was not called into the conference.
THE MAYORS STATEMENT.
After an amicabIe discussion. lasting thres
hours the conference broke up. The Mayor theu
made the following statement:
The proposed franchise was discussed at
length both in detail and from a general point
which were quite important. think IL may be
said that the Pennsylvania Railroad will accept
number of the notifications suggested II was
proposed that the Mayor should send a MESA ga
to the Board of Aldermen. and a similar
sage to the Rapid Transit Commission. asking
the purpose Of developing a possible franchise
that will be mutually satisfactory. think IL Is
quite clear that an agreement will be had on all
but one or two questions by general consent As
TO these ii remains TO be discovered through the
action of the conference committee to what
tent mutual agreement is practicable The open
questions. If / may describe them So relate &c
the provisions of the franchise in relation TO Ia
bOr and perpetuity, and possibly, 10 some extent
to the amount Of compensation. II remains tc
be seen whether mutual agreement can be
reached upon any all OF these grounds, bur
the conference committees ought TO be able 70
determine these questions without unreasonable
delay.
assume that when an agreement has been
reached, so far practicable franchise
will be submitted to the Board OF Aldermen for
its judgment upon that franchise as amended.
The points of detail with the Pennsylvania Rail-
road these:
First-It will grant to.the city such use Of its
tunnel as 1t may desire for fire and police tele.
graph wires.
Second-It will substitute a fixed limit Of time
within which the franchise must be availsd OF,
and generally for the indefinite power for exten-
sion granted by the Rapid Transit Commission
Thtrd-It will agree that the franchise shall
expressly cover the sanitary control OF tha tun<
mel by the Department of Health.
Fourth-That at the end OF twenty-five years
up on new basis agreeable to the authorities
OF that time, that IL the question arises as To
granting the privilege of local traffic that shall
require the consent OF the Board of Aldermen
and the Mayor as well the Rapid Transit
Commission
shall always be controlled by some Company Or
ganized under the laws of the State OF New
York The Pennsylvania company also agrees
10 take into consideration the holding OF the city
harmless against any damages that may be
caused by the closing of Thirty-second-st As
TO this point. understand that the railroad
company has not as yet committed itself. As to
the other points / have named I think will bs
right in saying that IL is ready TO agree 10 the
suggestions outlined.
i think IL will be apparent therefore that
many important mOdifiCati atiOns in the public In
terest have been effected How much further
such notifications can be carried out remains
to determine.