New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-23
TUNNEL CONSIDERATIONS.

AS we said yesterday. the bid for the Brook
Ign tunnel franchise submitted 10y the Belmont
Mcdonald company appears far more adVhnta-
geous TO the city than that submitted by the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, without re-
gard TO the fact that it calls for a much smaller
advance of public money Yet that considera-
ton is not unimportant, in view of the con-
dition of the municipal finances If the city
were still long way from the constitutional
limit of Indebtedness. and consequently fore
saw no embarrassment in providing for neces-
sary future improvements. it would make little
difference whether the rapid transit extension
required a bond issue of S3,000O0O or one OF
SS,000,0O0 inasmuch the contractor must
pay the interest and annually in addition
sum sufficient to retire the bonds at the eXpira-
tion of his lease. Even as things are. it would
not be advisable to accept a decidedly inferior
offer merely because 1t involved a smaller loan
But the fact that the bid which is most attrac-
tive for other reasons is also the lowest Is
highly gratifying. The difference of S5,O0O0OO
Tor of 100000 in case the offer covering
connecting link between FOrty-secOnd-st. and
Union Square should be accepted is we'll worth
taking into account. in consideration of the
city's near approach TO the limit of its borrow
ing capacity.
On reflection the Belmont-McDonald COM
pany's alternative proposal 10 build this central
link appears more and more important Broad
way was the original rapid transit route, which
was changed not because expert opinion as TO
it's superior advantages had undergone
change, but under the pressure Of supposed
necessity Since then it has become even
clearer than it was before that Broadway is
destined 10 remain the citys chief business
thoroughfare and that no part of it could have
been less suitably left off the line of under
ground transit than the stretch between Union
Square and FOrty-second-st. 1t seems to us
practically certain that a tunnel will be built
between those points before many years have
passed. and extremely doubtful if one can ever
be built on more advantageous terms than those
Just offered. BY itself the proposed addition TO
the system now under construction would be
exceedingly useful. but its value would be
almost indefinitely increased by means OF the
connection which ii would make with the Penn
sylvania tunnel and. through that, with the
Long Island Railroad.
We speak Of that enterprise as a certainty of
the near future, fully believing that it will be
put through. At yesterdays meeting of the
Board of Aldermen, after the Railroad Com
mittee had made an adverse report chiefly be-
cause the contract does not provide for an eight
hours day, notwithstanding the Controllers
assurance that private corporation could not
be bound by that condition, the board disap-
proved the franchise by a surprisingly large
vote. But it is impossible to suppose that an
improvement so advantageous to the CITY and
so heartily supported by public opinion can be
permanently held up" The delay which now
seems inevitable is to be regretted hut the
aldermen will eventually have to yield to the
demand OF the community. and we do not
ut
ton that the franchise is perpetual has been
carefully considered and fully met. the COM
pany is ready 10 pay a fair reeompense for
privileges which do not involve the slightest
sacrifice the part OF the city, and talk OF
devotion 10 the charter and 10 the public in
terests will deceive nobody. Some slight modi-
fcations Of the franchise may possibly be adj
visable for the sake OF avoiding a serious post
ponement, but the scheme will be carried out.