The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-18

an immense amount Of preliminary work.
Shafts have been sunk In various parts Of
both the East and the North rivers to AS
certain what conditions must be met in the
construction. Shafts, too, have been sunk
for test purposes across the island Of Man
haitian in the line of Thirty-second and
Thirty-third streets.
Chief Engineer Charles NJ. Jacobs said
yesterday that 1t might be possible to com
plete the work in three years instead Of
five. Work will be begun simultaneously
AT Thirty-second street and Hudson River
at Bergen Hill in West Hoboken and a,
Thirty-second street and East River.
The tunnels under Thirty-second and
Thirty-third streets will be built at once
The tunnel under Thirty-first street will
not be undertaken for the present.
President illiam II. Baldwin, Jr.. of
the Long Island Railroad said yesterday
that within short period one of the largest
electric powerhouses in the world will he
built on IA block Of vacant ground in the
Hunters Point section Of Long Island
City owned by the railroad company. The
future plan for the development OF Long
Island by the Pennsylvania Railroad had
depended upon the Pennsylvania Railroad
obtaining the tunnel franchise. Electricity
will be the motive power on every line out
from the western terminal and frequent
elect rical suburban service will be given
TO places within eighteen or twenty miles
of New York Power for the operation
of the underground tunnel and the suburban
lines will be supplied from the proposed
powerhouse in Hunters Point
Mayor Low expressed his qualification at
the passage Of the grant in statement
in which he said:
The terms secured for the city in con-
the dealings of municinalites with such
subjects. They are particularly gratifying
to me. for IT has been my good fortune to
secure the insertion In the rarid transit act,
both in its earlier form and in Il is year, of
the provision for a periodic revaiuation OF
nature of the case, have to be granted with
out terms Francl ises that are complete in
themselves and wholly within city s. ould
not be and need not be made perpetual but
franchises that are mere fragments Wit IN
city OF perpetual grants on the out side must
probably be given. Tor many years to come.
in the form adopted In this instance that i, to
say, with reservation to the city OF the
right to share in the growing value Of TIE
iranci Use by a provision for the periodic
the city for the grant.
President j Edward Swanstrom, of the
borough Of Brooklyn, yesterday sent
letter to the Pennsylvania Railroad Con =
pany, saying that he had supported the
tunnel grant from the first and that the
grant was due, in large measure, to the
votes Of the Brooklyn Aldermen. Then he
says.
nm Informed that the reason why you
declined to accede to the request of the labor
men for the insertion in the contract of
the prevail ling rate Of wages clause and the
eight-hour claus" was that you did not desire
to place the company in the position of ac-
ceding to clauses which were uncOnstitu-
tional and which, If Inserted In the contract,
would simply have been an attempt to blind
and TO deceive labor.
Now that the franchise has been granted
il seems to me that IL would be proper for
you TO accede to the wishes Of the labor
men by voluntarily Conscntinv to the con-
dtions which they have asked for, namely,
that IN the building of the tunnel the pre-
va ling rate OF wages shall toe paid to the work
men and the eight-hour law compled with.
Trusting that "ou nay see your way clear
to grant this request. am yours very truly.
! EDWARD SW ASs1HON,