New-York tribune., 1902-03-11
Low EFFECTS COMPROMISE.
BILL FOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY
AND NETWORK CENTRAL.
CANNOT AGREE ON CHANGES IN
MOTIVE POWER.

Albany, March 10.-Assemblyman Bedell.
after receiving letter from Mayor Low ex-
planning his position the Park-ave. tunnel
bills, introduced. with Senator Elsberg a COM
promise BILL suggested in the Mayors letter,
for the the Assemblyman put forward sew
eral weeks ago.
The Assembly Railroads Committee met to-
night after the session and reported favorably on
this bill. 1t is understood that the Governor will
send in an emergency message on Wednesday
morning calling for the immediate passage of
the BILL so that it will not have TO be delayed
by being printed and being kept on the files Of
the members for three days before its passage.
Mayor Lows letter was as follows:
In reply to your letter of March 5, I have now
the pleasure 10 inform you of my position with
Of power in the tunnel used by the New-York Cen
tral and Huson River Railroad Company. This
question Of fixing date by which such change Of Of
by which the plans necessary to accomplish this
result shall be carried into effect.
First~The public, both in and out Of the city. are
determined that change must be made as prompt
ly as possible from steam to electricity or to some
other equal unobjectionable power the Park
a. method shall be devised which shall make sure
or prompt agreement upon some plan. as that a
sired change In the mean while it must be taken
for granted that change from steam to electricity
ments at the Grand Central Station likely affect
York City very Importantly As to these changes
the city and its inhabitants vitality interested.
state and OFT Of the % nation @ are equally interested in
having whatever plans may be adopted adequate
Here. then, are three interests to be harmonzed;
be made without fail and as rapidly as possible,
second-The special interests Of the city; including
those of the property owners Immediately affected
by any change Of terminal arrangements.
ADEQUATE faciIitjes r-n1er these circiImstances I
am prepared to assent to Assembly bin No AZ,
the day when the of steam in the tunnel shall
Board Of Rarnad u6on 10
cause being shown and Upon proper proof that the
has been dsenty prosecuted and has in good
faith progressed tie power to extend the time dur
motives in said tunnel mel either in whole or in part
to make the desired changes, should certainly con-
tinue 70 urge the fixing of date that should stand
that body itself But. in view Of the letter already
made public, addressed to me by the president and
eight OF the directors of the railroad company be
lated to assure the desired results II the Iegisia
ture sees n to go further in the matter OF fixing a
would be better Judgment to take the company at
As to the rest submit herewith as a substitute
for Assembly bil No 1124 and ask for It's introduc-
ton. bill which provides for the following pro-
First the railroad company shall make an earnest
enGFt TO agree With The city upon accspta6!e plans
Of such agreement the SLAMS are To- be- Submitted
Railroad Commissioners. II approved by this com
for the necessary condemnation or properly roy and
the immediate execution OF the plans thus ap-
proved. II the plans are rejected by the Railroad
Commission. the railroad company must start
again. II. on the other hand the railroad company
an appeal open both parties to the State Board
or Railroad Commissioners and in the event OF
continued disagreement further appeal may be
taken by the city TO the Appellate division Of the
supreme Court, First Department. whose decision
agree upon the plans, but fan to agree upon the
in the last resort are 70 determine the conpensa-
ton. The bin also provides that an agreement
must be reached between the railroad company
and the city within sixty days after the plans are
submitted to the city. else the city shall be
deemed TO have dsapprOved the plans BY this
provision the public demand that the desired
possible. and that they be given fun force and ef-
feet In the mean time in the event Of a disagree
ment both the railroad company and the city have
two appeals-hrst. 10 the State Board OF Railroa d
Property owners affected viii have hearing as
10 any proposed plans by the city, and again by
the State Board OF Railroad Commissioners; and
In the event OF disagreement between the railroad
Division of the Supreme Court In the event OF
the condemnation OF their property. after plans
9e haye been approved the usual procedure will be
cerned can be more fairly safeguarded
The letter referred to by Mayor Low was one
he received a week ago to-day, signed by nine
directors of the New-York Central Railroad in
which they pledged themselves 10 substitute
electricity for steam the motive power for
suburban trains they could construct a
a loop under the Grand Central Station and for
other trains soon a practical system for so
doing could be devised. and asked the Mayor 10
withhold his support from legislative enactment
fixing a certain date on which steam could not
be used In the tunnel as motive power.
PROTEST TO LOW ABOUT STTRGTS.