The evening world., 1902-12-03
Alderman "LittIe Tim" Sullivan
Says Pennsylvania Railroad
Seeks to Make Montauk Point
a Port of Entry.
WOULD INJURE THE CITY
Miles Of Docks Likely to Be Va.
Gated, He Asserts, and Points to
Manhattan and Subway Merger as
. Dangerous Precedent.

Alderman Little Tim" Sullivan. lead
er OF the opposition to the Pennsvl-
vania tunnel franchise. was asked by
The Evening World to-day to comment
on the statements OF Cornelius Bliss
and Gustav Schwab. in criticism Of the
action of the aldermen in holding up
the franchise.
Talk such as Mr.. Bliss and Mr..
schwab have given utterance to-" said
Alderman Sullivan, lis just what might
be expected OF them They look at
things from one point OF view. They
are in sympathy with the wealthy men
who control the Pennsylvania Rail
road and are trying to get a franchise
OF inestimable value for little or moth.
ing from the city OF New York
Il and my colleagues in the Board of
Aldermen look at this proposed tunnel
from the standpoint OF men Interested
In the welfare OF the city. and / wan;
10 say that IL we can prevent l.. ihls
franchise Will not be granted.
Mr.. Bliss and Mr.. schwab say that
the tunnel viii bring trade and proper
ity 10 New York. Why? Are people
coming her to spend their moaey sim
=" $4,000 = IL AAllllf Illalf'T inc
North River and an underground sta
tion uptown? / wan to say that IN
stead OF being n benefit to New York
the tunnel would be "A positive detri-
ment. =.
To Beneht Montnuk Point.
The whole proposition bach OF This
tunnel 1t to make Montnuk Point the
port OF entry INTO this city. II II goes
through and they are allowed to COM
plete their tunnel n their railway
schemes on Long Island the shining |
interests OF New York Will be dealt a
blow from which they cannot recover.
II VIII vacate miles OF docks and bur,
the City In other ways. ~ ""'
we nave had a taste OF this I'm the
growth Of that point as a shipping CEN
tire has hurt New York in proport3on ns
MeYPort News has expanded. IL win
~ hhe same way II the Pennsylvania
ttaliroad Is allowed to establish a rival
port at the other end of Long Island.
IN all the talk | have heard nbou,
nus funnel the men Interested In seeing
beneht that II will be to New Sork, y
V heard any OF them say ANYTHING
ABOUT the benefit it Will be to the Penn
pose that this powerful corporation in
tends to spend millions unless there is
a.chance In sight for the money TO come
paeks How are they going to got IT
from the increased number OF people
VINO VIII come to New York because
there Is a tunnel instead Of a ferry? I
don't think any citizen Is foolish enough
70 believe that. There IL more behind
u than the ,plSn to carry people under
the bed of the North River.
Makes It's Own FERNS.
Another thing in connection with
this proposed tunnel: The Pennsylvania
the city, through the Rapid Transit
Commission. which Is a s~elf-appoInted.
self-perpetuating body. with no respon-
slbiuty to the city Of New York. IL is
TOO easy for powerful corporations TO
set franchises. Look at the Rapid Tran
sit tunnel for instance.
When the scheme went through
everybody supposed that the subway
line would be a competitor to the II
y that lower fares would result. What
do we hnd? Why, the two systems have
consolidated. eventually they will con-
Eolidate with the surface roads, and
New York VIII be in the hands OF the
most powerful transportation monopoly
~ the world. wa this contingency fore
seen by the men who granted the fran
chise? Are we to take the bare word OF
the ~officials Of the PENNSYLVANIA Rail-
as to their Intentions?
You can't tell an umbrella nv the
cover. You can't tell what Is in this
tunnel scheme from the promises and
assertions of the Pennsylvania Railroad
people, This Is too big a thing TO he
on-hand. We have plenty OF in
stances of the danger OF allowing mono
IL I have anything to say about 1t. the
Pennsylvania Railroad will not he al
lowed 10 enter the city of New York on
the terms II has proposed"