The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-18
CITYTOMAKEN.Y. CENIRALPAY
GROJT'S IDEA TERMS LIKE THE
=. II. II. TUNNEL TERMS
For Use or the Subterranean In Its Ter.
minal ImprOv ement-lIOard Of Esti.
mate VIII Also Insist ON Bridges at
Grade, the Company TO Pay for Them.

U1Ste VIII AISO IIeIbt OIL DTlOBeS ~
Grade. the Company TO Pay for Them.
The New York Central railroad will
nave to pay the city rather heavily accord =
ing to present indications. for the privilege
it IL seeking from the municipality to ALLOW
of the charging of its terminal facilities
About three months ago when the com
pany first presented its plan for the widen
ing Of Park avenue and the closing Of the
intersectng streets between Forty-fourth
and Tifty-sixth streets. i, offered TO pay the
cost of the condemnation proceedings and
to purchase the ground to be acquired.
Property owners vigorously opposed the
plan and showed that the company by
expanding more money and depressing its
tracks need not interfere with the surface
of Park avenue or the intervening streets.
Almost without argument the company
agreed to make the depressions, but sug-
gested that the city ought to bear the cost
Of building the bridges across the streets
and that no charge should be made for the
subterranean occupation by the company
of the westerly side of Park avenue and
about the Grand Central Station.
II is now stated that the Board Of Esti-
mate will not accede TO these terms. but
will demand that the company bear prac-
tically the whole cost of the bridges and
carry them over the avenue at grade. which
will involve lowering it's tracks several
feet further than it proposes. Moreover.
Comptroller Grou, will insist that the COM
pany shall compensate the city for the
large area Of vault space it has applied for.
Mayor Low and Borough President Cantor,
the other two members of the Board OF
Estimates committee appointed to con-
slider the New York Central's proposition,
will probably support Mr.. Grout as to
this.
One Of the reasons which has determined
the committee to take this attit ude is that
a. the Pennsylvania company has agreed
to pay for the permission to tunnel be-
meath the city'S streets there is no cause
why the New York Central should not be
made TO pay for running tracks below Park
avenue and Vanderbilt place. When it
was first minated to the Pennsylvania
company that the city would insist upon
a yearly rental for every foot of track
laid and for vault privileges, Mr.. Cassatt
and his colleagues objected that the New
York Central had never been similarly
taxed and that the city had even borne
"A large share of the cost of the improve
ments that the Central had made from
time to time.
As a preliminary to fixing the basis of
compensation, Comptroller Grout has had
Eugene F.. Mclean, the chief engineer Of his
department, make a report upon the finan-
cial value of the privileges sought by the
New York Central. Mr.. Mclean says Of
the Centrals revised plan:
The city will give the railroad company I he use
OF the surface o; certain streets now already
used and controlled by the railroad company,
the easement or vault privileges to run under
the surface OF the westerly and easterly road
ways OF Park avenue from Forty-ninth to
tiity:seventh streets. vault privileges under
the sidewalks NJ different points around the
yard. and the easement to cross under the
surface OF Forty-second street TO connect
with the Rapid Transit subway. The city
will also be Obliged to construct and ina inta in
tie bridges and viiduCts that cross at each
street from Forty-fifth to Fitty-siXth street
inclusive,
Using the usual methods and customary
charges for similar rriNieges granted to pri-
the, New York Central and Hudson River
Railroad Company privileges which are worth
s?Aa7 $500, and be obli red to construct
eignts .ort bridges and four viaducts at a total
cost OF ss4s.oN This does not include the
item of maintenance. which will be at least
e25. 900 per annum.
In addition Mr.. Mclean estimates the
value of the street surface now occupied
by the company, and not owned or con-
trolled by it, at $3.50 600, and the value of the
easement asked for to connect the system
with the Manhattan Rapid Transit Railroad
at $l75,OOO. The estimated value of the
street surface used and owned by the COM
pany in Park avenue is put at 81, O62, 900.
Comptroller Grout said last night that the
values in Mr. McLean's report had been
capitalized on a per cent. basis and that
while the company would be asked TO pay
the city for the privileges it had applied
for II was not probable that the Board of
Estimate would bind itself to this valuation
to determine what compensation the rail-
road would be required to pay TO the city.