New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-03
BIG BRIDGE PLANS.

"Iindenthal's latest" as a somewhat scepti-
cal and fippant public is in the habit of dub
bling each successive output of the Bridge M
missioner's plan factory. is certainly an impress
slve and imposing scheme. 1t involves the
acquisition 10y the city-largely by the way, for
the benefit of the Manhattan Elevated Railroad
and Brooklyn Rapid Transit companies-of two
city blocks Just north of the Manhattan end OF
the Brooklyn Bridge, one of which is Of great
value Upon these blocks there will then be
erected vast terminal stations for the two rail
road systems and probably facilities for traffic
connection between them. There is hint in
the statement of the plan that one or both Of
the railroad companies will share the expense of
the undertaking, but concerning that we may be
permitted TO have some doubts. AS the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company owns no land or build
ings in Manhattan, it seems unlikely that it will
make an isolated investment which might at
any time be cut off and made worthless to it by
q cancelling of the bridge contract And surely
there is no thought of giving or selling it the
bridge so as to make it's Brooklyn property CON
tinuous with what 1t might acquire on Park
Row AS for the Manhattan Elevated company,
IL has hitherto shown no disposition 10 purchase
land for Il terminal either at the City Hall or at
the Battery, and we have seen no reason To sus
pect it of any change of mind in that respect.
Beyond doubt the Park Row terminals OF
both bridge and elevated railroad are shame
fully mean and contracted We have, however,
a pretty vivid recollection of other proposals for
enlargement made some time ago, which were
Instantly secuted as too extravagant for serious
consideration, though they involved only small
fraction of the expenditure which is now pro-
posed 1t was for example, proposed TO widen
the Manhattan end of the bridge by acquiring
land at both sides of II, that switching could
be abolished and trains be run around a semi
circular loop. Al that time the land in question
was worth only a fraction of what il is worth
to-day, and the Job would have been compare
lively inexpensive But the plan instantly
declared 10 be out of the question because OF its
prohibitive cost. Again, ii was suggested that
the elevated road terminal might be widened by
extension at the southeast side Of Park Row.
where property is not Overcostly. But that Idea,
| too was negatived as involving too great ex-
pense. Yet now it is proposed TO acquire those
| very lands or some of them at double or treble
| their former price, and to take also other still
| more costly lands, at a total expenditure three
| or four times as great as that which was for
| merly deemed prOhibitive! We are not saying
| II should not he done. Perhaps 1t should he
| done as the best way of solving the grave prob
| lem II so, what an object lesson IL provides!
| How many millions the city Will be paying a
| penalty for the shortsightedness of years ago!
We are not, however prepared TO cOncede
| that this is the best thing TO do; certainly not
| that the doing Of 1T will solve the problem of
! transportation on the Brooklyn Bridge. Doubt