New-York tribune., 1902-04-21
UNITED IN SUPPORT.
CALL EAST SIDE TUNNEL A
NECESSITY.
MEN CONVERSANT WITH CONDITIONS
GIVE REASONS FOR NEED OF
IMMEDIATE ACTION.

Residents property holders. real estate dealers
and politicians of the East Side continue TO in
dorse the project for a rapid transit subway for
that part of the city from The Bronx to Murray
Hill or below The majority of property owners
feel certain that the Improvement would en-
hance values though some few dread the tenn
porary upheaval of construction. Even these,
however, are ready to admit that the greatest
good to the greatest number undoubtedly calls
for the building Of an East Side underground
electric road with all possible dispatch
c. c. Sargent set forth some interesting facts
as to the effect values, when seen at MS
home No 20 East Seventy -third-st., by IT'D
reporter.
Not long ago" said Mr.. Sargent. "a bulloer
only few streets north of bought house
for 5000 and has been offered S2lOoo since
the agitation for this subway was started In
the same manner almost Immediately upon the
suggestion that a subway to be constructed
up the East Side, my neighbors and myself were
rung up on the telephone and asked to set ns-
rres on our properties. OF course, we are not
considering selling our homes and peatihs
speculative retreat north before the advancing
line of excavation, but this merely shows no"
instantaneous is the creation of market de-
mand when the projection of such a municipal
Improvement takes definite color
PRESENT FACILITIES NOT ENOUGH
..1 used 70 think" Mr.. Sargent continued. "in
the old days when had horsecars in Madl-
son-ave. with their jingling bells and ciacking
singIetrees that everything would be well
whom the electric traction was installed. But
any one who lives on this side of town knows
that t,-s district has grown rapidly that the
increa ,ed service is still behind the actual needs
of thu public. One would say for instance, here
at Seventy thrd-st.. that the cars which start
from Eighty-sxth-st. would afford passengers
seats. But when go TO business in the morning
even those cars are already crowded when they
reach here. and filled with men, women and
children hanging the straps.
Il have taken TO riding down in the Fifth
ave stage. It is cumbersome and slow, but
really it is better than the crowded. overfilled
cars The region is congested beyond the power
of the present transit facilities to cope with H.
An ideal city in plan is the national capital
where all lines converge from periphery 10 a
central point. But here our objective centre Is
at one end of q narrow island, and every one
has to be carried along the same direction to
reach the common ground of business life Sur
face traction. however well maintained ana
however necessary, is insufficient. as mas long
been acknowledged in the existence of the ele-
waited system This is doing its best but even
this is not enough. We have peculiarly diff
cult problem here in New-York and We might
"a we'll make up our minds to face IL squarely
The lines of passage in relation to the demands
made upon them slim. and on the ground,
in the air and underground is not too much"
Mr. Sargent favored Lexington-ave. for the
route of the proposed line. as the most centrally
situated "Park-ave. would do he said, but
it is my recollection that the legislature passed
a law some years ago restricting that avenue
I believe statute stands IN the way or using II
for any excavation"
EAST SIDE MOST IN NEED.
Ernest G. Stedman. who is owner of prop
erty at various points along Lexington-ave, and
in other parts Of the city. was inclined to think
that his interests would disqualify his opinions.
Whom the Tribune reporter assured him that
nronertv owners were precisely the class of peo-
rle who were at present being consulted, men IN
public nfe engineers and contractors, having
previously indorsed the proposition, he said:
well of course l am in favor of the project
I signed your petition and l approve your posi-
ton I don't know that 1 can say anything In
regard to the details of the matter The tribune
has put the case strongly as IT should De
mt hut not too strongly. The East Side ought
to have rapid transit as a matter Of course
When the subway was first undertaken it was
the understanding that the whole city snouid
be properly cared for soon as there was
money enough to go around And then the
available funds were devoted to the West Side,
which was very pleasant for the West Side
and the promoters Of the Washington Heights
region But as matter of fact the East Side
is more in need of rapid transit than the other.
It is absurd to think that there will be objec-
tion to the mere inconvenience and discom-
fort of the excavating work OF course that is
not dc sira BILE but, after all. it is merely 'em-
porary condition. and people don't stand in their
own light on such trivial cause. I should think
Iexington-ave. was by all odds the proper route.
T trust the affair will be carried through sue
cessfully and that we shall have rapid transit
on both sides of the city, we undoubtedly
should have with little delay possible
Herman Wronkow, a banker, said that a
nropertv owner he had not much at stake in the
region affected, but that the grounds of pub
lie utility and advantage he could rea-
son why the East Side should have any less
rapfd transit than the West Side.
at is all one city" said Mr.. Wronkow. "as
understand 1t. And probably there are quite as
MANY people going to business the East Side
as on the other. The figures show there are
more? Well. I should have said it was about
six of one and half a dozen of the other. How
ever there seems little reason to exclude por-
ton of the city in any event. I hardly think the
Continued on second page.