New-York tribune., 1903-07-31
End of Sub1Cay ErcaUating Prom
ised on Januarg 1.

Owing to delays in building the stations, the
rapid transit subway system will not be ready
to carry passengers before April l. 1904. This
announcement was made yesterday by WILL
lam Barclay Parsons and confirmed by John B.
Mcdonald 1t Will be no news to readers Of
The Tribune that the subway will not be carry
ing passengers by January l, 1904, planned
by the Rapid Transit Commissioners and the
builder. When The Tribune printed the state
ment four months ago that the road would not
be able to transport passengers by the end Of
the year there were Genials that the informa-
tion was correct. Mr.. Parsonss statement TO a
Tribune reporter last night makes it certain
that the subway system Will not be able to
lieve the present congestion much before early
next summer.
The continued delays. owing directly to
strikes among the men employed the steel
work Of the new subway stations, will make it
impossible to get the road running by the first
of the year. said Mr.. Parsons. Probably the
excavatirg work will be done by that time, or
at least 1t Will be sufficiently advanced that
trains could be run. but the road cannot be
operated unless the stations are ready. and the
stations will not be ready. Not only are de-
layed on the stations but the work the power
plant also has been delayed. The men at work
on the power plant went out soon after March
l. and a month later the workmen on the sta
tions went out We have not been able to get
them all back. Work on three of the stations
was resumed a week two ago. but only
three The excavatng work is going ahead sat-
isfactorily, and it looks as Il that part of the
work would be cleaned up by the end of the
present year.
THE strikes were something over which the
Rapid Transit Commission had no control.
When they were called there a good pros
pect that they would be Of short duration, but
AS a matter of fact they have been prolonged
ever since March. A strike of two or three
weeks might have been overcome by adding to
the force at work, but when it comes to drop
ming the work for nearly five months it is quite
a different matter
.'It looks now as if would just about finish
our excavating work by the end Of the present
year" said John B. Mcdonald. I'VE had some
bad luck at Amsterdam-ave. and One-hundred-
and-fourth-st where there was a rock slide
several weeks ago. That has made the Work eX-
ceedingly slow at that particular point, ana II
will need all the time between now ana Janu-
arv I TO finish that section. The principal de-
Law however. as Mr.. Parsons has stateo, Is on
account of the strike of the workrnen on the
stations The road cannot be operated unleSs
the stations are ready for use. We are making
excellent progress with the work as d "hole
Yesterday we laid twenty miles OF ralIs' ana @ l
consider it safe to say that by January next
+ba roile will be laid complete between the POST
of5ce and Harlem Bridge, on th@ East Sloe ana
to the Washington Brldge' Oh t-e 20 80: So
Of the beginning of actual operations Ga!lhoe mot
sneak with SO much certainty 1t WIZ take
tbrea or four months after that to whip things
into shape so that we can Collilu04'''' 'o ~
public to ride in our cars ~, i'd.
.'Tba section between Ann-st. ana the cflose
entrance has been the slowest of any of the sec
tions. We had six lines to take care oI: Inc
20 ,e or+Jcal ti1nbers and between them we had
fo set up our heavy steel girders some OF them
Weighing ten tons apiece we Rdnp nad no puT The dew
he mart Of the city in tearing down the
old Hall also e hff for qf fhe easn ea sde
PIaH lI;.22 Ha11 station, the one nearest the
ProotcIyn fie Bridge terminal, because the plans
for the bridge terminal have not oeeh luiiS oe-
cided on"