New-York tribune., 1903-04-08
,LOW UOULD AMEND BILL.
To Clear Misunderstanding Regard
ing Bostzcick Measure.
CRITICISMS BY CITIZENS UNION.

vored nv the Mayor President Orr of the Rapid
Transit Commission and Controller Grout'
Mayor Low has decided to send TO Albany with
a memorandum certain amendments which he
said last night, while not materially altering
the bill, would clear up misunderstanding con-
cerning it's purposes
President Orr Edward NJ. Shepard and COM
missioners Jesup, Langdon and Clafin were in
conference with the May yesterday and ois-
cussed the Bostwick bill When the Mayor was
seen afterward he said:
II have decided to issue a statement with
reference to the so-called Bostwick Rapid Tran
sit bill but it will not be ready tonight On ac-
count of criticism of the measure in its present
FORM have decided to send to the legislature
certain notifications Of the bill. These while
not materially affecting the main features of
the measure. will make clearer. perhaps, certain
features which now are not understood.
AS already stated in The Tribune the Bost-
wick bill is compromise measure. and was
evolved In a conference attended by the Mayor
Controller Grout, President Cutting of the Cltl-
zens Union President Orr of the Rapid Transit
Commission, and the Corporation Counsel Mr
Orr at an open meeting of the Rapid Transit
Commission was authorized to confer with the
Mayor with reference to legislation affecting
the RAPID Transit Commission. Controller Grout
had sent to Albany rapid transit bill that was
introduced by Senator Wagner. Mr. Cuttings
Citizens Union bill was introduced by Senator
Elsberg. The Bostwick bill was intended as
substitute for these. Its passage is urgently de-
sired as the city. under the present law. onn-
not spend more than about S12oOOooO for ad-
dftional rapid transit projects. If some sort of
an enabling act does not pass this year a full
year will be lost in advancing the building OF
further tunnels. 1t is doubtful if Chief Engt-
neer Parsonss subway plans for connecting the
East River bridges be begun without fur
ther legislation, and until these plans are car
ried out the new bridges will be of little use in
relieving the congestion of traffic on the Brook
lyn Bridge.
The Citizens Union sent out a statement last
night criticisng the Bostwick bill. Corporation
Counsel Rives was quoted saying that the
Citizens Union favored the Bostwick BILL and
this seemed to hurt the feelings Of the COM
mittee franchises, of which William F.
Stonebridge is chairman After reviewing the
main features of the bill, for which the Mayor
is sponsor. the Union says:
1t is no answer to Citizens Union protests that
the Mayors bill IS not much worse than our
present law. for two months since dn February
bill in order to cure defects in our Rapid Transit
q statement OF its position from which are taken
the paragraphs quoted below the attitude e toward toward
First-The ultra conservatism" of the Rapid
Transit act has now beeGme serious ms menaee & 70
Tes IN g his in fhe very ape6 the union most
second1"The union believes no time should be
lost in freeing the municipality from the unneces
sary and dangerous prohibition of immediate con-
Of 0i it's 81 revenmes Che Mayors bill not merely
fnS b oes this m f9ogsn c vong
the single party whose present monopoly the union
Third~''The city should have cheaper and better
Pan ad b 6
Mayors bill fastens the grasp on the city OF Tae
transportation. and in obstruction OF any plan 10
SOUR Fourthr.The % companies may Weld for time to
PgRuaT es fos @ b ssTyf pbo P%t h
Mayors bill foTss the Gompany m in its control
Ff5hLThe union fayers the adoption Of q plan
f5 cSnrd or or he
bill favOrs dependence of all future rapid transit
siSth|Ths union faSoTs 'corstruetion Of the the
roads at ne oT saS fSer ine h
Mayors bill expressly provides that contracts for
Years YEAR thereafter. shall be made at or before
almost unanimous against separate contracts shall
become unanimous in their favor)
operate directly or to Contrast for operation the
& latter or not no e7e sn s weny vss
(The Mayors bill contempates. and is drawn to
favor seventy-five year surrender of the clty'S
right to operaton)
President Orr of the Rapid Transit Commits |
sion is firm rock in the opinion that the
rapid transit lines of this city should be unified
so that people may some time travel from
end of the city to the other on one rare WITH
free transfers to any line.
Mayor Lows views not dissimilar In his
letter to the Rapid Transit Commission on
March II the Mayor said:
Four things seem to me to be absolutely essen
tial: % \ uniform rate OF fare over every mile
the road built by the of the city's credit
end of the city to the other. % That
this uniform of fare. at first to be five cents
shall be reduced rapidly circumstances will
permit. 90 That, year by year. while the CON
troll of the citys system is in private hands, the
shall receive a i
of the earnings of the road. (D That the city, |
and the railroad. shall dictate the character
Of the service to be given At the present time |
when city better service the hands |
private companies, the burden of proof is placed
upon the city to show that II ought TO have II. |
think that either by the Rapid Transit law itself
by the contract. the burden of proof can be |
shifted to the operating company, that, when |
IT wants to give less service at hour of the |
day than II gives during rush hours. the company
prove that the service it proposes to give is
reasonable. and obtain permission To furnish only |
such service.
Bearing these requirements in mind. II may as |
well be taken for granted that the only bidder ]
who is in position to give the city uniform rate
OF the entire system be built with |
the city's credit is the InterbOrough Rapid Transit
Company. which already controls the original
ments to the law may well frankly recognize !
this fact and give to the city an option, by |
this company, from time to time. for the extension
of the subway system upon the best obtainable |
terms just the law gives the city authority |
to make contracts with existing railroad corpora |
down where the situation would apply other |
corporations than the InteThorough Rapid Transit !
law should also provide for the exa mination OF |
such company's books by representatives Of
the city, and for reduction of the rate of fare |
whenever the profit warrants il.