The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-08
where the Responsibility Lies.

The universal protest Of New York
against ditch in Broadway has induced
the company which is digging the pres
ent subway 10 issue a manifesto disC!d4n-
ing any intention on its part I" tear up
Broadway and block the traffic and I'M
pede the business Of that street. Lngn-
eers who have studied the section, SAYS
the document, claim there l. no need 10
have an open ditch and that the work
can be done so that traffic will not b" de-
laved, business will not be hind"red. and
that the surface Of the street can be main
tanned along the line of the proposed
extension
lfthat is 80. vhy was not like care taken
10 preserve the thoroughfares through
which the subway has already been dug,
az the cost of tremendous loss and great
suffering 70 trade and traffic: When the
building of the subway was under dis
cussion originally We're not the sane
promises made How did II come out IN
Fourth avenue and Park row, for exam
pie. If the subway extension can be
built from Fifty-second street to Union
Square without causing more than
insignificant disturbance the havoc
wrought already has been wauton
II is not the In@rborough company
with which the public has to do, how
ever and their manifeSrOes no matter
how promising, are not pertinent 20
the situation. The sole responsibility
70 the citizens Of New York j. in the sell
perpetuating body known as lke Rapid
Transit Commission, under whose au-
thority the engineers and Contractors
work With that commission and with
the Mayor the very able and representa-
tive committee of Broadway property
holders and tenants have alone I" DO
The Rapid Transit Commission has car
ried on the construction ~ the subway.
so far, in a fashion which has imposed
an enormous aggregate Of loss on thu
citizens Of New York. People have had
only 10 use their eyes TO discover he ap-
palling destruction. If the COMMISSIONS
ers can cut the section through Broad
way without any such damage, what
excuse was there for the devastation m
Fourth avenue, for example under the
same engineering advice! The sane
problem of underground construction
was presented, with better facilities for
solving il IN way to prevent tn" OBJ
struction of the thoroughfare
Whatever the promises the Rapid
Transit Commission may make A. 70
extending the subway through Broad
way by the old method, with little or no
disturbance Of traffic or business the
Broadway committee cannot be expected
70 desist from their purpose. The Rapid
Transit Commission is heavier in respect
ability than in railway intelligence. Ii
has no other knowledge of subway con-
struction than it gets from the engineers
who have superlntended the old job, and
j, has given the public no reason 70 expect
that ii will do any better in the future
han II has done in the past II will not
be likely TO convince the Broadway peo-
pie Of It's ability 10 cue an extension of the
subway through the centre Of the gay
and busy life Of New York without de-
Placement and without damage 10 It's
route.
If there is TO b. an underground road
there, the demand Of the Broadway
committee will BE- unquestionably for
genuine tunnel There is an abundance
OF engineering ability, supplemented by
large engineering experience and de-
monstration, 70 show that such tunnel
il entirely feasible; and there is capital
enough ready 10 back the undertaking.
1t is the Rapid Transit Commission
that the long-sufiering citizens Of New
York will hold responsible