The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-29
BRITISHERS OUT DITCH-SEEING
THE COYERED-fN TYPE DOWN
BROA DWAY SHOWN To THEM.
That's the u. r. Baard's Pri2e Exhibit just
Now Even If II Doesn't Ge Fsst.-steered
Away FROM BaWkruBtcy Highway
THEY'RE 10 invite subway Testimony.


They're 10 Invite subway Testimony.
Under guidance of Chief Engineer William
Barclay Parsons of the Rapid Transit Com
mission the four royal commissioners
who have been sent here from London to
find out if New York has really improved
on the British methods Of building under
ground railroads made preliminary in
specton OF piece Of the subway yes
tsrdpv.
IL was "A trip enshrouded in mystery.
Nobody but the commissioners ana their
guide could tell, before the party started,
where they intended TO 20 or where the
inspection was TO start from. And neither
the commissioners nor the chief engineer
would tell
The Commissioners vanished from the
Waldorf possibly by the fire escape, early
in the day. and reached their rooms late IN
the afternoon by the same mysterious
route lodging the reporters who wanted
to learn their Impressions They declined
to receive cards sent up 10 them last night
Mr. Parsons escaped more reporters,
who we're waiting OF his Office 10 hear what
the commissioners had said 10 him, by
teiephoniug down there that he had gone
home 1t was explained that home
was in Locust, N j., which is back OF At
lantic Highlands and is not accessible after
5 O'Clock in the afternoon.
All the information obtainable was that
the British Commissioners had been taken
to the lower section of subway lt has
been foreshadowed that the covered in
ditch Just begun below st. Paurs Church
in lower Broadway would be exhibited
to the commissioners as the real type OF
how New York is doing its subway digging.
The merchants along the highway OF
bankruptcy III torty-second street we're
on ths lookout for the Commissioners most
Of Yesterday, but didn't see them. They arc
anxious to impart some Information about
he effect of ditch digging on trade, Which
nav he OF interest TO London tradesmen
should it be proposed to apply the Parsons
method over there.
Apparently thew will have n chance, for
it was announced on authority Yesterday
that he British C0mmoners are TO hold
hearings and win invite testimony from
any ne able 10 eniighten them on sub
wav matters in New York. The rooms "
the Rapid Transit Commission have been
put at their disposal, and formal sessions,
pfter the fashion Of British royal COM
missions are to begin ma soon as the COM
nissioners have looked over the ground,
so that thew NAV know what is being talked
about
Meantime somebody has evidently given
the commissioners tip that New Workers.
are not tavOraby impressed with the ditch
digging process from their experience Of
H. to date, and out OF courtesy TO their hosts,
tha rapid Transit commission, The Brit
iehers are carefully avoiding telling any,
Tod
in London
IT, has been loudly proclaimed here bv
the official advocates of the ditching system
that the London tubes ara comparatively
failure and many people are anxious 20
hear from the British commissioners on the
subject. so far hey have declined to ex-
press any opinion
Contractor Mcdonald sent out word by
his secretary Yesterday that the impression
that he had promised to have Forty second
street cleared up in ten days when the mer-
chants in that harrassed thoroughfare APP
pealed 10 The Mayor, WAS all mistake.
What Mr. Mcdonald had promised, his
secretary said, Was that all the exoavating
should he completed in ten davs-a very
different thing. The merchants had not
understood the promise in that wav at all.
Edward Pavson Hatch manager Of the
firm OF ord Il TAYLOR, said that the meet
ing of the committee Of upper Broadway
merchants today Ia TO discuss the situa-
ton in regard to the ditching plan proposed
tor that thoroughfare
We are waiting for hearing from the
Rarid Transit Board" said Mr. Hatch,
and we are wondering when hat will
be granted We have 5 500 pages Of tes-
trnonv against the ditch to present. Any
vay, Won may depend upon It that there
viii Ia no ditch IN upper Broadway We
are prepared TO appeal to the courts for
an injunction The moment it. appears that
our protest il likely to be overruisd."