New-York tribune., 1903-08-07
A COMMITTEE TO FIGHT.
TO BAR BRO4DW4Y DITCH.
Business Men Hold Meeting, and
May Employ Counsel.

OF a subway along the thoroughfare by means
Of an open excavation. The resolutions of pro-
test adopted on Wednesday at the office Of
.Ai" Hayman were read and approved, and
large committee was appointed to take measures
10 prevent the tearing up of Broadway.
1t was decided to give the committee power TO
raise funds. employ counsel if necessary, and, in
general, to do anything it could to keep the sur
face Of Broadway intact. except for the sink
ing Of shafts at intervals. Mr. Hayman named
the committee and he omitted his own name
but it was said after the meeting that he un-
doubteGly would act a member.
The members of the committee are Nathan
Straus w. r. II. Martin, of Rogers. Peet & Co;
Andrew Saks, E. NJ. Knox, Charles T. Jones
Frank ". Sanger. Z. Pole. of the Hotel Cadl-
lac: c c. Shayne Mark Klav. George l. Stock
ham, Of the Criterion Hotel; Edward Hatch, 1r
OF Lord & Taylor: r. Y Lewis. of Lewis &
Conger: P. H. Roche. of the Rossmore; John w.
McHugh. Jacob Lift. Of the Broadway Theatre;
Charles Frohrnan, Frank Tilford. Heinrich Con-
ried. r. r. Moore president of the New-Amster-
dam National Bank; Alexander Shaw, s 5 Shu-
bert Morgan Ross OF the Hotel Imperial;
Charles E. Sprague. of the Union Dime Savings
Bank; Mr.. Neil, of the Hotel Marlborough
Daniel Frohman, Charles Burnham, of wal
lacks Theatre: Charles Thorley, Henry Hicks
c. Albert Small, John s. Huyler, Joseph Weber
Of Weber & Fields: Joseph NJ. Martin. MI cam
eron. Of Cameron & Sawdon: Gettys Smith, of
Smith Gray & Co; H. V. Keep Henry Mailiard'
f E Johnson James w Miller. ]. Albert Best
hoff Mr Murphy, OF Mark Cross q Co. Mr.
schumann. Of Schumann's Sons; Mr. Hackett,
OF the Bank Of the Metropolis; Alexander Nc
Donald Arthur A Stewart, of the Hotel Bar
tholdi: Mr Simonson, vice-president of the Sec
ond National Bank; E. a. Darling, Of the Fifth
Avenue Hotel; John Ives Mr. Reed, Of Reed &
Barton; E H Van Ingen and ]. Scott Brown
ing, Of Browning, King & Co
There were present at the meeting only about
half as many as were named on the commit
tee, but it was said that acceptances had been
received from all those so named.
Mr.. Hayman, before the close of the meeting
said that he had received a report from one of
the canvassers sent out, and he reported that for
the district from Thirty-fourth-st TO Forty-sec-
ond-st. every tenant both sides Of Broadway
had signed the protest adopted on Wednesday.
He had been informed by the firm Of L. J.
Phillips & Co. that it would supply the protes-
tants with a complete list of all the owners of
Broadway property in the district affected.
WHAT BROADWAY DITCH WOULD MEAN.
The resolution providing for the appointment
of the committee was moved by w r. H. Mar
tin OF Rogers, Peet & Co. Several merchants
took part in the discussion but nothing that
said interested the gathering much some
remarks made by Mr.. Hayman in his address on
opening the meeting. He said:
In a casual walk this morning from the Grand
points. ! one sign which announced that the
concern was closing out because they were trsd
subway: also saw some To Let" signs. think
! missed TWO or three of them. but there one
at The cor2er Of Fifth55ave.. and on East Forty
second-st there were To Let, signs at Nos. 8 T.
there were places TO let at Nos 3, 2 % 10, 112 ia
street INTO an open dltcn can GO to a great thor
station But his list shows what the ditch can
DO viii b3eire S W. 9nrrf, ia, S,'It me t 1tl f t5
ciently warned.
our section Of Broadway not only takes in the
, teiaeIiolh ouI L IT. II Is a great promenade. where
t@9ere mere are me most fashonable retail stores, the
aires ana hotels in New York We are not making
any night against the building of the subway.
against rapid transit, but DO protest against
having Broadway turned into a great ditch. They
Fay II viii cost more TO tunnel without having
right put upon a heavy burden as ditch
prosperous Business meR The city a arge T, sRo1T hT
bear the burden, and not lay it upon a particular
no time was fixed for the meeting of the COM
mittee, but the notice viii be sent out by Alex
ander Shaw, who acted as secretary yesterday
Albert H. Hatch. of No. Is West Seventy
ffth-st, who investigated the underground
roads in London some years ago, was present at
the meeting. He made the investigation al the
instance Of a committee of which the late Simon
Sterne was the leading spirit and his report
was published He favored the deep tunnel sys-
Jem. generally known as the "Greathead sys-
tem,' which has been used in London. Under
Jhis system the surface of the street is not dis
turbed at all. except where shafts are sunk.
An iron tube is put in place as fast the tun-
mel is constructed
SAYS ROUTE Is NOT DECIDED
William Barclay Parsons. chief engineer of
the Rapid Transit Commission. was quoted as
saying yesterday:
The Rapid Transit Board has not yet decided how
or where the branch subway is TO be built. The
route even has not yet been decided upon and until
that is done il is impossible TO say the work
will be accomplished. These people have sought no
information. have asked questions. They are
lighting a theory which they have constructed
themselves They fitting at a windmill and they
have put words INTO ali our mouths which none OF
We have said nothing about ditchng Broadway
and the idea that conditions in Fourth-ave. would
be repeated in Broadway has never been suggested
4 railroad II must be borne in mind, is constructed
Tor all time for the convenience Of the public Prop
erty owners are often governed by their own in
AFTER ths route considered q, the best for al pur
how the work shall be dOre The choice will not be
way go down broadway there viii be no interfeT-
with traffic. 1t viii be maintained at any cost
Instructions 20 vehicles and foot passengers
Acting Mayor Fornes, when asked yesterday
about the protests from Broadway business
men regarding the proposed opening of upper
Broadway for a new spur of the rapid transit
road. said he had not received petition He
added:
think these business men are right in the posi-
excsvate 10y the tunneling process because the
subway comes close the surface, still it does
,,,,-striIrteG without blocking The street shall
.sr. 1ff1Evs siT fhia tey ca