New-York tribune., 1904-10-24
uel T. Aclser. Nathan Peck ana NJ. NJ.

Ely Samuel T. Acker Nathan Peck ana NJ NJ
Canda.
In appointing the members Of the first Rapid
Transit Commission. Mayor Grant said:
These gentlemen have been selected without any
tc9 %i1h me whatever have
tves property interests and of the financial
inGustrtal and commercial enterprise of the city.
commission and he feels asgnTe 70 tbaI er qG abors
WI! be rewarded by the grateful appreciation Of
their fellow citizens.
MAYOR GRANTS SCHEME.
The action OF Mayor Grant in naming a commits
sion. it turned out. partly to help along
amendment to bill which had been passed by the
State Senate. BY the terms Of the Senate bill
Governor Hill was 10 name the members of a Rapid
Transit Commission which would have large powers
in selecting route for a rapid transit road in the
city. and Tammsny wanted control OF the commits
sion by having IL named by the Mayor. The bill
held up in the Assembly through the aid of
some Of the Republican members from this city
who declared that it would never pass the Assem-
bly, until it amended 10 give to the Mayor the
right TO name the members OF the commission. a
charge OF bad faith was made against Mayor Grant
at the Real Estate Exchange in demonstration
there at the time when the sgners Of the petition
were at Albany, urging the passage Of the amend
ment Many members Of the exchange declared
that they favored the Senate bill.
August Belmont who the first named OF the
first Rapid Transit Commissioners. the late
banker and father Of August Belmont. who is the
president Of the Interborough Rapid Transit Com
pany, operating the subway. Charles Stewart Smith
did not serve in the first commission, Woodbury.
Langdon being appointed in his place.
The defeat of the Rapid Transit bill TO which
Tamrnany wanted TO force an amendment left the
commission appointed by Mayor Grant without
much power and in the summer OF 1890 1t dis
covered that amendment to the act of 1870 had
exempted both Fourth-ave. and Forty-second-st.
from occupation by rapid transit road
~. Tfw1 TH,o1 ,gcsrv ID,
Grant designating q route for rapid transit road
from the Brooklyn Bridge to Forty-second-st. by
way OF Elm-st. and Fourth-ave.. nearly identical
with the route Of the present subway 10 Forty
second-st The plan Of the road left open.
although the commission favored viaduct in Elm
St and underground road in Fourth-ave, with
the understanding Jhat the road would be operated
by steam power and probably connected with the
New-York Centrals system at Forty-second-st.
SECOND COMMISSION APPOINTED.
Mayor Grant appointed a second Rapid Transit
Commission December 3, 1890. after the death
Of August Belmont The new commission was com
posed of William Steinway. John II Starin. Samuel
Spencer. Eugene L. Bushe and Frederic p. Olcott.
Messrs Steinway and starir had been members Of
the first commission. II was planned to send TO
the legislature another Rapid Transit b with the
expectation that the legislature would incorporate
I'm the bill the names Of Mayor Grants new COM
mission Mr.. Steinway became president of the
second commission. MT. Olcott did not serve, his
place being taken by John H. Inman.
On January 70 1891 the late Austin Corbln laid
before TIE Rapid Transit Commission a plan for
an extensive system Of underground roads and OH
the day there incorporated at Albany the
Metropolitan Underground Railway Company, which
had been formed under Mr.. Corbin's leadership 10
carry the plan under the General Railroad law.
The underground system. as planned by Mr.. Cor
bin, was embrace two track tunnel under the
East River from the Battery to Atlantc-ave
Brooklyn: similar tunnel under the North River.
from the Battery 10 Jersey City, and third tunnel
under Broadway from the Battery TO Union Square.
where il was to divide East Side and West
Side branches. The East Side branch was to make
its way over Third-ave. and under that avenue
70 The Harlem River and into the Annexed District.
while the West Side branch was 10 continue on
under Broadway and the Boulevard TO One-hun-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Interested In the company with Mr.. Corbin 70
carry the gigantic system Of underground road
and river tunnels were such men as Levi P. Nor
ton, H O. Armour. Abram S. Hewitt, Charles
Stewart Smith Frederic p. Olcott General Sam
uel Thomas Calvin 9. Brice. General Horace K.
Porter. c. P. Huntington, J. Edward Simmons.
Timothy L. woodruff. Alexander F. Orr and John
sloane In presenting the plan OF the system the
Rapid Transit Commission Mr. Corbin said:
II your commission will adopt it. think I
assure you that the funds will be forthcoming for
its construction as rapidly as the various sections
can be built and that the whole wolA VIII be COM
pleted as quickly as any road could De as compre-
on January 2s 1921. the State Senate passed a
new, Rapid Transit BILL known the Stewart BILL
giving 10 Mayor Grants commission powers to lay
out route and grant franchise excluding Fifth
ave and the avenues IN which there were elevated
roads The bill subsequently passed the Assembly
and was signed by Governor Hill The new law
was hailed promise Of real rapid transit for the
city.
THE BROADWAY TUNNEL lROUTE.
q, MAY a. 1881 the Rapid Transit Commission
"a then organized announced the first comprehen- 1
sive plan for underground road from the Bat /
.erv 10 One-hundred -sxty-ninth-st and Broad
way The selected Broadway all the /
way that thorofghfare above Fifty-ninth-si then /
being known as the Boulevard.
AS Ear uptown as FoFty-secOnd-st. the general /