New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-08
RAPID TRANSIT BILLS PASS
ON EMERGENCY MESSAGE.
THO of Commission and EIs6erg
Measures Go Through.

! bills introduced by Senator White, and the Els
berg Rapid Transit bin favored by the city Club'
| of New-York. were passed in the Senate to-uAy.
! Senator Grady gave expression to the views or
| Mayor Mcclellan on the measures, and said that'
| while there objection TO the commission
! bills there objection to the Elsbers Dill as
well as 20 the "conglomerate biP' merging the
features of the Elsberg hill and the Rapid Transit
! Commission bills. Senator Grady favored the
| White bills, because they would enable the city
| to go on and meet rapid transit problems whlle
the Elsberg bill. however meritorous some OF the
| features might be- would postpone the building OF
| any more tunnels. New-York City wanted the
| problems met ut once and the White bills were ali
| that were necessary.
Senator Elsberg said overwhelming public SEN
tirnent was behind his BILL and it would be posi-
tive misfortune to pass the bill removing the
limit for expenditure Of millions without sa1e-
guarding the ciys and divOrcing the con-
tracts for construction and operation senator
White spoke in favor Of all three bills.
Governor Odell sent emergency message re-
moving constitutional barriers to the immediate
passage Of the bills and indicating that pubic
necessity required the immediate passage or the
bills although they had not been on the files OF the
Senators In the final printed form for the requisite
three days
A vote was then taken on the Consolidated bill
reported by the Committee on Cities, amending the
Rapid Transit Railway act. Incorporating the feat-
ures Of the two White bills and the Elsberg bill.
and it was passed by vote of 80 to s. Senators
Grady. McCarren, Townsend. Wagner and McCabs
voting in the negative. The two White bills, sug-
gested by the Rapid Transit Commission. were
then passed without dissenting vote
Senator Horace White, chairman Of the Cities
Committee IN an interview explaining the Senates
action said:
We are in favor of rapid transit. and want to
enable New-York City 10 meet the serious prob
itanis. We favor the Consolidated bill. and would
prefer its enactment but We have passed the Rapid
100000 and the other measure regarding details
Of construction SO tha6 Tnen 'e GS s 80 20
bill he may have alternative and may approve
IS 1bat ths nterests Of Ncw-York city will be
but safcguarded by the enactment or the Consol-
idated bill.
The three bills are explained In statement given
out by former Senator John Ford, who has Practi-
cally stood sponsor for them. He says;
Two Of them. introduced by Senator. White.
cmanate from the Rapid Transit Commission, one
b pno[faRt S GODDESS prSsent 0 mt on
expenditure. The passage OF this latter olll wou1
additional tunnel roads under the Rapid Transit act
disposition os them under terms similar TO those
/ on which the existing underground railroad has
valuable franchise in the world. 1t was built 10y
the city's money It Is wholly exempt from taxa
ffry years with a renewal privieso OF twenty-five
/ Inc city treasury besides tho interest the cost
/ OF construction l per cent on such cost ,
per- eent in IN taxes besides heavy payments FOR
/ franchises granted in recent years ! ne city Will
/ not get. ali told: as much as II the property were
/ subject TO taxation and no other payments what
fest,,Te OF the had bargain that the city made and
/ was compelled to make under the present archaic
! over this magnificent property-as absolutely the
/ are its docks or It's parks or It's sChoohouses.
! our people will be Obliged 20 summit 10 the IN
on their own railroad f6- seven y-avc years which
they have for many yeafs snieT ga on the q,l
/ ton lines. The present rapid transit aGt permits
/ Commission and proved by the published plans OF
, , IG5Hi tgransportg1tlSn Inono8oy
which stands without parallel IN any cl..li,Lea
| Its members we're named in the bin which created
#; their term OF once Is I0r n's ii,o Cg thew
exercise cont ulsory power over the Board OF Est-
aspect 81 thc issue OF bonds ~ the existing
limit ~ s5.coos. they are obliged to report 70
not a citizen Or ,axpayer N the ely has voice or
! This sef-perpetuat!ng. ron-repteseutatiye BODY
| tuition itssIs The two. together. have succeeded
able fr17cbize I'm the world for seyenty-fye years
with n railroad built under u at a cost OF $1,000
and further removed from city control az to mode
IL operation and characteT % NE seL'IIT iip It
private capital and subject to the fun measure OF
G ii {iSS in poest as3ins similar disposition Of
! their franchises ana the hundreds or UlIuonS 81
build to the Irresistible demand for additional
| transit faciiues2
| After reciting the more important defects Of the
| Rapid Transit act. Mr.. Ford said:
On the other hand the bill introduced by the
! Cities Committee. which combines the TWO blls
OF the S2S e Fsroad badng by proTidi1
| for an independent railroad system eo1tEoned as
NSi nrovision as To future roads: approval
F pp Contracts tv locally elected representative
| body. the Board OF Estimate and Apporuonment
tIat for construction, but permitting both con-
tracts he let ut the same time 10 the same per
| SON elimination Of requirement that bidders De
| amount OF security In the discretion OF the com
! mission: reserve power IN the commission 70
| ouerate in case proper contract for operation
be secured; power In the city to equip If neces-
sary; limitation OF contract Tor operation TO twenty
| years, with renewal, total OF forty years.
| in case the contractor equps the road; TO ten
| years with one renewal total OF twenty years
| IN case the city equips; permission 10 the com
mission in It's discretion To SoIsrnct PIPE ealeTles
In connection with the ROAD; reduced fares as tho
revenues from the road and tho galleries warrant
struction work by sections, dnd uniting the period
! for which the commission may grant franchises
OF Board OF Estimate and Apportionment to every
! such grant. and combining the power to grant per-
roads Ike the Pennsylvania. which desire to enter
New-York but Only with like approval
tation facilities be secured which will empty a
half million so of our population from the con
but unsettled sections OF The Bronx. Queens.
| Brooklyn and Richmond
The Rapid Transit bills after passing the SEN
ate went to the Assembly and into the custody
of the Rules Committee, which tonight report
cd from Assembly Calendar Tomorrow the two
White bills The Combination bill was not re-
ported. Senator Elsberg said tonight that he
! did not know why it not reported he
had requested the Rules Committee to bring ii
out with the White bills.