The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-25
SUBWAYOPEN 7P.M.THURSDAY
AND JOHN u. MCDONALD WON'T
BE LEFT OUT OF THE JOYMAKING

yesterday. After conference between
| Vice-President z. p. Bryan OF the Inter.
borough Rapid Transit Company. Genera
Manager Frank Hedley and other officials
Of the operating company In whose charge
the road will be after the city formally
turns it over TO the Interborough on Thurs.
day afternoon, 1t was announced that the
subway will be thrown open to the public
at O'Clock on Thursday evening, instead
Of at midnight. and all stations on
the main line and on the West Side branch
as far up as i46th street will do business
Mr.. Bryan, Mr.. Hedley and the other Of
ficials of the operating company were In
conference most Of yesterday afternoon.
When they separated Mr.. Bryan said:
1T has been decided to begin the sale Of
tickets in the subway at O'Clock on Thurs
day evening, instead of at midnight. The
stations from City Hall up to l45th street
on the West Side will be open. Arrange
ments have been made with Commissioner
McAdoo for a force OF police, 80 that
every precaution may be taken for the
safety and convenience OF the travelling
public.
From go o'clock in the afternoon to
@ o'clock in the evening on Thursday the
invitations from the marlborough Rapid
Transit Company. Between and O'Clock
no one will be admitted, so that there will
be an hours interval in the inflow Of travel
to avoid any possible congestion. At 7
o'clock the sale of tickets will begin. There
will be full schedule Of trains all day.
There may have been some misap-
prehension about the safety of the crowds
tv,tx tha
Hall station on the opening day. So that
all may know that every precaution will
be taken to prevent accident at this point
on account Of the curve in the platform
and the slight enroachment upon it Of the
ends of the cars in rounding the curve
/ want to say that stout iron railing will
be put in along the edge Of the platform.
This will keep passengers from being pressed
forward and caught between the cars and
the edge of the platform. No person can
possibly be in danger with this railing up
1t will be permanent, and will be in place
on the opening day
Earlier in the day General Manager
Hedley had been in conference with Police
Commissioner McAdoo and Inspectors Cort-
right, Titus and McClusky ard Capt. o Brep
(the latter in charge Of city traffic. in regard
to the police angements for the opening.
In all, 500 policemen will be detailed to
the subway for the opening day. They
will be kept on duty in the subway for as
many days a. may I've considered necessary.
Commissioner McAdoo thinks that all or
part of the 500 policemen may be needed
until Monday.
For the hours between $50 ard p. NJ.
on Thursday the PETERBOROUGH company
has issued practically 5000 passes and
the city has issued 900 more.
or the 800 policemen 500 will take charge
Of the crowds in and about the City Hall
and Brooklyn Bridge stations. Policen an
will also be stationed at the stations at
Fourteenth, Thirty-third, Forty-second,
l37th and l45th streets
John B. Mcdonald, tn man who built
the subway will, after all, be invited to
speak at the celebration in the City Hall
incidental TO turning over the road to the
operating company. Up to yesterday no
arrangement had been made by the COM
mittee in charge to recognize Mr.. Mcdonald
in any way, although August Belmont, who
did not build the subway, had been asked
to speak on behalf OF the operating and
construction companies, OF which he is
president.
The Rapid Transit Boards committee
Of arrangements had meeting behind
closed doors yesterday. When il was over
Commissioner Starin was asked:
will Mr.. Mcdonald be asked to make
an address,
He certainly will" replied Mr.. Starin,
emphatically. 1T is up to Mr. Mcdonald
to say something. and told him so a week
ago he above all men, because he did the
work"
President Orr said that it was a mistake to
believe that Mr.. Mcdonald had been sighted
in any way by the committee Of arrange
lnents. He said that when he read in THE
Sun on Saturday about the friction between
the contractor and Mr. Belmont he i'm
mediately wrote Mr.. Mcdonald informing
him that the Rapid Transit Commission
had taken no part in any scheme to humiliate
him. Mr.. Orr received a reply from MIR.
Mcdonald yesterday in which the contractor
said:
on that occasion and | replied that, ] was
averse to speechmakng because did not
/ have the very highest regard for the mem
bers OF the Rapid Transit ,Commissio,9, is
ana opa me Tor b.
know neither yourself nor the Rapid Transit
Commission would intent onally slight me as
ceremonies of the Rapid Transit railroad
1t will be noticed that Mr.. Mcdonald
did not refuse to make a speech nor did
he denv in this letter that he had been
slighted When asked yesterday about
the strained relations between himself
and Mr.. Belmont, Mr. Mcdonald gave
out a formal statement in which he prac-
tically laid claim the to credit for building
the subway. last Saturday, Mr.. Belmont
said that the credit belonged to William
Barclay Parsons. the chief engineer of
the Rapid Transit Commission Here is
Mr.. McDonalds statement;
| shall engage in no controversy as to who
ia entitled to credit for the construction OF
the subway. A few years ago the project
was regarded as so vast and difficult. even by
the great interests engaged for years in the
attempt to solve the problem Of rapid transit
for this city. that II was deemed impractcable.
After careful study. concluded II was prac-
ticable. and undertook II. appreciated the
difficulties to he encountered. but concluded
they were not unsurmountable found them
as great as anticipated. They have been
overcome. To-day the subway. and rapid
transit for this city, are accomplished facts.
The subway problem is solved for all time.
7 claim no special credit. except that which
may attach to the completion of the under
taking within the time and under the con-
ditions called for by my contract. The
public is the chief beneficiary and II must
Judge as to who is entitled to credit in the
premises.
Alderman Grifenhagen appeared be-
fore the committee of arrangements yester-
day and urged that the FIRST train to fun
in The subway after Il Is officially declared
open be "christened" with bottle of Ameri-
To hat