New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-11
ELM-ST. Up IN ARMS.
OPPOSED TO BRANCH H."
Ne1c- York Life, Which Has a Block,
VIII did the Fight.

Among the property owners In Elm-st. there
more less wailing yesterday when they
read that Bridge Commissioner Best had sug-
gested a. elevated road through this thorough
fare. which in the last seven years. has suf-
fered continuously from one form or another CT
alleged municipal Improvement. That the prof.
ect to put elevated any other tracks in the
newly widened street viii meet active oppOsi-
tion from most Of the property owners from ore
end to the other is undouhted.
For years the street has been I'm a continual
state of upheavaI To furnish a way for pas
senger and trucking vehicles the city. at great
expense. decided TO widen Elm-st. and relieve
the congestion in Broadway. Centre-st. and the
Bowery all OF which have railway tracks. First
one thing and then another came up TO delay
the work. The widening process nearly
complete when Elm-st. chosen for the sub
way. That meant months OF digging and an i'm
passable street until the tunnel was completed
In spite Of tho persistent prodding OF The
Tribune and the interested taxpayers. the work
or repaving and otherwise placing tho street 81
condition for traffic has gone on with incred-
ibe slowness Three blocks are still In the
hands Of :he contractor and blocked of from
traffic by signs which read "Danger-street
Closed for Repairs" The signs have been up
long that they sadly weather beaten
and faded. After long months of waiting. how
ever. the Elm-st. property owners believed they
could soon celebrate the completion OF the street
Even the slowest contractors must complete
job some time. and or two weeks more were
all they could possibly the Elm-st. con-
tract.
Then came the letter from Commissioner Best
to Mayor Mcclellan. submitting plans for tran
sit facilities in connection with the old and new
bridges over the East River He suggested an
eIa 30
haitian Bridge terminal. with branch through
Elm-st., Centre-st the Bowery to Delancey-
st. and through this street 10 the terminus of
the Williamsburg Bridge.
with branch through Elm-st-" the only
portion OF the letter that particularly caught
the eyes Of the much abused EIm-st. property
holders. They threw up their hands In despair
at first, and then they began TO express their
disapproval
I've been here in the mud for the last eight
years." was the way A Trenkmann, a whole
saler, who owns considerable property along
Elm-st put II: MY business has suffered and
1 have had to pay $4,000 damages. l am for
ever opposed to any further changes in Elm-st.
II the city wants to build elevated road or
tear up this street again for any purpose. they
might as well take my property and be done
with it."
Mr.. Trenkmann declared that last November
the Metropolitan halfway Company visited the
property owners along Elm-st. and endeavored
to secure. their permission for a franchise for
electric cars. He said that ne refused to sign
under any consideration, and that most OF the
other property owners were equally firm in their
refusal. The company holds a franchise for a
one-track horsecar line from the City Hall in
EIm-st. far as Howard-st, In the Legislature
last winter IL endeaVored TO have bill passed
extending the franchise the length of the street.
but IL was defeated
The New-York Life Insurance Company has
recently purchased a valuable block of property
I'm Elm-st, on which II is said a large build
pauy's increasing clerical force Although the
officers of the company who have charge OF its
realty improvements could not be seen yester-
day, II is said that they will oppose the erec-
tion Of any elevated structure in Elm-st
1.-The majority of the property owners in Elm
ST. viii be opposed TO the erection of any ee-
waited road branch through this thoroughfare"
said Mr. Wilson, of the firm of F1andrau &. Co
which occupies the block In Broome-st between
Elm and Marion. The chief argument will be
lack of necessity. Then again. the street is lust
about to be opened after eight years of changes
Of one sort another. To close Ii with an
elevated structure would nullify the great ex-
penditure which the city and taxpayers have
vehicles. 1t will accomplish purpose that
could not be accomplished better in some other
manner"
Other property owners call attention 70 the
into office opposed the granting of street rail-
way franchises In EIm-st This opposition gave
them assurance that the street would not be
further tampered with
The difficulty Of building an elevated road In
Flm-st is pointed out. The subway tunnel Is
near the surface and it would be impractica HE
70 build an elevated structure on the roof Of
the subway, IL is asserted.