New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-26
RIG TUNNEL FIGHT ON.
BEGINS IN THE BRONX.
Tines Dra5cn Between Widencr and
Belmont Combinations.

,s-oria that a fight was on between the Bel
-ont-McDonald people on the one hand and the
-r,5ener-Whitney combination on the other for
tour-track surface right Of way from the
. ssrleu River at or near One-hundred- and
,ueDty-nnth-st. and Lexington-ave across The
p-onx and part Of Westchester County TO the
connecticut lire. The battle involves STRAIT
.-,o advantage for the victor il bidding for an
ertenslon OF the subway system now controlled
h. The Interborough company or for a new and
,rsependeut tunnel TO run from the lower West
SIDE under Hudson-st and Eighth-ave. to Thir-
,r-siEth-st and thence to LexingtOn-ave. and
Ope-hundred-and-twenty- -;linth-st.
JOHN B. Mcdonald s back OF W. c. GOtschau
and the New-Yorlz and Port Chester Railroad.
Il is denied, however. that Mr. Belmont is in
terested in the company. This company now
has a bill in The legislature empowering the local
board Of The Bronx to grant 1t a permit TO build
under or over streets intersected by its route IN
The Bronx. The Widener- -E1lkins- Whitney peo-
PIES appication for p franchise covering the
same general route came Up yesterday before
the Railroad Committee cf the aldermen.
Counsel and representatives of the opposing
interests deny that the lineup is as outlined
but a good deal Of significance is attached TO
the fact that the brokerage firm OF Dick &
Robinson which has offered to furnish the
money for the New-YorlI City, Westchester &
Hostoa IS the same house that has financed
many Of the Widener-E l1ins-Whitney projects.
J. G. johnson and George S. Graham, counsel
ior the petitioning road. are both identified with
the Wfdener syndicate's interests.
There is a bill before the legislature empower
ing The city 20 issue bo-ds Tor more subways
and the understanding is that the next tunnel
will tap the financial district th- lower West
Side. connect with the Pennsylvania, station at
Thirty-second-st. and Eighth-nve., and then,
after crossing westerly under Thirty-sixth-st to
Lexington-ave, pass under that thoroughfare to
The Bronx.
Charles L. Hughes, Of No. Sc Broadway, rep
rcsenting the New-YOrk City, Westchester
and Boston Railroad said yesterday before
the Railroad Committee Of the Board of
Aldermen that his syndicate stood ready
10 srend S13,125,OG0 TO build its road
as soon IS the aldermen granted the
permit He challenged William c. Gotshan,
president Of the New-York and Port Chester
Railroad Company. which has been blocked by
the Tammany aldermen since last May. pre-
sumably because there was no 'inducement" fog |
them. 10 name the hackers OF the Port Chest.c |
Railroad.
John B. Mcdonald furnished proof Of his /
financial responsibility to construct the road be-
fore the State Railroad Commission" retorted |
Mr.. Gotshan. He furnished the names Of /
well known fnancters. This Westchester and |
Boston company simply wants 10 get a permit
for crossing the streets OF The Bronx so that
II can sell cut 10 Us. II offered to me at
ridiculously cheap price but I refused to
take IT, They don't intend to build q railroad"
Counsel for the Port Chester company said
that the Pert Chester road would be {. contin-
uauon Of the subway system. and therefore
would furnish the facilities much needed By
brOnK end Eo;r
f. this city
LIP. Hughes in support of the application Of
tne Westchester and Boston people, said that
certain legislation in 1903 had revived the Ole i
oharter Of his road granted in 1872 and that
al that vas needed to insure rapid transit was
lie consent OF the aldermen for street pernit5 /
ol1i4ed in his petition. He submitted a letter /
selt by Dick & Robinson. brokers. to w. L.
Bull president OF the New-YorlI Westchester /
and Boston Railway, which follows in part:
DICK & ROBINsON's LETTER
We beg TO advise you that we have received I
the opinion Of our counsel. Nessrs. John G. 1
Johnson ana George s Graham Of Philadelphia,
- "hich they co1cCc with William b. Horn
blower and Charles Z. -Ehes, OF this city.
with this favoratl- opinion Of coInse in
Aanc, we beg TO adVf~s you that have ar
ranged (suDject to the procurement Of the con-
sent Of the city) for tho SUM Of $I3 I25000 with
which 10 purchase rights oe way and construct
inls city and in Philadelphia viii be associated /
with US IN handling those securities. The en-
t,srpIlse IS one which comm sad9 itself to our
BUSINESS judgment and we stand read to act at I
ohce upon the procurement Of the assent
Alderman Haggerty. the new chairman Of the
hairoad Committee. presided at the hearing .
TIE ether members Of the committee are Mccall
tuliyon, Gaffrey Wafer. Gass, Mccarthy
Goodman and Downing. Mccall was not presenl
N ls72. Mr.. Hughes said. the company ex-
leAoed more than 100000 in making cuts and
s-s Tor us track Troubles came. and q re-
90 was appointed for the company in 1873.
'-' 'eeeiFership was continued until a short
- ago when responsible persons obtained the
-----' against the company, and were now pre-
1~e1 70 90 ahead with the work. he added. NJ.
Lughes argued that none ~ tba co,,,4,.,,,,,s
7'-'9 nave lapsed because the time in which
Inc company was in the raoo,-,ar,s I'D ,,.,,
&c counted against the statutory time al
lowed under the charter for tba co,str,,ction ~
the road INC 0''i'' ''ioii u
George S. Graham Of The Pbioda1rb,. bo-
t%id ne represented the financial interests no
lilo the road. The business ctercas and the
.7sei status Of the company. he asserted had
"e-l- carefully investigated and had baav, forpd
Ai1aout flaw. The integrity and financial ab1-
- u 1hose oehinG the project. Mr.. Graham said
were beyond question.
FREDERICK W. Flint OF Iarcby,on+ cont . ,a.
asking the committee 10 look favorebl, IN
p, 1ppioauon Of the company. and Charles
- 0'.o Frederick II. Allen Of the same place
80. - 'ile inadequacy Of the present transit
,.,,, nj Allen said he had heard of the
>, -'s''sss OF Mr Belmont and other hnanciers
-. - Tue Fort Chester company's project. but
-. s-e New York, Westchester and BOSTON !