New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-02
FOR EAST SIDE TUNNEL.
DIR. Belmont's arguments against
1t COntrCTerted.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: In recent statement made by August Bel
mont. he seems to discourage the idea of further
tunnel construction at the present time. He IS
much impressed with the idea of economy in the
conduct of municipal affairs. he shows how the
cost Of tunnel construction in the future Will De
increased by fully so per cent and advises th''
New-York should be economical and preserve the
debt limit margin I heartily in accord Win
Mr. Bemont's proposed economical policy but IN
economizing must not lose sight OF the great
necessity for Improvement In transit facilties on
the East Stde and that improvement should not DC
sacrificed to make room for less important ones
1t is fairly inferable from Mr.. Belmont's state
ment. not only that has done all the tunnel con-
struction he wants 10 do. but that he is unwllnhs
that any should be done by anybody else IN
his over anxiety discourage further tunnel Work
he makes the startling statement by inference that
a tunnel the East Side will not enhance real
estate valuations
1t is easy to understand Mr.. Belmont's position
He is said to have made nine millions Of dollars out
of the construction end OF his contract, and evil
IDENTIFY before he undertakes or permits any further
construction he wants to how he IS coming out
with the operating end OF it. That is all very Wen
East Side OF Manhattan and The Bronx. where the
transportation conditions are bad beyond descrip-
1 supposed the public was a unit. and except as
TO Mr. Belmont stilI think it is upon the proPosi-
ton that the CITY government confronts duty
SO urgent as the duty OF providing aaequate
admitted that the capacity Of the present transPor
tatlOn companies. both surface ana eleVateu "9s
overtaxed and that substantially no improvement IN
their service should be expected This certainly Is
the condition the East Side. where. although the
population is denser than in other part or the
city. transportation accommodations are inferior.
1t is no longer on the East Side matter OF the
hour of the day when you board surface car or
elevated train. They are always crowded, an0
the passenger who gets seat Is only a little more
fortunate than the one who does not In either
he is crowded. jOStled, pOked, stood upon
and otherwise molested that when he reaches MS
destination his temper has been tried to the point
of desperation. ,
Mr.. Belmont's tunnel. whatever 1t may 90
for the middle section OF the city from the Battery
FOrty-secGnd-st. and for the West Side IRON
Forty-second-st. into The Bronx. will afrord no
relief whatever 10 the East Side and 1t Is utterly
unfair to ask US TO wait and to endure existinS
conditions until Mr.. Belmont has ascertatned no"
profitable his existing enterprise Is going 10 pc
There Is some prospect, at least. that II Mt PEI.
mont does not wish build tunnel for the East
Side other people can be found who will wish to
do So dog in the manger policy IS neither wise
nor popular on the part Of the tunnel MANAGEMENT
J. B. BLOOMINGDALE,
President of the East Side Rapid Transit ASsocia-
ton OF Manhattan and The Bronx
New-York. Dec 81. 1903