New-York tribune., 1905-05-30
OUTCRY AGAINST NEW us"
PUBLIC rs. MR. BELMONT.
Many Organizations in Opposition
TO Extra Track Scheme.

Great opposition has arisen TO the plans OF
the Interborough Rapid Transit Company 10 run
an extra express track on the elevated rallloau
structure through the Bowery and along tle
narrow. dark streets which accommodate the
3d-ave elevated line, well as 10 pulIu ="
double-decker elevated structure through iiiiie
of The Bronx The officials of the Interborough
company presented the plans for the extra ser
vice to the Rapid Transit Commission last
Tbursdav and p hearing has been granted on
the Lproiect for next Thursday afternoon. AL
ready the East Side Civic Club. the City Club
and nearly two dozen other we'll known organ
izations have begun a campaign against the
innovations, and a crowd of citizens viii appear
AZ the meeting before the Rapid Transit Com
mission and earnestly oppose the company
plans although the friends Of the project VIII
also be well represented.
Charles B. stover.. president of the East Side
Civic Club who will be one OF the speakers Oh
Thursday. said yesterday;
The opposition to any extension OF the elevated
railroads is an old matter-especally TO extension
in Aen-st month ago when me me a4a Int@EooT3Is TSe
n was so much alive 10 the opposition II Wou!a
meet that 9ron IT 2S Believe that the Expression
of opposition the latest plans before the Kapla
Transit Commission on Thursday VIII De 50 uo"s
that these viii also be refused cha r.oz,e,v the
addition Of extra track would be hideous. Ia IN
AIlen-st any attempt TO cut off more hgat i %oulo
he a
p +enenents are now continually compelled TO walk
IN darkness even on the brightest GAYS: ana In eIe
IRON girders viii have to be thrown ar.tss the
street f. s suP00T D n6 a onT spo what is naturally
a fne light avenue but It would bring win II
The people in The Bronx may be in r9any in
stances inclined 10 support the acheol@s 81 the IN IN
terhorough, because adding express route CT tle
sort proposed TO the elevated service would seem
70 offer them earlier relief than 40 Inc pans rs oD 60
finishing the subway or ouldlng IN ~
position to this Controller Grout saG receny @ .laI
as long as the completion Of nc subway. cE,ng
TO the opposition that would BE- met at every step
from the property holders.
REPLY TO Mr.. BRYAN.
-vice-President Bryan Of the Interborough said
couple OF days ago that az the listh-st station me
1tiadnct division of the subway which is here run
on an elevated structure. and two from the Sd-aye.
Tor him to handle the trafiic from here on to the
bridge properly without two more tracks on, on 'nG
would say, let him hurry with the completion OF
tioa Of the elevated and the LenoX-aye. subway
line. He has promised to have this division opened
1Te below l4s hist without building extra tracks
The passage Of this proposition would make fools
of all OF us. Why have the PEOPLE of NeW-Iork
City been struggling for fifteen years 10 get their
subway, unless the purpose Of the subway to pro
and reliably is attained? At great expense the city
constructed the subway. and has been so well sat
many miles of increased service provided for.
IN the sparsely settled portions of Queens and
The people Of the East side DO not propose to peT
NIT the Interborough TO rob them of the subway
for wnich they have wnited so long.
William A Clark, assistant secretary of the
City Club who heads the committee opposing
the Interboroughs plans and who will speak
before the Rapid Transit Commission, said yes
terday:
The utility Of the plans for building subways
nave neen adopted by the Rapid Transit Commits.
0SsE Is The ts city s09
does not gTo aWy PSod Slice Of m h busnsss to
q competitor by granting him valuable conces-
y paaaFr "R95 %h6 s fhe seTased
Is one Of the strategic ponfs hat the fnsrbor oS
ough Is seeking. II the company wins; would the
tainly not
] think that the great majority of the citizens
F,nes and tSey viii be removed The result OF the
granting of this petition and the crop of others
that would surely follow would perpetuate a sys-
necessary evil. Have We the right TO shoulder the
next generation with a system Of transportation
which Is to-day generally regarded as nonstrous
and anuquated?
TELLS OF SECRET TRANSIT MEETING.
Said another man who is working strongly in
opposition to the Interboroughs plans:
There was a secret meeting. granted the Inter
borough company. 10 which citizens were denied.
on Tuesday. May o. Regarding this meeting moth
ing definite is known. From an interview with
one OF TWO members or the BOARD II was learned
that plan TO four-Uack the elevated line from
l5st-st. and 3d-ave. l22d-st. 2d-ave and to
thTee-track the remainder Of both the 3d-av and
dave: lines as far Chatham Square and the
given At least. nothing left file beyond
very sketchy blueprint The express stations for
instance, elevated above the local stations. have
EuperscTiption 'I25th - ''23d-st." etc" The
''etc." figures largely in this whole matter that
one grows suspicious that the Interborough loath
TO publish the whole plans in full! detail. and ia
mission. TO railroad" this thing through.
Iis seems plausible, as the hearing was set for
June ). Last Thursday II was changed at the re-
guest OF the lnterborough 10 June l. The applica-
ton Of the lnterborough which was received nv
the commission on this day even more sketchv
than the blueprint. No adequate description Of The
plans was contained therein-merely a superficial
statement.
Notwithstanding the singular course Of this an
pl1aton, the secret meeting and the INADEQUATE
information. the Interborough expects the com
mission 10 vote this next Thursday. Such
course. In view OF the short time consider he
plan and the magnitude Of the thing asked for is
fnent that over half nf the third track is already
done will not bear analysis. The privilege to Law
t9ls track has not been paid for. not foot of
The double deck from I5lst-st 12gt1-st
Manhattan, sdlfully concealed There was
simply reference to a previous meeting Of the
board OF directors OF the Interborough company.
at which action favorable 10 this proposition was
taken The whole thing smacks OF evasion. The
Bronx is asked stand for a monstrosity, and
II IS an Insult to the civic pride and intelligence
OF the people Of that section Already
we understand. certain leading citizens have a
keen resentment FOR this atrocious thing-that a
double decked railroad should be offered TO them
as solution of the transportation difficulty.
CONSIDER the cry thai went up not long since
ABOUT the Div1siOn-st. elevated structure. This
plan Will intensity the burden laid upon them by
reason OF the close proximity of this elevated road
through those narrow streets, 1t would be more
just 10 pull the whole thing down.