New-York tribune., 1905-12-24
OPPOSE 149TH-ST. PLAN.
TOO FAR FROM TR4VEL.
Br0nr Residents Want Station an
LO1cer Part of BOROUGH

The question Of the site of the New-York Cen
trails proposed main station north OF the Harlem
continues to arouse public interest The Bronx
Such station has been urged for several years
clearing house for suburban traffic and to
relieve the congestion the Grand Central Sta
ton; but the demand for it became especially
emphatic after the Park-ave. tunnel disaster OK
four years ago. Soon after this. William J. Will
gus. the company's chief engineer. in a published
interview its plan alluded this station as
among them did also Mayor Low in one Of his
public talks rapid transit
November a. 1902. committee from The Bronx
received audience before William II. Newman
president of the New-York Central. In the dele
cation were James L. Wells. Albert E Davis W.
W. Niles, Olin J. Stephens. Joseph s Woods. Alder
man Behrrnan and Charles D. Steurer- Some of
these urged l49th-st. the proper site.
Mr Newman informed them that while he was
not at liberty 10 say where the station would be,
he could say positively that 1t would not be at
149th-st. He said the company might establish a
transfer station there. they would at kings
bridge, and wherever their lines crossed the oitys
rapid transit lines his company was working in
harmony with the Rapid Transit Commission and
the InterboroUgh Railroad.
This statement OF President Newmans taken
authoritative by the people of The Bronx. Con-
siderable surprise has therefore been expressed at
the recently published statements that the station
would be at 149th-st. which seems to be borne out
by ths real estate purchases of the company west
, OF Park-ave. from 149th 144th-sts.
opment Of The Bronx express decided opinion
that 1t would be a mistake to place this station
so far west of 3d-ave. the New-York Cen
Railroad is 149th-st which II is said would
be as though the Grand Central Station were with
in a few blocks of the Hudson River. Coupled
with this statement that the station would be at
149th-st. IS the further statement that its con-
struction would result in the aboishment OF the
New-York CentraIs present Mott Haven or l5Stn-st
station. This is opposed vigorously by business
4 nT16 nf
borough. One of those who is probably as well
posted as any in The Bronx and who is
known to be disinterested said:
It is an ndisputable. fact that 3d-aye is the the
Colonial times and always will be The distance
is six times as great from the New ork CentTaI
The argument has been advanced that the 14stn n
sTe Of pf Bronx TO HE ony
in The Bronx is the Metropolis, at 3d-aYe ana
voOate of i3gh-st the proper station site. be be
cause It is closer to his theatre thsn 4 east n9
west through 149til-st it is north and south along
present is at 18th and 156th-sts extends far
south as 6s noIn one Of Of ear 6s aef ne d4G
and Forty-ninth-st., in the vicinity of the New
nSfR fen!T These are all EXISTING facts and they
show that the 13Sth-st station is as close 10 Iils
| theatre and shopping district as is the proposed
As to the probable future OF the two streets
What is it that establishes the value OF iG cross b
thoroughfare? Is it not the great 6aiiy eeP
an Of haze Frrss at Reir river ends bringing trB
arT To them the great popuious suburbs Of New
Jersey and Long Island, At East 42d-st is is the
s Maaha%kan 10 s5G45ay9 sd the west Shore Rsrosd
sAss AT 1h5 st WhoR Il ffe indicate sf 20 SFoWth not
that Of The Bronx, while at its westerly end II
bg gfh tae cosdWn Surface line connecn
with the 135th-st west side elevated and the LenoM
Manhattan MAJ attain surface lines ia8t5s New5YOgk
We'll as as the NeW-Haven Railroad Port Morris sta
ton and all Bronx surface lines. making 1t l4g.
cal shopping centre not only for The Bronx. but
for for Harlem and Queens Borough, Al its easterly
end are the @@ az ba66 and a. the P9r Port Morris
ket, to which the Long Island farmers bring theiT
sodly built up from AlexapdeTTaxe T r to soRfneE Roe
70 HoFa or 19 ors sSuf there re- great build
At the easteriy end Of 149th-st are the New
Haven freight yards while at its westerly end it
connects with 145th-st. in Manhattan There is is
along It; and Manhattan Island from there north
narrows to aDGnt m 0neI ot ogrphV t pTeciudes
the possibility OF it ever sustaining large popui
There is nothing to make It crosstown shopping
thoroughfare Its only adyanage over
| 4 a9Sa6taPe ngS M ane subway nun
Concerning the 14sth-st. subway link; the chief
engineer of the Rapid Transit Commission said, in
a report on the proposed east side lines. that trans
proportion of travel that might desire to 60 from
Bronx Park to the west side OF Ientral line to
become what it should be namely, line for purely
district would be of finding seats. - .
While IL is true that the direct East Side line IS
not vet in course of construction. it is certain thaf
# win be- and that before the New-I York CeptTal
station is finished. AS the company IS puilClhB IoI
the future it would seem most uHwse 20 lcG3te @ Oh
10 one side. where II will be necessary for an
passengers transfer TO 2 crosst2Wn me me a'
i49tii-st to reach depart from it, whsn by eX
tending its present l3Sth-st. station eastward II VIII
tan ali existing main arteries of travel as wen ds
the several proposed East Side subways. -
Furthermore 19sth-st. the station woul9 De
1asa to the Harlem River terminal of the New
IIo2Sen road with It's projected Pennsylvania aDd
Tong Island connections well as The Frojected
bri5ees over the Harlem across Whlch can De
brought direct to the Mott Haven station Inc 49,
% 81 eXington and Madison-ave. surface III les