The evening world., 1905-12-27
Merger of the Belmont-R Ryan
Interests Win Not Be AL
lowed to Block Them.
WANT RELIEF AT ONCE.
Express Track on Third Avenue
a" Regarded as Only the
First Step.

There seems to be only one opinion
reg riding the rapid transit situation AZ
exempltned bv the present wofuly IN
adequate services OF the subway and
elevated roads and the surface ROADS
Of Manhattan and the Bronx, with a
merger Of all the rIN1l interests unde
one management and the prospect OF a
blocking OF improvements
That opinion II that the present
conditions are i~ntoierahle, ana
that something must he done Inn
mediateIy for the relief ~ the
suffering travellers on these lines.
While there are to be found a few
optimistic men who think the merger
will 30 far forget the purpose Of all
mergers-to give ~ ltttle as possible
in return for the monopoly they entus
BY the gift OF the people-and that the
Beimont-Ryan consolidation will go on
In a public spirited way and build new
subways to divide the tremendous pas
sengsr traffic which they are now
moving up and down the city like cat
tie on the moor or paclted into their
cars like sardines In the box the
general opinion Ia that they won't on
the contrary, It Is believed by most
men that the merger means a halt In
the development OF ~ proper aud an
adequate transportation system ~ the
two ~boroughs. which stretch ont six
teen miles from New York Bay to NOn.
kers and Mount Vernon and hold a
teemlag population Of two and a half
millions who must travel up and down
that length every day.
One Commissioner Blocked II.
The demand for the immediate com
pletion OF the third, or express, track
on the Third VENUE elevated road for
the relief Of the disg gushing conditions
on that line, and In the contamination
OF which the Rapid Transit Commission
was thwarted by The opposition OF one
commissioner John n s~tartn-wlsn
the proposition ives brought before the
BOARD on the advocacy OF The Evening
Word and the Dry Goods Merchants
Association. nearly a yeor ago. comes
from the whole east side, from the Bat
terry to Bedford PsrF.
This IL recognized az promising only
a most Temporary ana inadequate re-
lief, and one not IN any way 70 inter
fsre with the larger project OF two stb-
wnv Rnes-one for Third and the other
for Lexington ~avenue-to stretch up TO
One Hundred and Thirty eighth street.
Theee two routes, and a third one,
known as the seventh ayeN,e route,
which h to afford the west side of uhe
Bronx a reasonable esress TO the lower
sections Of the CAY. at . point near the
Meeoub's Dam Bridge. have been
adopted by the Rapid Transit Commits
sion, The Board of Estimate anC the
Mayor. aud s1x months ago there vas
eloy prospect Of spirited bidaiing for
thu franchise bet wsen the Metropolitan
Street Railway interests, with John b.
Mcdonald A. the leeaias engineering
spirit. and the InterbQrough Rapid
Transit Company, with August Belmont
al It's head.
A. the necessary consents 81 . ma
jority Of property owner along the
routes had not been obtained, the usual
appeal 70 the Appellate Division Of the
Supreme Curt was made for the ap-
poinament Of a commission TO take
testimony and report on the necessity
for the work. This is still In allegiance
While the same court decades whether
the law taking the power on franchises
from tho Board of Aldermea and be-
slowing n upon the Board Of Estimate
and ATportioument is constitutional.
oisheartsned by Merger.
Ana now comes the merger, with a
d'sbeartening effect on all those who
have labored ~ long for descent transit
facilities for the city.
TNe highest hope OF those who believe
that merger ami hold up" are BY
nonymous IL that capital outside the
merger will come forward az a new
rival FOR the privilege OF building the
new subways-Hnd chief among these is
cenptrollsI Circuit, vino takes the San
glRne and op~tinistic view that the
monopoly n all the existing surface,
ELEVATED and subway transportation
lines en- New York CITY by M. Belmont,
which no o~haraoterizes a. "A most oane.
ful and threatening condition for the
ety. will not last. lie believes that
rival companies will spring up to Oom
Deta fot thu ..an