The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-21
FIGHT FOR 84TH ST. SUBWAY.
METROPOLITAN PLEADS FOR A
FOUR-TRACK TRUNK LINE.

Heard FrOm-Hival bidders Assured
Whatever the Commission Decides.
The fight between the Metropolitan and
Marlborough interests for the right to build
under Thirty-fourth street began yesterday
o. a meeting Of the Rapid Transit Commits
zion. The Metropolitan system, backed
up by representatives Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, advocated four track
subway under the street, while the Belmont
interests stuck to the moving platform plan
Tho commissions committee on plans
has already reported in favor Of an indie
pendent crosstown route on that street,
which would give the thoroughfare over
10 the moving platform, and has recon-
mended the running Of the Metropolitan
lines through Thirty-Rfth and Thirty
sixth streets.
This report was drawn mainly in response
10 tho demands Of the dry goods merchants
Of the locality, but at yesterdays meeting
Il WIS shown that some who advocated the
separate system now want a trunk line
under the street. This fact and the stand
taken by the Pennsylvania Company will
undoubtedly lead the commission to recon
slider the Thirty-fourth street part Of the
suggested plans.
President A. j. Cassatt and Vice-Presi-
dent Samuel Rea Of the Pennsylvania Com
rany we're the speakers first heard yester-
day by the commission. They argued that
when their extension under this city to
Queens was built there would be discharged
NJ the new terminal on the West Side at
least 1000 passengers an hour. The prob
lem which confronted the commission, they
L H. "A. Al a..
throng. What would be wanted was quick
transit to the homes Of the thousands Of
PERSONS who would ahght at the new station.
Tho opinion was expressed by Mr.. Cassatt
and Mr.. Rea that the most convenient
method would be the Metropolitan plan Of
building a line starting on the East Side
At Harlem, running down Lexington avenue
20 Thirty-fourth street, and then across
town under Thirty-fourth street to the
West Side, where the line would continue
downtown.
In addition to tapping tho new terminal
with a crosstown subway, the company
intends also 10 extend it's West Side line up
Seventh and Eighth avenues. Messrs.
Cassatt and Rea opposed the moving plat
form idea az a cumbrous method Of trans
portation and because it would compel
Messengers to transfer to the longitudinal
roads.
Alexander NJ. Rosenthal, representing
property owners Of the district, opposed
The moving platform, saying that 1t would
give one OF the most important thorough
fares OF the city TO device that was as
vet entirely untried with heavy passenger
traffic.
Charles Paine. former president OF the
American Society Of Civil Engineers, answer
ing the objections, asserted that no better
system Of crosstown transportation could
be provided than the moving platform. He
explained that il would most effectively
relieve congestion, because there would be
no DELAYS such as are caused by stoppages
a. stations. tie utility had been proved,
be said at the Paris and Chicago expeditions.
Max Schmidt OF the syndicate which
controls the moving platform patents AS
serted that the platform could carry loo
passengers a minute from a given point.
Commissioners Starin and Stewart, who
have used the platforms at the exhibitions
seemed somewhat dubious as TO the claims
made for their safety. Mr.. Schmidt eX-
blamed that the mechanical arrangements
had been perfected since the exhibitions.
Some OF the property interests repre-
sented at the hearing declared that they did
not care what system was adopted Tor
Thirty-fourth street so long as an indie
uendent crosstown line from river 10 river
was furnished. One Of these was Q. L.
Graf, secretary Of the Retail Dry Goods
Association, who urged upon the board the
nece ssity Of keeping open for such indie
yendent routes not only Thrty-fourth street,
but also fourteenth, Twentv-thrd and
Fifty-ninth streets John G.. Milburn, who
appeared for the John Jacob Aston estate.
r aCe a similar plea,
politan representatives Paul d. Cravath,
CJUl ,al 10 the company minated that
while his company would like TO run its
trunk line through Thirty-fourth street,
vet IL the commission should decide upon
an independent line the Metropolitan
system would be a bidder. In the course
Of his speech Mr.. Cravath submitted 20
the commission a letter which was addressed
To- the board by John B. Mcdonald. In
part u said
our sole purpose In recommending a four
track crosstown subway upon Ihirty,fourth
street from Third avenue 20 Seventh ave
fue is - furnish direct connection WIN.
IS DO and the lower West side, and espe-
,cnlly an outlet for the trafic centeTlng AZ
The new Pennsylvania station and Herald
The Thirty-fourth street crosstown rapid
transit subway line is not Intended 20 be
used for any ,Other purpose than as local
fcil.ty to aid in the more efiectual distri-
button 81 the trafic OF the proposed com
prehensive subway system. II IS not 70 be
used by the trains Of other railroad COM
The argument thstthe important Gosstown
streets HnOuld not De OCfupltu Og llllth loIlN-
Ing part Of longitudinal systems does not.
II seems 90 me, apply TO Thirty-fouTth street,
IN view OF It's peculiar location with refer
crcc 10 the new Pennsylvania station and
Herald square. Furthermore, Ihirty-fouTth
etreet furnishes the only satisfactOr route
Tor an unbroken trip from the Pennsylvania
station 20 the Grand Central Station.
The proposed Thirty-iourth street rapid
transit subway will also play very important
part In distributing throughout the lower part
Of the city the enormous traflc which the pro-
posed East Side subways will receive in the
Bronx including the large number OF subur-
ban passengers which will be delivered by
tho suburban lines OF the New York Central
and New Haven railroad companies at their
pronosed new terminals In the Bronx. That
tra'lo should certainly have an opportunity
Of reaching Herald Square the Pennsylvania
station and the lower West Side without
change Of cars.
Mr. Cravath took advantage Of the OPP
pOrtunity 10 ridicule the reports which have
come from certain inspired sources that
the Pennsylvania company was support
ing the Metropolitan's plan because OF an
arrangement which had been made to carry
through traffic between the Pennsylvania
and New Haven systems by way OF the
Thirty-fourth street subway.
such a proposition has not been even
remotely suggested nor would such
scheme be feasible, Mr. Cravath declared.
jefferson VI. Levy has asked permission
70 he heard In opposition TO the moving