The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-01
URGES ELEVATED EXTENSION.
r.. ". ELOOMINGDALES SAYS QUICK
RELIEF IS NEEDED.

! Not Opposed TO SuDwayS Dut DOeen Tnlnh
the East Side Can wait for Them
Many Organize lions who VIII Fight
the Pran--Dayid Steckier's Views
F.. W. B,oomingdale Of the firm OF Bloom
ngdae Bros, Third avenue and Fifty-ninth
street, and one OF the most prominent
members Of the Retail Dry Goods Associa-
ton, Is an advocate Of the plan to add to
the elevated system. The association at
its annual meeting in April passed resolu-
tons favoring the plan. Another meeting
was held yesterday. At its con olusion Mr..
Dloomingdale said:
"The East Side OF New York has been
entirely overlooked in all rapid transit
construction Of late years. The subway
goes too far to the west to be accessible,
and the elevated trains, filled with passen-
gers to and from The Bronx, offer poor
facilities for local traffic.
a quarter Of the population Of Man.
haitian lives north Of Forty-second street
and east OF Fifth avenue. The section is
much more populous than the West Side
north of Forty second street, yet the " eat
Side has an elevated express service and a
subway as we'll, In comparison the transit
facilities on the East Side are shameful.
"The grant to the peterborough Of the
right to give the East Side fast express
service will give us immediate rapid transit.
| 1t will be provided in six months. On the
other hand under the best possible con-
dtions it will be impossible to construct
a subway in less than seven years. We are
in favor Of subways. but what we principally
desire is immediate relief
"There is already third track on the
| III rl ale Tod Ca
Fiity-ninth street, and this track can be
extended to Cooper Union without the
construction Of an entire new structure.
| "On Second avenue no entire new struo
ture will be needed as far south as Cooper
Union. Only between Cooper Union and
Chatham Square will it lie necessary to
encroach upon any easements Of light.
and since the Bowery is one Of the widest
streets in the city do not consider that
whatever trifing discomfort may be caused
| by this should interfere with the absolute
necessities Of the upward Of half a million
people on the upper East Side Of Man.
haitian"
Those who are opposing the extension Of
| TIE elevated system on the East Side agree
with Mr.. Bloomingdale that that section
Of the city has been neglected. Their view.
however is that the marlborough Rapid
Transit Company is in reality opposed to
| building any more tunnels because the
work OF enlarging and extending the ele-
waited system can be done much more
cheaply and the franchise for that System
Is held in perpetuity. The objectors re-
lieve that II permission to build additional
tracks s is granted the work Of
greatly retarded or curtailed or put off al
together
They say that the proposed extension
will moreover increase by approximately
about twenty five miles Of New York's
most important streets.
Among the associations that will appear
before the Rapid Transit Commission to-
day in opposition to the Belmont proposition
is the Harlem Chamber Of Commerce. At
proposed extension Of the elevated lines
were adopted and the president and counsel
Of the chamber were directed to 60 before
the board and make known the views of
the association on the subject. The reso-
lutions recite:
later these unsightly and enervating elevated
structures must give way to the less noSious
Az ded den me es west and mid
appropriate subways the elevated structures
TiIl have to give way to a public demand for
along which they pass for general street pur.
To add another or additional syst EN- of
elevated railway, even along streets or ave-
nues where such systems now exist. would.
in the opinion Of this board. be a retroxrade
The suggestion to give. transfers is not
slIiiicientiy eomIpen1ssatlng Tor the very OBJ
allel the original route.
The Rapid Transit Commission" said
David Stecker, secretary of the East Side
Rapid Transit Association, certainly has
every reason to doubt the sincerity and
good faith Of the owners Of the elevated
vigor at this particular time their appica-
ton for leave to construct additional ele-
waited lines. So long as Mr.. Belmont and
his associates were alone in the field and
controlled both the subway and the ele-
waited lines without any apparent likelihood
Of composition they showed no anxiety to
build additional elevated lines for the con-
ISOLATION Of the suffering Bronx, but as the
likelihood OF competition in building the
iety to build additional elevated lines upon
the East Side increase. and Mr.. Belmont
and his associates have themselves to blame
il impartial observers now believe that
their present anxiety to invest some mil
to their desire to meet the needs of The
Bronx than their anxiety to cut off COM
petition in the building of subways.
They know perfectly we'll that rivals
Will not invest their money In subways
unless there is fair assurance Of sufficient
traffic to make them pay and that with
two additional elevated railroad tracks upon
the East SIDE the would not be emo gh
traffic for more than one additional East
Side subway"
The meeting will be one of the most inter-
esting for a long time. The board will give
public hearing on the application of the |
Peterborough for more elevated tracks. |
The City. Club, the Municipal Art Society, |
the Merchants Association, Citizens Union,
Transit Association will oppose the project.
The Metropolitan interests, while they |
will probably not be represented, will send
communication to the Commission, point |
ing out that the effect Of permitting more
eloyata6 fra 10 m ho l,,,;lt ,,z;n i. m.