New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-25
RAPID TRANSIT TANGLE.
Pipe Gallery Bill Rendered
Meaningless and Useless.
LBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE


Albany, March PA curious and inexpicable
tangle over report of the Senate Cities Com
mittee last night on two bills affecting rapid
transit in New-York. and generally known as
the pipe gallery bills, has produced a sensa-
ton here to-day. The committee report shows
that Assembly bill No. IA. introduced by As
semblyman Burnett, and providing that the
Rapid Transit Commission shall have authority
to build pipe galleries with future subways. and
to make contracts for leasing them, was ia
vorably acted on after it had been amended
that all reference to pipe galleries, their
construction and leasing had been eliminated.
the result, of course, being the production of
bill meaningless and useless.
The effect, whatever may have been the reason
for this tangle. is greatly to the advantage of
the existing corporations such the Empire
City Subway Company. which now control the
galleries used for telephone. gas and electricity
transmission in the city of New-York4 1t has
been charged that these pipe galleries were an
important link in the chain of the gas monop-
oily in New-York City, and interesting data will
probably be furnished these questions at the
gas investigation hearings in New-York City.
The sensation here lies in the fact that the
measure now amended as to be entirely in
nocuous has been the breaking point OF the
legislative career OF the Elsberg Rapid Transit
bill for many years. Up to the present year
the Rapid Transit Commission has opposed this
feature Of that bill every time it has been before
the legislature. But this year the Rapid Transit
Commission itself accepted the pipe gallery por-
ton of the Elsberg measure, and the bill now
asphyxiated is the Rapid Transit Commission
BILL drawn for the express purpose Of providing
authority for pipe galleries and under the di-
rection Of the Rapid Transit Commission
Gossip in the corridor this incident was
general and varied Many believed that cleri
cal error had been made and that another bill
had been unwittingly afflicted with these stulti-
Tying amendments. By others it was declared
prehension. But the consensus of opinion was
that unless the errors were repaired the pipe
gallery phase OF the fight for rapid transit
would be put off for another year.
The effect of this incident accident, the
Citizens Union and on John De Witt Warner and
ex-senator Ford who have fought for this re-
form for years is already discounted here. That
they VIII charge bad faith and jugglery is re-
garded as likely, although the committee may
next week set the matter entirely straight by
striking out the amendments which destroy
every Vestlge of efficacy in the measure. 1t has
not escaped comment that such a mistake hard
ly would have occurred If Assem- byrnan Per-
nam who died last week, had been here, for he
has for two years watched matters of this sort
with unremitting care.
The amendment OF the pipe gallery bill is
regarded as particularly a victory for the
lighting interests. since 1t specifically OPP
posed in letters written by the counsel and Of
nciaIs of various corporations to the NeW-York
Board Of Trade and Transportation. and
turned over to the legislature together with
other documents at the time Of the hearings on
the various rapid transit measures before the
present Legislature.
The final copy of the amended bill that was
reported by the Assembly committee was a long
typewriter sheet, instead of printed BILL with
interlinear corrections as is customary. The
new bill simply covers the removal of the
thirty -fve-years lease provision of the Rapid
Transit law and change with reference to the
10 per cent substitution for fixed