The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-15
SUBWATS NEEDN'T DE STRAIGHT.
Engineer Rice Scouts Mr. PHrsOns's Fears
About Plans Tie Once Favored.

ABOUT flune tie Once Favored.
william Barclay Parsons's objections to
the routes for new subways adopted by the
Rapid Transit Commission are taken as
teing obvious " prompted by a desire to
have the Metropolitan routes thrown out
in favor Of those Of the lnterborough COM
pany. Mr.. Parsons is now in the employ Of
the Belmont interests Last Decembe-
when be was still chief engineer of theRapid
Transit Commission and member Of the
Panama Canal Commission and, apparently,
had no thought Of becoming allied with
the Interborough company, Mr., Parsons
recommended TO the Rapid Transit board
new subways which almost identioally
followed the lines since submitted TO the
commission by tho Metropolitan system
with almost the self same turns as those
suggested in the Metropolitan route and
since recommended by the Rapid Transit
Commissions committee on plans
In bis letter Of April 4. Mr.. Parsons par
ticularly objected 10 the turning Of the
Lexington avenue line west under Thirty
fourth street o. Thity-ffth street and thence
to Fifth avenue and Broadway on the
ground that the taking up Of these main
thoroughfares for short distances would
line systems under these avenues.
In December before MIR Parsons became
attached 70 the PETERBOROUGH interests he
advo Gated the use Of these thoroughfares
for a route similar 10 that he now condemns
Reporting 20 the commission on Dec 20,
Mr.. Parsons suggested he laying Of a route
on the East Side.
Beginning at South Ferry, thence along
Cl IA.
street: thence along William street under
Brooklyn Bridge, under Park row TO hAmbers
street 70 ggroadwsy, and and under BrosdweE
the subway under Fifteenth street 10 LeXing-
70 I ' tSrminai loop under third avenue eGs' 70
East i42d street and Morris avenue, with
branch eontln 1S under Morris a, avenue 70
Then a West Side line commencing at the
place OF beginning on the Fast Side line az
RieS street. west Broadway. 'Fift6 avenue.
Broadway, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-hfth
streets 20 Seventh avenue, and under Seventh
avenue 20 q connection with the present
subway between Forty-tecond and Forty
fifth streets together with a crosstown con-
avenues al Thirty-fourth street, aud con-
nections With the present subway at PARK
avenue. south OF Forty -seSfond street. under
street. and al Battery Park
The many turns IN these plans are nearly
as conspicuous as the turns In Mr. Parsons
IDEAS between December and last week
When the Rapid Transit Commission
received Mr.. Parsons's letter Acting Chief
Engineer Rice was directed by the board 20
draw up q report on the merit or otherwise
OF the Parsons criticisms. Part Of the
report which Mr.. Rice has prepared reads.
The bone OF contention would appear 70
be Route a. which extends from near the
Junction Of ToTty.second street and Broad
way down 70 Twtnty.nfth street THIS
section IL desired b. both the Metropolitan
and the lnterborough interests, and both
are anxious TO get control Of IT, IL might
possibly be we'll at present, therefore, 10 put
In an Eighth avenue extension, running
from SiNty-eecond street down Eighth
avenue, and thrOu CD Hudson street 10 Bar
clay street. 30 as 70 relieve the situation TO a
certain extent But ] would like TO state
that the criticism Of the Eighth avenue and
Seventh avenue lines not being on q etr4ight-
away course would De a yery small factor
10 . rapid transit line, a. u would probably
only Affect the Tunning Of any train more
thSn fifteen TO thirty seconds. In making
our designs for future subways the proba-
billy is that We win yeIy largely eliminate
the columns which have been feature Of the
former desigp, and the Absence Of a line of
columns In the centre OF this fection will
give an unobstrucied view 20 the motorman.
II the plans suEge5ted by he commlttss
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