The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-01
BOARD OF ESTIMATE BLAMED
FOR DELAY IN CHOOSING NEXT
SUBWAY TO BE BUILT.

Rapid Transit Commission Has Done ITS
Share and Demands Speedy Aotien So
a to Test the New LAw-Comptrollcr
Metz Promises q Stir Things Up.
President Orr Of the Rapid Transit Com
mission, at a meeting OF that body yester-
day, laid upon the Board Of Estimate the
responsibility for the delay In the CON-
struotion Of new subway routes. He said
he had repeatedly urged the Mayor to force
the Board of Estimate to take some action
on the plans for the new routes which have
been mapped out by the commission, but
which cannot be started until the board
decides upon the lines to be built first.
It was while the application Of the
Behr Monorail Company for a franchise
to connect Brooklyn and Coney Island
was under discussion that Mr.. Orr showed
his anger at the s~lothfulness Of the Board
Of Estimate.
Comptroller Metz had spoken shghtingly
Of the monoral project after Mr.. Orr had
asked the board to settle upon some basis
Of terms upon which a franchise for such
a road should be granted. Mr.. Metz said
that the consents Of the abutting property
owners in Brooklyn could never be obtained
and minated hat the commission had
better give its attention to the construction
of the contemplated subways.
Albert b. Boardman, counsel to the COM
mission, also told Mr.. Orr that the Justices
Of the Appellate Division had made it very
apparent of late that they were getting
tired Of having so much Of their time taken
up in considering route after route planned
by the commission while there seemed to
be no indication of anything practical being
accomplished.
THE fault is not with this com mission, =
MIR. Orr replied. Our plans are now before
ing until that board moves. l have asked
the Comptroller to bring before the Board
Of Estimate the urgency Of the situation
and have repeatedly written to the Mayor
P BSs a Seas d Tor speedy sp ssf a TSis oom 1Tt Soth ing
done its duty 30 far as it can. ! have tried
to find out the reason for the apparent
inaction, but have been unable to get any
satisfactory explanation. In the case OF
this monorail route l think that We ought
to fix the terms for the franchise and send
the matter to the Board of Estimate, be-
cause from the public hearings We have
had il seems to me that the project 10 favored
by the people of Brooklyn"
The result of this discussion was q resolu-
ton to submit the matter to a joint COM
mittee Of the Board Of Estimate n the
Rapid Transit Commission. Another out
come of the debate was a promise by
Comptroller Metz that the Board Of Estimate
should pass upon the Seventh and Eighth
avenue route on the West Side, on the
Lexington avenue extension and on the
Fourth avenue route in Brooklyn at the
meeting of the board next Friday. Mr..
Metz also promised that the subcommittee
Of the Board OF Estimate appointed to con
slider the routes would hold a special meeting
pm Monday, and at his request George L..
Rives and Albert B. ~Boardman, counsel to
the commission, were directed to attend
the meeting.
Mr.. Boardman urged the necessity OF
haste because Of the opinion he had that
there would be NJ bidders for the new
routes under the conditions OF The Elsberg
act. This act, which was passed at the
last session OF the Legislature, provides
that the period Of the operating contract
shall not be more than twenty years, with
a privilege Of one renewal for twenty years,
at the end OF which time the road becomes
the property OF the city.
Mr.. Boardman urged that the effect OF
the act should be tested as quickly as pos
sible so that it could be amended at the next
session Of the legislature. In order to
make that test as complete as possible IL
decided thai in advertising for bids
for the new roads two proposals should be
and operation and a second for operation,
should the city build the roads as the Elsberg
act permits.
On the motion Of Comptroller Metz a
resolution was passed calling pom the
marlborough company TO improve the
Sunday express service in the subway.