New-York tribune., 1906-07-13
METZ PLEADS FOR. L O0P.
LIKELY TO GO THROUGH.
Congestion Must Be Referred at
Once, General Opinion.

Congestion Must Be ReHeUed at
Once, General Opinion.
Following Borough President CoIer's stand
Wednesday, when he came out openly Cor prompt
decision on Bridge Commissioner Stevensons loop
plan 70 relieve the congestion at the bridge ter
miaals. Controller Metz went before the Rapid
Transit Commission yesterday and made strong
plea for immediate action. In a long conmunica-
ton he told OF the present detestable conditions
and in the strongest terms argued for the con-
struction of the loop His communication was re-
ferred 10 the committee contracts for action as
soon as the Board Of Estimate and Apportionment
asks its approval
That the loop plan will now go through was the
general opinion after the meeting. 1t was ex-
planned that the Rapid Transit Commission did
not desire TO take the initiative in approving
elevated plan, committed it is to the subway
idea. After the regular meeting had adjourned
the committee on contracts held brief session.
and Chief Engineer Rice was directed TO confer
with Bridge Commissioner Stevenson that the
commission may be officially informed the tech
nical side of the plan. Although President Orr
was opposed to elevated structures in New York,
he said the present conditions at the bridge ought
to be relieved, and absolute necessity favored
the loop remedy.
In making his request for immediate action
the loop plan, Controller Metz said that he had
taken into consideration the comprehensive system
of subways which the Rapid Transit Commission
has projected. but that he had learned that there
were certain legal and physical objections which
would tend TO hold up their construction, and in
that case he believed that the loop the only
thing calculated to bring prompt results Con-
tinuing. he said:
Conditions at the termini Of the bridges have
relief are OF such imperative Importance that any
means OF accomplishing result speedily may be
a plan which promises actual results at an early
Br1dges, and to the consideration Of that plan
wide and valuable experience.
This plan promises TO have the city construct a
the II ~ WiEIiams6uTg BTidgs thTe9gh Delaney street
yn Bridge The tracks on his sfrnctre @ 1s are 70
connect with the elevated tracks on the bridges
native 70 The sbway conno2 m D W as yoar an 6 board
mas laid out 1t IS proposed as an addition to It and
and the congested points on the bridges are re-
It is proposed to have the city pay the cost of con-
IstTYcton I III and , the city would own the structure
city should pledge its good faith the removal OF
have rendered it unnecessary. Such a promise on
the part OF the city win. believe, dispose Of the
through permanent elevated road. The city does
The utter absurditY Of the contention that ee:
y2ted railroads ruin the neighborhoods through
isheS f by eEistng eSnditions T in ,Ma9hattan one
Ninth avenue elevated railroad. Fifth avenue
but one block from the Sixth elevated road
In ending his communication Controller Metz said
the plan was backed up by the majority of Brook
lynites and that they eagerly awaited the final de-
cision, which would ultimately play an important
part in their daily lives.
The Appellate Division handed down yesterday a
decision in the matter Of the application of the
Rapid Transit Commission upon the proposed Third
avenue route and upon eighteen other applications
also before the board. All of the applications
approved, but subject to the condition that the
Rapid Transit Commission shall decide within two
years which of the routes they finally select. This
viii render null and void the approval of all
selected and contracted for within said two
years.
It was also announced that the Supreme Court
in Brooklyn had approved the Fourth avenue
route and the Bath street route in Queens, without
qualification 70 the time in which they should
be built Counsel for the Rapid Transit Commits
sion said that they had obtained all the consents
for the Eastern Parkway extension route with the
exception of one street. where consent had been
refused by a company that had tunnel. Con-
trOller Metz asked to be furnished with the name
OF the street and promised to get the consent.
Presiding Justice oBrien writes the opinion of
the Appellate Division, in which all the justices
concur He says that the court now has before it
eleven favorable reports from as many sets Of
commissioners, who were appointed TO determine
and report to the court whether not the par
ticulaF route submitted to them should be con-
stTucted and operated These eleven reports have
been submitted to the court within the last few
weeks The remaining eight OF the nineteen routes
have not yet been reported upon. Justice OBrien
says that grave responsibility rests upon the
court in passing judgment upon what is "the most
stupendOus scheme of municipal Improvement and
expenditure ever undertaken
The opinion says that the nineteen routes Of SUBJ
way will cost S000Oo0GO for construction and $780,,
O!0O0o for equipment. or total Of S4500O060o. On
these grounds the opinion holds that the city is
confronted with big problem. for on January !.
1895 the total borrowing margin OF the city did not
exceed 6l0o0O0o, If all Of this was appTopriatad
for rapid transit construction the opinion says, II
is evident that there would DO nothing left for the
other departments OF the city. Continuing, it says
No doubt. in the future. with the growth OF
values, the assessments on property be cOnSd-
eraby increased. and thus the borrowing capacity
OF the city can be enlarged. but policy which
would seek unduly to add to burdens OF the tax
payer. which would seek artifcially TO create
values would be fatal, in our Judgment, to the
true and right development of city than the
failure to provide transit facilities.
We are thus brought back 70 a consideration OF
the most serious question as 20 the financial abil-
ity of the city and its bearing upon the approval
which ii sought from the court. Upon the record
before up i appears beyond the possibility Of
doubt that the city has not the financial ability
at the present time 70 undertake the building Of ali
approval will be practically 10 completely appFo-
pirate and tie every fhoroughfare leading into
and through Manhattan Borough.