The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-04
BROOKLYN RAPID TRANSIT.
Reply Of President winter TO Criticisms
by President COler,


Hon. Bird 8. Coler, President Of The Borough
Of Brooklyn, Brooklyn, N. Y.
DEAR SIR: | received last evening your
open letter of the LIST inst, referring TO a
reported interview in an evening paper
10 which 4 am quoted az saying in eneet
that certain work OF extensions, DC. is
retarded "by the holdup of consents and
permits to which you take exception.
Without entering in detail upon your
review of our errors of omission and COM
mission, but few of which ] am able TO
identify, l may be allowed to offer as partly
accounting for the impression forced upon
me, that your attitude was one OF unquali-
fed opposition to work of this character,
a paragraph from your authorized public
declaration given to the press under date
Of February 0 ult., which happens to be
on my desk;
While the company continues its present
policy. mine Ia to be one Of unrelenting hos
tillty. | shall try to make it prove its right
10 every foot of track it has in our streets.
I shall carry TO the highest court. II need
be. the question OF its. right to extend ls
power and its system under the cover OF an
all comprehensive injunction. Every APP
plication which it shall make for n new iran
chise 1 shall oppose. Every franchise 1t has
acquired Dlt not ubtu L bnau itIuSe w i'N'A
ME. &c.
lam now all the more gratited to receive
the assurance that | mistook your meaning
and that no feeling of hostility was intended
to be expressed. but, on the contrary,
that It is your desire to treat the trouble
acme problems with which we are engaged
and earnestly irving TO solve with the sole
object of aiding that work from the stand
y point of the public good, not to emDarrHsS
or retard its progress.
1t will, perhaps, be accepted even by
YOU as some evidence OF the sincerity OF
our purpose to improve transit conditions
In Brooklyn that there has been expended
20 that end, within the three years last
past, upward of SIC, 900 900, besides a much
larger amount than ever before IN the same
period for maintenance and repairs, and
that new work of construction and improve
ment amounting to more than 5000, 900 Is
authorized for the present calendar year.
The credit which has enabled this COM
pany to procure this very cons'deraple
sustained by decrying the CONDITIONS n
institutions of Brooklyn. Much has been
truthfully spoken against transit faciil5
ties in Brooklyn, and much has been sald
that truth could not justify. The evil
effect of a habit of miscellaneous exaggera-
ton which has befallen some OF US when dis
cussing this subject is reflected more or
less on every legitimate business interest
In the borough, while serving also to en-
nance the financial and physical difficulties
Inherent to the transit situation.
Whether or not the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company will be able to steadily proceed
with the work which it has undertaken
depends upon the continuance of that con-
fidence on the part Of investore-not specu-
lators-which it has succeeded in creating
and the measure of cooperation given It by
the city government and the Brooklyn
public, which, for its w interest, TINS
company desires efficiently TO serve.
In the meantime be assured of our ,readl-
ness at all times to meet you and your
official representatives on the basis oil
frank, direct and fair minded conside ration
of every matter in which the borough and
transit company are mutually concerned
In this spirit we ought to reach common
ground and jointly promote the common
i good, but neither can, it seems to me. he
done to much effect through discussion
between US in public print.
You will, therefore, | trust, excuse me
from engaging in that method OF com
municatlon on behalf Of this company.
Yours truly,
MARGINS F.. W WINTER, President.