New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-03
SAKE BILL COSTLY.
NAY TAX CITY HEALTHY
Doubt Raised That Tracks Can Be
Taken off EleUenth Auenue.

George L. Sterling. the assistant corporation
counsel who has general supervision of fran
chise legislation In the law department, said
yesterday that the city could not tear out the
tracks OF the New-York Central Railroad in
Eleventh avenue until it has reached equi-
table agreement with reference TO damages with
the company
Speaking as a citizen. and not in my capac-
fty as an official OF the city's law department.
should say that a bill compelling the Central
to depress It's tracks the main line Of the
road between Poughkeepsie and Hudson. for
example. would be easy of enforcement the
Sake BILL" said Mr.. Sterling. There cannot be
any question Of the company's right to operate
tracks In Eleventh avenue. 1t has enjoyed that
right since 1S4S. and successfully defended 1t in
numerous actions at law. The road originally
extended as far south Chambers street, and
taxpayers forty years ago sought to prevent
the company from running cars through down.
town streets
There isn't any question with reference to
the desirability OF getting the of the
street level but there is very great doubt
about the city being able TO take those tracks
off the street unless 1t is done by agreement
with the company, after the city agrees to pay
the company for all damages. present and pro-
spective. on account OF the abandonment of
the tracks
When the tracks built the West
Side fifty years ago. the city was only too glad
to have them there, they furnished solu-
ton for serious traffic problem. II those
tracks should be summarily removed as a
suit of the passage of the SAKE bill, unless the
Rapid Transit Commission and the Board OF
Estimate and Apportionment can find way to
furnish good freight distributing system.
the business men on the West Side would be
hea 7 hat FULLY nd
of them would suffer serious financial loss by
having to adjust themselves to a new system
OF distribution.
Some of the steamship companies paying the
city about 100000 year for pier rental would
find their business seriously crippled, the
Central's tracks run right alongside these piers.
and freight is handled at q minimum OF cost.
Assessed valuations on the West Side. with the
tracks Of the company taken away. would drop
tremendously.
The Central has issued bonds and stocks on
the present and prospective earning capacity of
the freight distributing facilities on the West
Side and when II comes to settlement all
features Of this sort will have TO be taken into
account"
What will be the outcome of the contro-
versy?" Mr.. Sterling asked.
THE only way out that I can see II the
company proves that 1t is inlpracticable to oper-
city to consent to the building of elevated
system There are many objections TO elevated
tracks, but II the company won't stand for any
thing else IL is difficult TO see how the city
can find the money to defray the expense
incident to the doing away of the tracks.
this would the establishment elsewhere,
at the city's expense. of great freight distrib-
uting system for the Central.
I'm commenting in this manner on the situa-
ton presented by the passage Of the SAKE bill
not speaking for the law department. The
department will strive TO protect the city's in
terests under the law"
It announced at the City Hall yesterday
that the Mayor would give hearing on Mon
day. March u. on the Saxe-Stanley bill for the
doing away of the steam tracks on Eleventh
avenue.