The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-12
MORE BRIDGE LOOP DELAY.
RAPID TRANSIT BOARD TO GIVE
PUBLIC HEARINGS.

Cllief Engineer Rice Reports That II II
Feasible 10 Reconstruct the Manhattan
End Of the Bridge 80 ~ 10 AccOmmo-
date subway Trains tunnel Delay.
The Rapid Transit Board decided ycster-
day that IL would have some more hearings
on whether the Brooklyn and Williamsburg
bridge terminals should be connected by
subway or elevated loops. The question
has been threahed out time and again in
tho last few years. and everybody thought
from the recent official action Of the board
that the public hearing stage had been
safely passed. Several weeks ago the board
decided that Il would go ahead and lay out
both routes, 40 that either could be put
through without delay when the final de-
cision was made.
A resolution laying out a route on the
Brooklyn side was introduced at yesterdays
meeting, but "a six members were not pres
ent 1t had TO go over. At this point Presl-
dent Orr suggested that more public hear
ings should be given. Commissioner Led
yard did not seem to like the suggestion.
we lave already decided to take a GER
tain course in this matter" said he, and II
We bring the matter up again for public
discussion il would be like resolving to do
something and then calling for public hear
ings to see whether we will do it or not
The board however, decided to give the
hearing neHt Thursday; II necessary the
hearing will be extended to Friday.
Chief Engineer Rice reported to the board
that il was feasible to reconstruct the Man
haitian end Of the Brooklyn Bridge so that
trains could be run on it from a subway
loop and that the work could be carried
on without materially interfering with
the present bridge traffic. To accommodate
the additional tracks required, the report
said, IL would be necessary TO widen the
structure between Rose and Pearl streets
to nearly the full width of it's right OF way.
West Of Rose street and east Of Pearl street
the width would not be changed. In order
to provide subway tracks on the bridge
Mr.. Rice said il will be necessary to close
North William street and to lower William
street sixteen feet. He agrees with Bridge
COMMISSIONS Stevenson that the work will
cost about 5000, 900. In conclusion the
report says:
As TO the question whether the cars operated
in the present subway can safely run across
the bridge. l would say that the weight OF
the subway cars in proportion to their length
differs very little from the weight OF the
bridge cars in proportion to their length, and
therefore. without making any theoretical
investigation. il Is natural to assume that the
subway cars can safely run across the bridge,
provided. however. that the total length
OF the train is not materially increased,
George W. Wickersham, chief counsel
for the marlborough Construction Com
pany asked the board not to infiict the
penalties on the sub-contractors for delay
in the work Of building the extension Of
the subway to Brooklyn. He said that
the work both under the East River and in
Fulton street had been prosecuted with
extraordinary diligence and that what
ever there had been to delay IL had been
mostly due to circumstances over which the
sub-contractors had no control.
The matter was referred to the chief
engineer for investigation q report. h
penalty il l per cent. a month on all pay
ments made on the contract.