New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-09
HINRICHS HITS BOARD.
TALKS ON RAPID TRANSIT.
FaUOrs the Elsberg Bill at City Club
Dinner.

The city Club last night gave dinner to mem
hers and guests. The subject for discussion was
THE Development OF Rapid Transit in the CITY
~ York George l.. Rives. of counsel for
toe Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners, and
Charles Stewart Smith. member, were down for
speeches Austen G. Fox presided.
Frederic w. Hinrlchs uttered the only discoTdant
note Of the evening when he criticised the present
Rapid Transit Commission. He said the commits
sion WAS brought mp i'm entirely different at
inosphere from the majority Of the people. ana
that it did not understand the sentiment of the
masses on rapid transit and other matters He Saio
the demands Of the large majority ought 10 Dc
needed, IL did not always approve OF ileiii-
lie declared himself in favor of the Elsberg bill
and urged that IL should be supported He ssld
he had appeared in favor of it at the hearing in
Albany on behalf of the civic committee or the
Citizens Union. He regretted the absence OF SEN
ator Elsberg that he might defend the bill himself
Answering the criticism Of the twenty-year lease
feature of the BILL he said:
As ! understand it, the hill provides for twenty
hve-year lease with renewal OF o"e ,, geI IN
Boston, where twenty-fve-year lease only was
offered, there was no trouble IN getting puoers'
Mr. Hinrichs criticised the system under which
the present subways were constructed whereby
the contractor, Mcdonald he said, made S0p0,ooO
at the start by undertaking TO construct the SUB
way for sS5OoaNo and subletting it for 100000
Mr. Hinrichs, continuing, said that the people
were more aroused now than over the distri-
button Of public privileges private corporations
The Metropolitan and Interborough merger, with
its vatered stock, he said. calculated to make
them more discontinued. He said in closing:
The public think that they understand the rapid
haVe great potential va1es in their streets The
people realize this more than they ever did before
They feel that they have been properly treated
The masses even now are beginning TO believe that
The rich even IN the courts get better treatment
The sentiment that they are being unjustly treated
them and seek some solution Of the conditions of
which they complain. II this is not done, l say
in the Governors chair Of this State whose name
country.
Mr.. Smith said he had been member of the
Board Of Rapid Transit Commissioners for over
ten years. He said Abram s. Hewitt the
father OF subway rapid transit in New York, and
referred him NeW-Tork's most prominent and
useful citizen IN his day. He recalled the efforts
that Mr.. Hewitt had made while Mayor 10 get a
bill through the legislature and how the bill had
died IN committee.
II revived in Mayor Grants administration.
the following year. he said and IN 1889 Messrs.
Starin. Belmont and Woodbury. Langdon were ap-
pointed commissioners. II was not until 1894 that
the present commission came into existence, with
Alexander E Orr it's president He paid tib-
ute TO President Orr for his twelve years service
president Of the board. and spoke particularly
Of Mr.. Orr's answering faith in the subway sys-
TEN.
lie spoke OF the dIlatory and costly methods when
enterprises are undertaken by the municipality
You viii all agree With me. ! know he said,
that Il is better that enterprises should be
directed by business rather than the munich
pal authorities
He said the present board had laid out nineteen
routes. with a total length OF 165 miles. The
would be between s25OO000 900 and s3ooc0o.O0o.
Some Of the younger men here may live 10 see
their completion. and more too" ne said.
He referred IN closing 20 the Elsberg bill. and
said the twenty years Limitation would be practi-
ocaiy prohbitory Of development of the sub
q N-av system.
Mr.. RiNes the next speaker He said the
future development OF rapid transit cold
business proposition. The city had in its streets
valuable property and it its duty make the
best possible Of il. He said:
One principle is that going 10
give away in the future sell any of the rights
10 the Of the streets Since the referendum of
1924 all subteranean rapid transit shall belong 10
the city and be leased only to private individuals.
Mr.. Rives. after noting the twenty year lease
limitation feature Of the EsberE bill, deplored the
efforts that had been made 20 restrict the powers
Of the Rapid Transit Commission
Bridge Commissioner James W. Stevenson spoke
briefly. He declared that If real estate
sessed at its fun value there would be sl5GO0000
S2l00010ae more available next July for public
improvements
Letters Of regret We're read from Edward NJ.
Shepard and Controller Herman A. Metz