The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-22
CONNECTING R. R. IS ASSURED.
PENNA. n. n. AND CITY OFFICIALS
REACH AN AGREEMENT.
City's Compensation Only 10 Per Gent.
More Than First Proposed. hut the Art
commission VIII Have . Look In on
the Bridge J~ob-Year's Deadlock Ends.

commission Will Have o Look In on
the Bridge Job-Year's Deadlock Ends.
The deadlock which has existed for more
than a year between the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company and the city over the
terms upon which the franchise for the
New York Connecting Railroad should be
granted has been ended. Mayor Mcclellan,
! vice-Presiden Samuel Rea OF the Pennsyl-
vanis and representatives of the Rapid
Transit Commission. the Corporation
Counsel and the dock department reached
an agreement at a long conference held
yesterday.
The proposed line has been planned TO
form a link between the Pennsylvania and
the New Haven and Hartford railroads,
and is to be operated in conjunction with
the tunnel which the Pennsylvania Is now
building between Jersey City and Long
Island City if il should be decided to use the
new line for passenger traffic; but the
stated purpose is for the present, at least,
to Use the new line for freight traffic.
1t is intended to carry freight from Jer-
sey City across the bay to Bay Ridge, where
the freight cars will be carried over the
Long Island Railroad tracks to Sunnyside.
a suburb OF Long Island City. From that
point the new line will start. By means of
a viaduct the line will be taken to a spot
opposite Wards Island and will be stretched
across the East River by means of a bridge
100 feet high, with supports on Wards Island
and then extending from the island TO the
Mott Haven yards Of the New Haven.
nh 81 -
Of the application and was prepared TO
grant the franchise, but the Aldermen, who
at that time had a voice in franchise matters,
a power which the Legislature has since de-
prived them of. held up the grant. When
the franchise authority of the Aldermen
was vested in the Board of Est that
body also refused to agree to grant the
franchise on the terms which had been
accepted by the Rapid Transit Commits
sion. The commission consented TO give
the franchise 10 the company for a total
payment of about 81, I25. 900 for the first
twenty-five year term Of the franchise. II
was also agreed that in resdjusting the terms
at the end of that period, if no agreement
could be reached. the Appellate Division
should be the arbiter. When the applica-
ton reached the Board of Estimate that
body exactly doubled the amount Of the
compensation; il was insisted that the ad-
justment at the end of twenty-five years
should be fixed by a city commission; the
company was asked to undertake the ex-
pense of street openings which might be
made through the marsh lands in Queens
and many restrictions were imposed, such
as charging not more than five cents for
the carrying Of passengers between The
b~oroughs, the providing of footpaths across
the bridge and the use of electricity for
motive power.
The company refused to accept these con-
ditions and for more than a year the project
has remained in allegiance. Of late, how
ever, there has been a growing demand
from people on the other side of the East
River that the city should permit the build
ing of the road. The mere announcement
of the plans Of the company has greatly
added to property values in the district
through which the line will pass.
Two weeks ago the Pennsylvania com-
pany applied 10 the Board OF Estimate for
permission to close several streets in the
~Sunnyside section OF Queens to provide
terminal facilities for the new tunnel rail-
road. Mayor Mcclellan took advantage
of this TO bring about a reopening of the
NEGOTIATIONS. 7 cHIlSllNdIld IfNlbiNltu
and the agreement Is the outcome.
In a statement issued yesterday on be-
half Of the Mayor il was asserted that the
city had got the best end of the deal, but
as a matter Of fact the company seems
to have secured the advantage on the more
important points OF dispute. Part Of this
statement reads:
The railroad grants an increase in money
am Of IN n anNN AWar UIa AwHNa
offered the road by the Rapid Transit COM
mission. These are the terms which the
Mayor took issue with at the time. The
railroads contention in refusing additional
compensation then was that the city would
be largely compensated by the great increase
in the value OF property by this great public
Improvement. This argument was purely
hypothetical when il was made. Since then. in
mere anticipation of the construction of the
road. property values along its route have
increased IS per cent, ample evidence OF
The s~Oundness OF the railroads argum ent,
with this proof before him the Mayor felt
justified in fixing the money compensation
at an amount 10 per cent. in excess OF the
terms proposed by the Rapid Transit Com
mission.
The happy result Of this conference just ies
the delay which was necessary to get terms
fair to the city. The plans for the bridge.
and any and all passenger stations which
may be erected, are 10 be referred 10 the
art commission for approval. All adver-
Using matter on the property of the railroad
company is TO be excluded. and the company
agrees to pay IN e cost of any additional
work made necessary by their construction
in the regarding OF streets or the rebuilding
of any portion of the sewer system affected
in the borOughs through which the railroad
pa sses.
An important advantage obtained by
the company is that the reimbursement Of
terms at the end Of every twenty-five years
is to be determined by the Appellate Division
should the city authorities and the COM
pany fail to agree upon terms. The effect
Of this will be 10 prevent any forfeiture
of the franchise by the city in case Of dis
pute. Further, in the matter of street
openings the company is not asked 20 bear
the whole Of the cost, as was demanded by
the Board OF Estimate. No attempt was
made at the conference TO compel the COM
pany to provide roads on it's bridge for foot
and vehicular traffic.
TEIIHlN AGREES NTH ID AHER