New-York tribune., 1907-04-15
RAPID TRANSIT REPORT
Onlv Limit to Nc7c Lines Is Finances
of the City.

T7e annual report for 1905 Of the Board OF Rapid
Transit Railroad Commissioners, which is TO be
sbolshed Il the Public Utilities bill becomes law,
hss lust come from the press. The report covers
N detail the work OF the board since the construc-
fon snd operation Of the subway. the gst of which
has been summarized from time 10 time in the news
columns OF The Tribune. The Board makes no
comment whatever on the Utilities bill. Looking
into The future the report says that the Tapidity
az the construction Of public service utilities Will
be prevented only by the failure OF the city TO
raise enough money TO carry on the work The re-
port says:
The resources Of the City Of New York, magnnin- gn
cent as they ere not unlimited and II IS CERTAIN
that Il any large measure OF rellef IS 70 De oD- %
soinef these resources must be largely drawn OF.
TIE compreh hensive scheme OF TINS boaIo nes .s
ly characterized by ne court as Ie and S
renditiIre ever undertaken. and without ps6a1.el
rsopis M Of what we have reason for thinking VIII
te the greatest city In the World. zs %
ne public for better terms from contractors may
lad 10 Increased cost 70 the CITY Is ILLS
ever believes that e may now Justiy
shs city upon the prospect OF Dslhs IA o3 = IHs-
soon secure a complete thorough and pernaalleIlt p
SOLUTION OF the more pressing PS PsVHe Ta made ur-
5t 6T the size and difficult by the amazing rapid
iy OF growth OF the metropolis
Touching on the Elsberg bill. which was pun
nboa nj the time the report has this sisnihcall1
paragraph:
Rtbe Rapid Transit Board is TO continue TO sxiss @
a. .n lie work car only be wisely PERFORMED 10y
slsvinf n the Initiative in planning both tne sSpPS
n "a undertakings and the manner IN Wnlc!a LeS ~
fhe board of Estimate is 10 examine anu al ;os
these plans when presen "a ESesifSeT't for
era lftrsses the plans Of a Borough -
q section o. the city map or his projects LOT
45 EBoers NJ Estimate and Apportionment has
no sraesl acouaiutance with the facts when M.
make one form OF contract more or less
in a particular case Ihat speclais ps IN ev other
,aT4 If fhe RAND Transit act Il IS the haplu
III Board which IS to plan and Suggest, anu We y.
Board Of Estimate and Appcruohfneht "HieH - -
approve and authorize
The board admits that the work on the East
River tunnels has Jagged" and candidly reports
that much Of the delay caused by the death OF
Mr. Onderdonk the original sub contractor
Further on this topic the report says;
A very serious cause OF delay has been due TO
The necessity Of reconstructing part OF the Work
An J0ralemon street and for a short distance un-
an fba East River AS early as the beginning Of
fsA the engineer of the board had occasion 70
CTitciss the method employed by the suD-ooil-
tractors IN tunneling under Joralemon street. aIlu
money was withheld from time 10 t!Ifle ltoiu l-to
contractor on account Of this defective work IN
the end Il was found that the tunnel had setue0
n some places that a uniform grace was NOT
obtained and IL this had not been corrected u
would have been difficult 10 run Trans ltoush "'
g high speed. -,
tunne thus affected VIII Tot delay the opeTauon OF
the road because all this work can be done Defore
The tunnels under the East River are ready lor
tne passage Of trains.
The rest OF the report IS given 20 detailed COM
munlcatlons 10 the Mayer on investigation OF COM
plants against the subway service, etc, all Of
which has been reported in The Tribune heretofore.