The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-08
ID. n. rs USE or BRIDGE.


CITY m suggests Stiffcr Contract whoa
Present. Ono Expires On August m.
The contract under which the BROOKLYN
Rapid Transit operates It's cars over the
Brooklyn Bridge will expire on August %.
when the Board Of Estimate will Ak the
terms Of q new agreement. TIE original
contract for the operation OF ears over
the bridge was made in 1897 and renewed
In 1893.
Under the contract about to expire tho
Brooklyn Rapid Transit pays an annual
rental to the city Of $40. 800, and In addition
10 cents for every elevated car and a per-
oentage Of the net receipts. running on a
sliding scale from s per cent. on profit,
Of from $40, 1000 TO $4,000 up to rs per cent.
In q letter just sent to the Mayor by the
City ii the suggestion 10 made tina in
making q new contract these rates of pay
ment be readiusted and that in future no
be given to the B. r. t. II 10 pointed out
In this communication that the bridge,
including tracks m termini, IL city
property and that the city has not only re-
hnquished the xeturns 1t used "a get .Rrpm
loses some Of the recsipts it mls6t Serlvs
from vehicle trafio were the foadways
less crowded The letter goes on to say:
We submit that. In view Of these facts and
OF tho radical changes In conditions af eoting
the value Of transit privileges during the last
ten years and Of the peculiar value Of the
use Of the interboroush bridge connection,
tho returns to tho city under a renewal Of
this franchise should be based upon an exact
and careful reappraisal Of the present value
Of the franchise to the operating company.
The City Club believes that the elasticity
in the contract that We suggest in the matter
Of the non-exclusiveness Of the rights granted
and In the reservation OF the right TO terminate
upon fair notice 10 also demanded by the
interests Of the city. The solution Of many
problems OF transit now In an uncertain stage
Of development depends upon the control a
the right Of way across the Brooklyn Bridge.
IL may be said. in fact, that mo section Of
the transit system is Of greater or more strats-
eio importance than this. The situation IN
the near future may well demand the opera
tipn OF other cars across the bridge than
those Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company.
and such operation might very conceivabiy
be permitted without prejudice 70 the opsr-
sting usefulness Of that company. Tho city
itself has Just contracted for the construction
at It's own expense Of the subway connection
between the Manhattan termini OF the Brook.
lyn and Williamsburg bridges. Tho question
OF the operation Of connecting trains between
those b~ridges-tbat IL. WHISTLER they shall DO
the trains OF the Brooklyn company or OF some
other company or possibly trains operated by
the city itself-has not been settled. II the
city itself. in the exigencies Of some future
situation, IL compelled to operate these trains
II may well be that 1t would ind IL desirable
to include the bridges themselves within the
sphere Of such operation. Opportunity for
such readjustment az new situations may
require should therefore be left perfectly
free.
The City Club asks the Mayor and the
Board Of Estimate to insist upon a. clause
giving to either party the right to terminate
the agreement after three months notice.