New-York tribune., 1907-11-21
LONG ISLAND LIKE GAUL
DIPDED INTO 3 PARTS.
b. Il. L. Inquiry DiscEoses Terri
tor3aL agreement Bettceen Roads.


isted between that company and the Long Island
railroad Company by which they had parcelled
out Long Island into territory which each was 10
have exclusively. Following this disclosure Tho
commission at its public meeting issued an or5er
directed 10 the Long Island Railroad Connpanv +o
show why it should not resume certain local ser
vice from East New York TO Long Island City dis
continued apparently in pursuance of the agree
Bient.
This agreement. whose existence had been denied
many umes ny officials OF the Brooklyn Rapid
transit Company, made first in April 1899
when the late William II. Baldwin jr was presi-
dent OF the Long Island Railroad Company and
MI Rossiter president OF the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company. It was amended last year to
permit the Long Island Railroad Company to pur-
chase half interest in the New York Ss Long Isl
and Railroad Company, the Belmont tunnel con-
Germ.
The original document was q long. involved. prac-
Jlcally incomprehensibIe affair. William NJ WINS
who conducted the inquiry, confessed that he had
Wrestled prayerfuly'' TO understand it without
marked success. Edwin w. Winter president of
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and Colonel
Timothy 5. Williams vice-presideut, whose expert
ence with the company is longer than Mr.. Winters
both admitted that many parts of it We're worse
than Greek 10 them. They declared that it proba-
hly would not have held in court and that neither
party to it would have thought Of taking it into
court.
Whatever the actual technical, legal meaning OF
the agreement was, the testimony brought out by
Nlr WINS left not much doubt what its practical
effect had been. The agreement fixed as Brooklyn
Rapid Transit territory all of Kings County and
part OF Queens; Long Island territory part of
Queens and all OF Nassau and Suffolk; and as ueu-
rTal territory College Point, Jamaica Flushing
the islands in Jamaica Bay. Neither party to the
agreement was to enter the neutral territory. To
illustrate how complete a monopoly this agreeInent
gave to the two companies Mr.. WINS put into evil
dence letter from R. Walter Creuzbaur, consult
ing engineer to the Borough President of Brook
lyn- OF the agreement this letter declared:
1t precludes the possibility of any traffic arrange
The Coney Island & Brooklyn Railroad.
Il pFecludes any ny extension by the Long Island
nqw served BY the transit system s company 71E
trc hallway vi by isoiatng that trolley sim ne from
o9ns9datiGn 3risS with the Brooklyp Rapid IT Transit
territory additional facilities for reaching Brook
The New York & Queens County Railroad
lsteinway franchise was to be precluded from
with existing lines.
former rera ting nri,ges nv This agTeemenf: this
appears to be designed to favor the Long Island
# preserves i5-cent fare. for express passenger
The Long Island system reserves the right TO
operate all lines in the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
% stea Grossng any or or all brides to- to Manhattan an
bridges. practically giving the Long Island RAN
road Company franchise rights which
is pending application before the Board of Esti-
Manhattan Bridge Cthis matter has been re-
ferred by the Board Of Estimate 10 the Corporation
counsel for advice as to jurisdiction over the
the Rg 2 b eF bg the 9ng Island and
The New York & Long Island Electric and CON
Inc to Leerty s and Grant avenues This ap6ears
The alliance appears 10 have tied UP future de-
Ielopment Of Jamaica Bay and is islands as to
transportation by turning over this territory 10
one railroad, which may make its own rates
The hearing yesterday was held before Commits.
Fioner McCarroll, with Commissioner Bassett pres
"ut good part OF the time. President Winter
the first witness. Mr. Wins Immediately asked
linn about this agreement, and Mr. Winter
Tossed its existence. II constituted, he said, a
measure OF protection for the two companies,
20 assure the holding by each of its legitimate
territory Mr.. WINS asked him questions along
The line of the Kreuzbaur letter, and Mr.. Winter
admitted by his answers that the engineers inter
pretation Of the agreement was correct in about
all its details This alliance agreement" pre-
vented the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company
extending It's service into Queens County, he said.
j would prevent any traffic arrangement between
the Long Island and the Coney Island & Brook
ly Railway Company, although he did not think
that this prohibition had worked to prevent
measure of success for the latter company; it
never vas destined to become heavy competitor
VI the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company. The
agreement had little effect the express bust
ness Mr. Winter said. It did not prevent the
National Express Company from operating over
the lines Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company
up to the time Of its absorption by the American
Express Company, which now was carrying out
the Nationals contract
Mr. Wins then took up the question OF rates from
Jamaica New York-a trip which could be made
by way Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit or by way
nf the Queens County surface roads and the Bel
mont tunnel il that institution were in use. He
asked If this agreement did not make necessary
maintaining the fare at 10 cent? and would not
cost a passenger desiring to use the tunnel from
j. 10 Is cents his entire trip. Mr.. Winter could
not see II In that light The trip from Jamaica TO
New York now could be made. he said, for five
cents by combination of elevated and surface
lines. Mr. Wins then called his attention 10
paragraph the revised agreement treating of the
Joint rate between the InterboTough and the tun-
ne company prohibiting the charging of less than
% cents. Mr. Winter thought that reduction in
tnis rate would not operate to hurt his company
mach, II any harm resulted. Mr.. WINS. though.
lnpha sized this point, which he thought of great
interest 10 the Pubic Service Commission, in view
q the agitation by Queens residents for J-cent
fare To Manhattan through the Belmont tunnel
Mr Winter declared that ne never attached much
Importance 20 the agreement There could be, in
~ proba bity no penalty enforced for its viola
tion. He said that there no money for his
company I'm carrying passengers fourteen miles for
iye cents-indeed il that business could be sep
srsted from the short haul business IT would show
distinct net loss each passenger. Such bust
ness was transacted only with the view OK picking
up Intermediate short haul business.
The agreement stipulated that the Long Island
system might operate the lines of the Brook
TN Rapid Transit system, crossing any or all
BRIDGES into Manhattan This, Mr.. Winner said.
undoubtedly had reference to the operation Of
trains from the shore resorts, AS they win
40 operated over the Williamsburg Bridge when a
criminal IS buii;. He doubted greatly whether L
would permit tee Long Island TO use the Brooklyn
Rapid T-sfsifs franchise rights ti.e Manhat-
tsn Bridge, under the applications now pending