New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-27
MUST GET PRIVATE AID.
METZ'S SUBWAY REMEDY.
City's only Recourse Is to Make
Bids 4ftractiue, He Saus.

Controller Metz says that the only thing that the
city can DO now that IL has failed to get bidder
for the proposed Seventh and Eighth avenues and
Lexington avenue subways. is TO make the terms
n the contract sufficiently attractive "a induce
,riyaro capital tc lid.
1T comes right down 10 a question 81 money, q"
Faid The Controller we haven't the money to
build q new subway in Manhattan BY building
p S5.ao0.1He section AT a time We can build the
Fourth avenue subway in Brooklyn. and the rise
IN real cstat, values In Brooklyn viii come preftv
near paying the bill from wear to year But I'm
Manhattan il is different. The Interborough people
won't build with thei" own capital under the terms
of The Eisberg bin and the city cannot very we'll
spare FROM S-oeo0o0o to $4,000 000 for the work
The best Thing for MS TO do is to make the
terms of the contract attractive that either the
INTERIOR IEh people or some else Will come
forward and build il with private capital You
can't monkey with capital When it does not like
q thing b. VIII leave Il severely alone inst as n
has tie proposed subway. John Ford and Fred
Iiinrichs had their day. and the result OF their
effort was the Elsberg law. under which we can
not get bid FOR subWays. The law may be all
right but il is a mighty poor substitute for the
actual subway. We've got 10 have the suhways
anywaT. and We might as well make the contract
sufficiently attractive 10 private capital for the
work
Mayor Mcclellan would not comment on the sub
way situation. The feeling at the City Hall is that
the Public Utilities bill is passed at once as
seems probable The Rapid Transit Commission
need NOT concern itself about subways. The initia-
tive then viii he taken by the new commission
Chief Engineer Rice lakes issue with T. P.
Shouts chairman Of The executive committee OF the
lnierhoro ugh Metropolitan Company who said that
The double Gecked Lexington avenue plan was an
'operatIus mUnstrosity.' and that many OF the
conditions of THE contract were unreasonably
OnerOus,
Practically every change from the old contract
is in the interest Of the property holder said M
Rice yesterday. The open ditch work was per
milted Iht urst contract because the commission
was 1esrfuI thar il would NOT gel bidder Cover
ing the work il progresses, SO not inter
fere with traffic, is required IN the contract.
solely IN tie interest Of the pubic. OF course II
Will cost more TO build the subways this way
perhaps - per cent more.
The Insurance OF property owners against dam
age Is more complete IN the new than IN the old,
ana mat, TOO, IS warranted. As TO the lexington
avenue p!al! belnG, an operating nonStl osltE,
must say that ! do not exactly understand Mr..
shonts. Chief Engineer Parsons, now with Mr..
Sh0nts's own company. recommended this arrange
ment OF tracks IN Lexington avenue, and the idea
bar5;y be sccomTnodaied tbers As il IS planned 10
run the express trains the lower level, il
a slightly longer climb upstairs st three stations
il is an engineering problem and not at all seri-
.;SIr. shonts estimates that the proposed subway
Approximately" said Mr. Rice. ~ have made
10 eStlnale s.nee lfs ElsoeTg aM "ert mo eeet
what under the estimate Of Messrs. Parsons Deyo,
cost is due 10 The higher prices OF labor. the pro-
posed pipe galleries and the cost OF easements l
ON 90 for equipment The company already has
large power house with for additional power
units. The equipment item seems 10 me to be
700 large II might cost the city SO. 100000 10 build
q power plant bat the Interborough people have
one already As making the tunnel larger
1han the old I wish say that we laid out the
plan FOR an absolutely independent subway sys-
TEN II the marlborough builds the subway, so as
operate II IN conjunction with the present tunnel
the contract permits change in the plans as 10
make the new subway conform 20 the present one
The marlborough people are entirely cognizant or
this fact The company did not raise these objec-
lions AZ any Of the hearings the contract or
plans"
Charles Stewart Smith. Of the Rapid Transit Com
mission. said IN statement last night that the
only way for the city 70 build the subways was
10 amend the Esberg bill. He said there would
ultimately he a referendum vote. but that nothing
would be done FOR a wear. He did not think the
shonts proposition would be accepted. He pre-
dicted the time would come when surface and Gle
waited lines would be done away with and when
there would be subway lines under every principal
rfre