New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-25
NO BIDS ON SUBWAYS.
INTER.-uET. STAYS OUT.
Will Make Ne1O offer to Rapid
Transit Commission Instead.

II sNNDaL k~ONAULtooNOst n NoNNAA~'
In place Of bids for the construction and oper-
alton Of the proposed new subways in LeXing-
ton avenue, I'm Seventh and Eighth avenues and
sn Jerome avenue under the terms Of the adVer-
tised contracts. the Interborough- Metropolitan
company viii send TO the Rapid Transit Com
mission to-day formal statement of reasons
why no offer 10 construct and operate these
subways under the conditions of the contracts
can be made With the statement however, will
be some kind Of proposition TO extend the pres
ent subway system by constructing and operat-
ing the Lexington avenue subway north OF IA
street and the West Side subway south of 42d
street. provided the Rapid Transit Commission
can consent TO certain notifications of the con-
tracts.
The decision Of the marlborough directors 10
make such a statement. embodying PROPOSE
ton which the Rapid Transit Commission may
feel bound to reject was reached yesterday after
a series OF meetings and conferences lasting
several days. The directors have been agreed, it
Is said that the conditions OF subway constitute
fion imposed by the Rapid Transit Commission
under the Elsberg law were too severe to per-
init Of the employment OF the companys capl-
tai or any private capital in such an under
taking, but they disagreed for a long time as
10 the policy Of making a complete statement
TO the commission and the public regarding
LlOollcaliOnS OF the advertised SplilAeNtS AiAoiA
the company could accept
August Belmont and his associates in the COM
pany's directorate. according TO information OBJ
tanned yesterday from a trustworthy source.
have appreciated the Importance of extending
the present subway system north from 42d
street in Lexington avenue and south from 42d
street in Broadway. as 10 make practically
an East Side subway and West Side subway,
doubling the capacity of the present subway and
cutting down the time of transit between the
Battery and The Bronx both the East side
and the West Side. At the same time they have
felt that the company should have the right TO
give such benefits TO the travelling public OF
the city on terms which would be reasonable.
The statement which win be submitted 10 the
Rapid Transit Commission to-day is expected
20 make the company's position entirely clear.
Theodore p. Shonts, president OF the company,
said yesterday that such statement had been
prepared That was all he would say about it.
He was asked # the company would make any
bid in connection with the statement, and he
replied that It would not be courteous 10 the
commission TO give information TO the public
before the commission received il. Mr.. Shonts
was asked If he expected that the commission
would be able TO accept any offer of the COM
pany to build and operate extensions Of the
present subway, and declined TO answer.
At the Office of the Rapid Transit Commission
Il said there was practical certainty that
the InteTborough would have no rival in bid
ding for subway extensions under the adver-
fised contracts. Nobody with financial backing.
except the InterborOugh. il was said, had been
making study Of the conditions such as any
bidder must make. The only question TO be set
tied to-day. therefore whether the Inter
borough would or would not bid
As there viii be subway bids under the
advertised contracts for the Rapid Transit Com
mission TO open to-day. it win be easy for the
commission 10 make answer TO the injunction or
der issued by Justice Bischof in the Supreme
Court late yesterday afternoon. The order is
for a temporary injunction restraining the COM
mission from opening subway bids and awarding
contracts to-day. motion to make the in
junction permanent is TO be argued in Special
Term. Part l. on Monday.
The Lexington avenue route, as laid out by
the Rapid Transit Commission, was to run
down Lexington avenue from the Harlem River
10 42d street. connecting there with the nres
ent subway through Both and Both streets 10
broadway, and down Broadway TO City Hall
Park running TO Battery Park through Church
The Seventh and Eighth avenue line was to
run from The Bronx TO the Battery, using
Eighth avenue 10 cd street and Seventh avenue
belOW mat point 10 Hudson street.
The temporary injunction was obtained by
the law firm Of Zabriskie. Murray & Burrell Of
80 - wan street, representing some of the
Broadway and Fifth avenue merchants who are
opposed 10 the construction of a subway on the
cut and cover plan in front OF their places Of
business. These merchants have a lively mem
ory OF the conditions which paralyzed business
1or years in Elm street in Fourth avenue and
IN 4zd street, While the construction Of the pres
ent subway was in progress.
The restraining order applies only to that
part OF The line known as the Lexington avenue
route, between Both street and 14th street in
Fifth avenue and Broadway. Among the plain
tiffs in the application are W. & j. Sloane the
GoTham Company, Alfred G. Evans Edwin II
Weatherbee, Arnold Constable & Co. Aitken.
Son & Co., Baumgarten & Co. and Benjamin
Altman.