The sun., 1907-04-27
DODGE NEW SUBWAY PROBLEM
r. II. BOARD LIKELY TO PASS 1T
on TO NEW COMMISSION.


Objections Raised by the Inter-Met Are
Not Well TAken-Diss ensIOns I'm the
Company CITY Hasn't the Money Now.
It s the opinion OF Chief Engineer Rice
OF the Rapid Transit Commission that II
the lnterbOrough-M Metropolitan company
had really intended to put in bid for the
building Of the East and West Side extensions
Of the present subway many OF the OBJ
jections raised by Theodore p. Shonts.
the executive head Of the com pany, 10 the
terms Of the advertised contract could
easily have been acceded to.
Mr.. Rice said yesterday that for several
weeks the officials OF the company had
shown a vscillating policy. One day
they had let it be understood that they
would bid for the extensions and the next
day the intimation would go out that they
were unable to determine il it would be
to their advantage TO hid. 1t is under
stood that the reason for this seesawing
attitude was the result OF internal dissen-
sion. August Belmont has more than once
publicly declared that the city ought not
to build more subways until his company
had had a chance to get back some Of the
money it spent on the present subway,
favor at the meetings Of the directors OF
the Inter-Met going ahead and expanding
the system.
Mr.. Rice said that at the hearings held
by the commission on the form OF contract
the representatives OF the company had
never raised any of the objections outlined
in Mr. Shonts's letter to the board. There
was no great difference. Mr.. Rice said,
between the estimates Of cost Of con-
struction made by the company and those
made in this office. ! computed the cost
Of the extensions at about S44. 10000, while
the Interborough-Metr engineers
estimated the cost at about $4,000, 600,
but did not include in my estimate, as
they did, the outlays for easements. ter
minals and interest during construction.
"On a broad basis the estimates for con-
struction made by me and by the Inter-
borough metropolitan company are not
far apart, and that wipes out the first oblec-
tion urged by Mr. ShontS that the eX-
tensions would cost many millions more
than had been figured out in this ONCE.
IL is true that the cut and cover method
would be more expensive than the open
ditch style of eXcavating, but the COM
mission in preparing its plans has always
had in view the interests OF the property
owners so as not to have renewal OF the
conditions which prevailed when the first
tunnel was built and streets were torn up
and blocked for miles
MIR. Shonts has alluded TO the double
deck plans for Lexington avenue as an
operating monstroeity because OF the
trouble passengers would have in getting
to the lower track where the express trains
would run. But there are several points
on the present subways where passengers
have 70 use elevators TO get to the stations
and there is no complaint. MIR. Shonts's
objection in this respect is also without
ground, because between Forty-second
street and l25th street. the length Of the
double deck structure, there is to be only
one express station, that az Eighty sixth
street. | may cay that William Barclay
Parsons, s. L. r. Devo and George H.
Pegram, the engineers Of the lnterborough-
Metropolitan company, have often talked
over these plans with me and have never
criticised the double decked scheme for
Lexington avenue.
"Mr Shonts has said that II would be
absurd to bid where the contract, as it now
stands, calls for a tunnel higher and wider
than the existing subway and for longer
stations, but il is we'll known to MIR. Shonts
that our plans we're drawn for an independ-
ent subway, and that had the contract for
the extensions only gone to them there
would have been no trouble in so altering
the specifications as to make them agree
With the size and station capacity Of the
present rapid transit lines.
There seems to be little probability that
the Rapid Transit Commission will under
take the task of settling the problem
which has been presented TO them by the
Inter Met. Although the board has de-
cided to hold a public meeting on il next
Thursday, it can be asserted positively
that the majority Of the Commissioners be-
lieve that the situation should be left to the
new commission TO grapple with. Further
it can be stated that Comptroller Metz and
other city officials are agreed that even il
terms could be made with the company
the city is not financially able now 10 ad-
vance the money necessary TO build the ex
tensions.
II has been estimated that after provision
has been made for public improvements
already authorized the city will not be able
TO set aside more than So, 900 900 in the next
two years for the construction Of subways,
and part Of this sum will have to go for sub
ways In Brooklyn. Therefore, Mr.. Metz
said yesterday. It would be impossible for
the city TO undertake the building Of a new
subway in Manhattan at its own expense.
: The only thing to be done. Mr.. Metz said.
so far as l can see is to make the terms
for the construction and operation Of new
in this borough so attractive as
to induce the investment OF private capital
in the building OF new lines"