New-York tribune., 1909-03-09
TO SPEND $5O,OOO,OOO
ON CITY'S SUBWAYS
TNTER.-MET. RE-1DI TO
MIKE BIG OUTLAY.
lfr. Sbonts Says Figures H-W Be
Giren to Public SerUjCe Commits
sion Within Fe5C DAYS.


ho-oIch-Netropolitan COMPANY announced yes
to-day that the company would present to the
rrb1ic Service Commission within a few days A
comprehensive plan for the extension of its
s,,hv,av system. involving the expenditure Of
ssa aaO ooo Of this amount the city viii be
asked 10 supply only 100000. The cost of the
r-esent subway was approximately S45oOo,0o0.
Nr. ShontS's announcement was made at the
cren hearing held by the Public Service Com
mission on the application Of the Hudson &
Manhattan Railroad Company. the McAdoo con-
carn. to extend its present subway system from
go street and Sixth avenue 10 the Grand Cen
.-s1 Station Mr.. Shonts refused to make pub
,,c +he details Of the Interborough plan. but It
Vas learned that il contemplates the extension
IF the present subway north the East Side
from the Grand Central Station and south on
he West Side from Times Square. thus form
Ing through north and south route on each
side Of the city.
The only additional information vouchsafed
nv Nr Shonts was that the development work
MANNED by the marlborough was so comprehen-
sre that the company's engineers believed the
carving out Of the scheme would provide amply
for the city-s rapid transit demands for the next
fftv or one hundred years. The expenditure Of
the fifty million dollars already alluded to IS
expected TO take care of the next ten or twelve
wears of the city's growth.
In reply 10 Commissioner Eustis's question
whether the proposed plans Of the Interborough
would call for amendments To the present rapid
transit law. Nr. Shonts said that certain changes
would be called for. He would not say what
these changes were. but il was learned that the
company would endeavor TO have the rapid
transit law so amended that it could get
charter for at least seventy-fve years
TO SUBMIT FIGURES SOON.
When it was suggested by Mr. Eustis that the
time for new legislation this year was growing
shorr tTr Shonts replied that William Barclay
Parsons the Interborough's engineer was just
completing his plans and figures and would
probably he ready to submit all the details TO
the Public Service Commission tomorrow or
the next DAY
To the surprise of those present at the hearing.
Nr. Shonts said that he was not there to oppose
the application Of the McAdoo interests TO ex-
tend to the Grand Central Station it was
generally believed that the Interborough people
would DO. The recent resignation Of Walter O.
osknsn. president of the Hudson Companies
IS director in the marlborough Rapid Transit
COMPANY. and the designations Of Cornelius
Vanderbilt. Gardiner N Lane and ANDREW
Freshman, all Interbcrough men, as members Of
the board of the Hudson Companies had pointed
n strained relations between the NcAdoo and
InterhorouCh interests as 2 result Of the appli-
cation OF the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad
Cempany-
11r. Shonts said that the Interhorough people
strongly favored any transit development which
would ne for the ultimate good Of the city, not
uitfsta nding that II might mean competition
for the -lnterborough for 2 time He said that
he felt forced. however. 70 oppose the extension
plan of the NcAdoo people as At present out
lined purely from an engineering point Of view.
He believed that the NcAdoo extension. unless
depressed at least eighty feet under 42d street.
would interfere seriously with the safety and
operation Of The present Interborough subvsy.
on this ground he opposed the application.
NJ Shorts also wanted II made clear that
the proposed development work Of the INTERIOR
ough had nothing to do with and was in no way
result OF the recent activity on the part Of the
McAdoo people. He said that his company had
been AZ work On the plans which are about 10
be made public ever since before the panic Of
19o-.
SITUATION N 49D STREET
Discussing the application. Of the McAdoo
people Dir. Shonts said that the situation in
42d street was the crux of the whole matter.
As you are aware" he said, there are three
levels at s2d street The first level below the
street level is that occupied by the city subway.
the second is the level that has been reserved
for the city subway up Lexington avenue, the
third level is that occupied by the New York &,
Long Island Railroad Company, known as the
steinway, or Belmont. tunnel
Hr. Shonts then went on to say Nfr. Par
sons had told him that the proposed AfcAdoo
tube would undermine the present subway and
woulo interfere decidedly with its operation Mr..
Parsons, who was present. said that such was
his opinion, and he added that the proposed Nc
Adoo method Of construction on the contempIat-
Cd level would require underpinning the exist
ing subway as far Xest as Fifth avenue H
believed the present subway would have TO he
carried on temporary pins.
Commissioner Eustis said he understood that
there was ten feet of rock left between the two
levels. Ar- Parsons said he was not sure about
that and asked for more time TO study the Nc
tAdoo blueprints. which was granted. Mr.. Shonts
said that the questions Of the safety Of the pres
ent subway and the engineering problems We're
the only points which the Interborough people
were considering
chairman Wilcox presided at the hearing and
commissioners Eustis. Bassett and Maltbie were
slso present. William G. McAdoo president Of
ne Hudson Manhattan Railroad Company.
vas called upon 10 explain his companys appli-
cation
Ihoer existing franchises Mr.. McAdoo said.
Re have the right To extend our tunnel system.
me object Of this system is to furnish connec-
uon 10 New Jersey railroad terminals and the
commercial. centres Of this city, convenience not
only TO people Of New Jersey. but to people OF
New York well"
Ar McAdoo described the comp3nv's present
system Of tunnels and named the various valua-
e connections THE construction Of this tun-
ne said, will not disturb the surface Of
s"Hl Park or 42d street, nor viii il disturb
present subway, the geological stratf6catjon