New-York tribune., 1909-03-01
READY TO MEET METZ
p s. e. MAY accept HIS
.SURU4F Plan.
ProUideS for Construction Of Section
and HoIf of Fourth 4JcRuc
(Bro0klyn) Line.

z,,l5 look with favor on Controller Netzs pro
-,,eal 70 construct only section and half of
-. nrorosed Fourth avenue subway i'm Brook
,r Mr. w-iIlccxs letter is in reply TO a recent
-.,,es+ from the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
rio1r,ent for information as to the commissions
pfans for the operation ana connections OF Inc
Proollvn loop lines
In regard % the construction of the Fourth
avenue subway the letter says:
mission as coming from one of your members
+hs+ e this commission viii withdraw all of the
contracts for the Fourth avenue subway except
the contract for section J. belnS part OF the
Tlsrb1Ish avenue extension and submit
contract for a part Of Section >. the Injunction
obtained by one Of your members viii be dis
solved and this commission permitted TO con
s.ruct the portion represented by this section
eD5 ra1s IF this is the attitude OF your board
- srrion viU BE- taken accordingly. this COM
mission viii give the matter immediate consid-
GRAFTON
,5eht limit is correctly interpreted by the Con
7roller end- : the city's obligations re S4S-
600 ooo below the limit fixed by the cor titutlon.
e. viii be possible 10 construct all Of the six sec
fiors Of the Fourth avenue subway L Is also
s7Sis7urable that. II the finances Of the city viii
remit the construction Of the section and halt
they viii permit the construction Of one section
II your body will approve Section and act
upon the other sections this commission VII
proceed Immediately in accordance with the ac-
fion you may take
The commission recently asked the Board ot
Estimate and Apportionnent for an additional
appropriation Of approximately 100000 for SIX
tracks in the Brooklyn Bridge station of the
subway loop. and TO provide for heavier con
str1Iction 10 permit the erection OF tall Office
buildings over the subway structure The mem
bers Of the board at once came back with a re-
quest for information TO what the commits
sion had done toward providing for the opera
ton Of the loop lines
Nj Willcox's letter goes thoroughly into the
history OF the loop lines. and shows that when |
the Prhlic Service Commission came into Office.
IN Julv. 1907 contracts had already been let for !
-7o-ticns Of the loop more than 100000 had
leea sp7ropriated and work had begun. The |
route in the Fiathush avenue extension says
the letter, had been approved by the Rapid |
Transit Commission and by your board
NJ. WILCOX points out that the Rapid Transit
Commission and the Board Of Estimate and AP-
ro-tionraent at that time apparently considered
81 1lnvise 70 let 4 contract for operation before
al contracts for construction had been let He
adds that in accordance with the instruc-
tlons of the board, the commission advertised
for bids got them. let the contracts. and turned
them over 70 the Board IF Estimate tor ar
pro-aI. and no action has IS yet bean taken.
The letter continues:
In Tieu of this protrscted dslzv. in wen Of
ths uncertainty g 70 W-asn Eour board Will take
action and srhat that acton viii be, IN view OF
rhe incomplete character Of the portion Of the
work nov under construction in view Of the i'm
possibility Of securing an Offer which viii safe
guard the interests OF the city and be financially
SATISFACTORY, unless the prospective operators
have some definite knowledge OF the extent Of
the line they are 70 hid for-whether II viii be
merely between The bridges in Manhattan or ey-
ten5 into Brooklyn-and N view of the fact that
one company VIII have Z decided advantage over
any other competitor et the present time, II Is
not considered wise or expedient for z contract
- be advertised and let nov-to one company for
5he operation q the portion of the line between
the hridges
Of course L Il Is your opinion that the present
portion OF The loop should not be extended and
10 lines built in Brooklyn. and you will adopt 2 /
resolution 70 tnat effect i nav be wise 70 pro
oeed Immediately 70 advertise for bids for oper
srion as the line stands today. But until &C
lion IS taken upon the plans now before you. !
this commission considers the interests Of the
SltF would not oe conserved by 50 doing
NJ. wilcox points out that it seems unvtse
also TO the commission to let contract for loop
operation. owing 70 the fact that upon Mayor
McClellan's request, work was suspended upon
the section at the Brooklyn Bridge extending
beneath the foundations Of the proposed munici-
psl building Effort, be says has been made to
get the Brooklyn Rapid Transit 70 undertake the
opersCion, and conferences TO that end have been
helo, but with fruitless result, as the company
definitely refused 10 make any proposal. and
STATED that II would not sign contract under
me terms Of the rapid transit law In view Of
tae above facts says the chairman. st has not
/
Tor under existing conditions"
ne letter also takes UP the Importance of
making the Brooklyn Bridge loop station six
uscA station instead Of q four-track station. ss
Afst contemplated On this point it says:
- IS extremely important because OF the great
1sIt 1.s,iion 1clion cost OF subway work that e1er,y |
e-sffoeld be 50 constructed as n he ,eed ~ |
iiH@4tnurn capacity. and snv artificial inter |
lsrehce with such maximum cr,e-atilT, - = 90,
90 point not only inoonvenierees the n,bIic b,,.
aay ,,nt prevent an operator being secured and GER
's--lllE MI prevent fun utilizs+ion
II IS for this reason thar er,le,,e;,,e -r,,as
fng ofeng made in the present subway. thai the
dor e &c ssStsnl Is being improved and the side
rnent T-t;a5 oeLS sS considered Every improve
: ljre -. treases the carrying capacity of |
.hs reooces proportionstelv The fixed charges |
sh1ee - - y l5lo BY each passenger and en-
- me operating counps nv To ,arr- the ,,,1l,Iie
Nitn more convenience or 70 redSa Ia ~ pu3iro F
sil-l might. under OF nor circtitnstancfe ,ead |
10 oe charged iiS1N |
"a, % ,colerete question Is therefore at present
,;besTer sr NJ ne loop was wisely planned, but
s,b-,li ne city, having committed itself 10 a |
az doIiars e3st between ten and twelve millions
rr-ro,-s---,. s,iOutQ increase the expenditure h.
-, 'r,AII.elely sl500000 and therefore securc
IL tbs a,l oi capacity Of from 30 10 40 per cent
pendit,,-ap pi';loh o. this commission such an ex-
vs,,r- -, is Iuiy warranted. unless possfbI,- ,
SS,ard board intends 10 take the ,,osjtion tI1e, a.
shall h. b,,lt ,slaD"ays connecting with the loop
Tf g. g gulit in Brooklyn
., =. ule broadway (BrookIvna line m. I ..a,.,.
"a he ti me and the Fourth avenue line sre nor |
3 under co,.h - n only the portion that already
l.st,-r~ ooliiract-between the bridees 4, No, ! ,
- -is - b constructed they +, ie ,' ~ -
r,srSt, - - S1Apsno si.500,000 10 increase tbe "a.
BrooJ,lyn - :, IIlarnbers street station But. n ,
lines ~ 70 nave rapid transit IL q 80. ~ 49,,
- 'Ts mentioned are to be hull :, =; "a - ~ ol lr
suf5cien, =, 10y ~ ~ the Chambers street station
unxise 4, Ies-- ~ tle traffic, and il would be
40 f-seve -eeve That station inadeqrate 1
IN hsportation system has e,er baa,, ,i,, ,
ira rsss.aut ~ mas been too large for the
- esasscsors have ,i,,,lls Iiaiiy instances q