New-York tribune., 1910-12-22
SUBWAY PROBLEM
NOT YET SOLVED
Majority of Board of Estimate
Not Ready to Act Without
Further Details.
GAYN0R WRITES SWANSTnOM
Cromwell Favors Competition;
McAneny and Miller Want More
Light; Steers and 0resser
Nom -Committal.

Light Steers and 0TeSSer
Non Committal.
From developments yesterday it wouf6
appear that the city Is still some way
from the solution Of the transit prob
lem and the autual beginning OF work
on new subways- Attention was To-
cussed yesterday by the letter of the
Public Service Commission to tho Board
OF Estimate. which said that In general
it favored the latest proposition of the
Interborough Rapid Transit Company.
and asked tie views OF the board
1t was made clear that a majority OF
the Board of Estimate were not i'm favor
of passing on the Interborouzh's pro-
position without getting a clearer idea
of the exact details. which the commits
sion said it wished to work out with iho
company.
Borough President Cromwell came OUT;
in favor of competition in subways. and
Borough Presidents McAneny and Miller
said they would not care TO vote on the
proposition as it stood, and the former
declared he would not be in favor OF
passing Oh any AAiOOltiS0 vi uiD4t t-sdstS-A
proposition without considering at the
same time the comparative merits OF the
triborough system and the proposition
that the Hudson and Manhattan Rail-
road Company made and then withdrew
Mayor Gaynor in a long letter to J.
Edward Swansrom, former Borough
President of Brooklyn, reiterated his
f1 y-o0nnnnfyy and
by inference commended the offer of the
Interborough-
Borough President Steers of Brooklyn
and Borough President Gresser OF
Queens, both refused to commit them
selves. but were understood 20 favor
the monopoly idea In subways.
From statements made by various
members Of the Public Service Conlmis-
sion it was evident that there would be
a considerable difference of opinion when
1t came to making more definite some
features of the Interborough offer and
changing some Of the other features. 1t
was doubted that the Interborough
would be willing to give such generous
financial terms as some of the commits
sioners felt should be made by the COM
pany if allowed to have a monopoly.
May Be Considered To-day.
Although the communication OF the
Public Service Commission did not reach
In time TO go on the calendar for the
meeting to-day, Joseph Haag. the sec
retary. will take it to the meeting. and it
may be considered, by unanimous vote.
Ordinarily il would be referred to the
transit committee, but those members
of the board who favor the Interborough
do not wish il to go 10 that committee
as Controller Prendergast and President
Mitchell of the Board Of Aldermen. two
of the three members of the committees
are outspoken In opposition to the In
terboroughs proposition
1t is likely that some one will offer
a resolution asking the Public Services
Commission to give the board more def
mite information as TO what the Inter
borough is willing to do before the board
is asked to act Borough President
Miller intimated his inclination to taks
this course last night If there should
be motion to send the communication
to the transit committee it might result
in a clear-cut 1ine-up for and against
the proposition as whole
According to an opinion of the Cor
poration Counsel received by Controller
Prendergast, the city will have more
money available for subway construction
than had been anticipated. He held that
Oh
by the exclusion of self sustaining dock
bonds might be used for subvays. and
inversely that money released by the ex-
clusion of self-sustainins subway bonds
might be used for docks.
1t was estimated that the money re-
leased from deck bonds would amount 70
from S60.Oe1,0oO to S7o.O00.0oO. This
would almost equal the amount that the
1nterborough offered to add to the S53.-
100000 that the city now has available
for the construction of a new system
Gaynor to Svesrstro-,
In his letter TO Mr.. Swanstron. Mayor
Gaynor said>
On account of the limited credit Of tis
city / have therefore been most anxious
all along 10 have the subways built in
part at least by private capital. so that
they can be built at once. and siraultane-
Cusly III all OF the boroughs, instead OF
being strung out during many years vf-i,s
city funds become slowly available
The Mayor went on TO say that the
city owned the subways. whether they
We're built by private or public capital
and added:
In other words we have reached fun nau-
nicipal ownership OF our subway railroads
But we have not yet reached the period
of municipal operation We let the equip
rnent and operation cut TO companies The
people of this city viii not be prepared for
municipal operation until they become suf-
educated and honest themselves 20
elect competent and honest officials. and
thus have honest government all the tifne
When we look about and see the dishonesty
and graft which exist now We cannot wish
10 add thereto by putting the operation OF
our railroads in official hands
The city having the ownership OF sub
wavs. the Mayor continued TO say. IL
would seem plain that We should have
only one system of subways. with a
single 5-cent fare over the whole sys-
tenn. He asked why any one should now
advocate an independent system. and
answered:
They say that the people want an tn
5enendent system built in order to have il
by good Company-d sort OF
Ifropian company. watch viii not look on,
Tor its own interests at all, but only for
the interests and convenience Of all the