New-York tribune., 1910-11-21
STRWAY OFFERS.

Already the newspapers are told that
a new Interborough proposal is being
prepared. much more liberal than any
hitherto made. That was TO he expected
The prospect of competition is all that Is
necessary 10 stir the Interborough 10 ac-
tivity When the Bradley-Gaffney- Steers
Company was talking subways the Inter
borough made proposal after proposal
each exceeding the other in 'liberallty.
And now that an operator stands ready
TO make q contract and give hond
still more liberal proposal is natural IN
all this is there not lesson 10 the city
regarding the value of such competition
as it now has the opportunity OF secur-
ing? That is one advantage 10 be OBJ
tanned in building the triboTough line
and getting the McAdoo or some other
independent interest TO operate it, which
must he taken into serious consideration
when the new Interborough proposal and
Mr.. McAdoo's come to be compared
Nor should the new proposal when it
is made. and Mr.. McAdoo's be mutually
destructive. The Interborough company
should exhibit the same spirit in its
nlans that Mr. AicAdOO exhibits in re
gard to his West Side line from 42d
street down-namely II should leave
room for a competitor. for the city viii
need. as soon as II can obtain them boJn
the rriborough and the extensions TO the
Iuterborough subway There Will be
nlentv Of traffic for both. We have never
desired 10 see anything substituted for
the extensions to the present subway
Let the Interborough company build
them whenever II is ready TO offer salts
aactorv terms. But II should not be per
mitred TO foreclose the future Of subway
building in this city. either by using up
the city-s available credit or by e1clud-
inc possible competitors from those
narts Of the city TO which traffic gravI-
tates. or by occupying to the exclusion of
others the strategic points in the trac-
ton field.
Il Is evident that one factor IN the
manprvring between competitors for
subway contracts will be the Broadway
Iafaverte avenue link. which completes
the bridge loop system as originally
planned. The building Of this is earnest
" desired in Brooklyn. Mr.. McAdoo
would have it deferred. and, indeed, his
1gosirion in regard 10 il is rather indeti-
mite. Now, the city has long been com
mir1ed 10 this line and has already spent
a large sum in building the New York
end Of this subway system uniting the
bridges. Accordingly. it has great popu-
lar support and viii have strong support
in the Board Of Estimate and Apporuon-
Tnerr. Furthermore, the line when com-
niared viii have merits as a source OF
heavy short haul traffic which We
should think would have appealed 70 Mr.
McAdoo.
The line which he asks To have laid
ont 10 Brooklyn is practically prolonga-
/ ton Of his Cortlandt street tube across
Manhattan Island. under the East River
and into Brooklyn. 1t is q logical ex-
tension Of his existing system. and one
To the utility Of which The Tribune long
ago called attention. but being new
line and not making use Of the city's
enormous investments IN the bridge loop
and in the bridges. II will have no such
support popularity or in the Board OF
Estimate and Apn0rtionment as would
plan 10 operate the completed bridge loop
system. However. we do not suppose
Mr.. McAdoo's first offer is necessarily
fnal. Perhaps he might obtain access 20
Brooklyn by connecting his Cortlandt
street tunnel with the bridge loop at the
CITY Hall and thus Use the Broadway
LAFAYETTE avenue line as planned. defe~-
ring instead his own suggested line
through Wall street to Brooklyn This
would certainly strengthen his offer
whore Il viii require support.