New-York tribune., 1910-12-27
WANT SUBWAY DECISION
Mitchell and Prendergast lmpa-
tient Over Delay.
GAYNOR IN THE MINORITY
Committee Soon to Report to
Board of Estimate on Inter-
borough Offer.

The rapid transit committee Of the Board
of Estimate is at work preparing its report
on the Interborough subway proposition
which will come UP for consideration at the
meeting of the board on Thursday, Janu-
ary S.
Two members of the rapid transit COM
mittee. John Purrov Mitchell and Controller
Prendergast, are unequivoCally committed
to an independent system and the fact that
Mayor Gaynor the third member of the
committee is openly in favor of extensions
to the present subway system. is arousing
much speculation to the manner in which
the report will reflect this difference of
opinion.
Advocates OF the triborough route were
willing TO prophesy yesterday that the re-
port of the committee, even though there
should be minority report also. would
bring the Board of Estimate to the adop-
ton of a definite policy in regard to the
building of the cty's subways. They point
ed out that Messrs. Mitchell and Prender-
gast had shown impatience over the delay
in the construction of Subways and they
said that neither of these men would con-
sent to have the matter dragged out any
longer.
The letter of the Public Service Comnlls-
sion submitting to the Board of Estimate
the proposal of the Interborough contained
only general outline of the offer Sew
eral members of the board said last week
that they would not approve the pian
unless the commission submitted all the
details of the agreement 70 be f1nally en-
tered into between the city and the inter-
lorough. Borough President Miller OF The
Eronx said that he would move to have the
b,n tn commission with
request to submit more definite state
rlcnt as TO arrangements.
Such action alone would not help to clear
up the attitude of the Board of Estimate
on the question of competition or monop-
oy it was said. and would only tend to
delay actual subway building indefinitely.
Members of the Public Service Commission
are known to differ on the details that
should be conceded by the 1nterborough.
and there are many clauses demanded by
individual commissioners which Will not be
accepted by the company without long
struggle The necessary conferences be-
tween the commission and officials of the
Interborough will consume many weeks.
and then the Board of Estimate will re-
qure many meetings to go through the
raft of detail which will have to be con-
sidered After all that, there is no guar
3nteP lIld1 tne ultimate 1ei1lS Will De tp-
proved by the board.
Some difficulty is anticipated from the
fact that the Interborough's subway offer
is conditional upon the grant to the COM
pany of elevated extensions in The Bronx
and the third-tracking of the Second, Third
and Ninth avenue elevated lines. A major
ity of the Board of Estimate is record
as opposed to the giving of those privileges
before the subway nTOhlem Is settled.
1t was said yesterday that the clauses IN
serted in both certificates covering these
grants. which make them invalid unless
the Interborough secures the consent of the
Board of Estimate within three months
after the issue of the certificates. was too
ambiguous really 20 impose a definite time
limit on the company. AS a result it was
pointed out the Interborough need not be
in undue hurry with concessions on the
subway proposal for fear that the other
viii expire by delaying The limiting
clauses read in part as follows:
THE authorizations Or licenses hereby
granted, if the commission shall SO deter
mine, shall become void unless within three
calendar months from the time of the de-
livery to the commission of the acceptance
of this certificate by the Interborough
Company, that company SHALL in due and
lawful form, obtain or receive the approval
hereof by the Board of Estimate :.
together with the approval of the Mayor of
the city.
No time limit is fixed for the acceptance
of the offer by the Interborough, and the
company may delay the sending of it to
the commission if the situation in the Board
of Estimate should seem unfavorable.
The commission has made no announce
ment when these certificates will be issued
to the Interborough The grants We're
adopted by the commission some time ago
and a public hearing held on them
on December 3d. when opposition to the
plan was voiced by representatives of civic
bodies. Numerous suggestions Were made
which Chairman Wilcox said would be
considered by the commission, and it may
be some time before the certificates will
be sent to the Interborough.