The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-01-12

Goihk luto Otner items. Bu' tne case ~
worse. for the gross receipts would proba-
bly, not reach si8,OO0.0oo. As is well known
that system was recently put up for bids
for operation in advance of construction
but no bid was forthcoming. No one with
private capital for investment could see
ANYTHING but a deficit ahead. Some are
Riad oi this. because they have in mind,
although they keep II to them selves pretty
wei. that for lack Of bidder the city would
be forced to operate the road. and this il
the object which they are striving for
some time in the future. namely, when the
public virtue and intelligence of the COM
inuhltv Is M for II. the city will be operating
all OF its public utilities. including city rail
roads. but that time has not come yet in
my judgment,
Fourth The report of my associates
shows that city funds to build the tribor.
ouRh route would he slow in coming. on
account OF the ordinary expenses OF the
city which have to he met yearly, but 1t
saws that IL great need exists the dock
funds can be used to build subways. |
regret TO hear this suggestion made There
are certain things which need to be done
to Improve our docks. and for the handling
OF freight along our docks. which are as
essential to the prosperity Of this city as
the building of subways.
Fifth The report of my two associates
says that year ago the marlborough com
pany offered to furnish all the funds needed
Tor the city to build the extensions to the
present subway. and asks what has caused
that company to change Its mind in that
respect. The marlborough company never
made such an offer. II did ofrer to furnish
the money to the city to build the extension
from Forty second street down seventh
avenue and to the Battery. and the ex
The extensions which II now proposes
that the city should build. and to which 1t
offers to contribute. are in mileage four
times the length Of the fragments embraced
in the said oIer by II year or more ago.
Let MS not coniound things No doubt that
company would he only too glad to renew
the said ofter and have II accepted But
no doubt the Public Service Commission
would promptly reject II now rs 1t did then.
and say that The lean must 20 with the
fat that no proposition to build subwavs
would he considered unless they embraced
extensions into the outlying boroughs
The profitable trunk lines through Man
haitian must go with the less profitable and
the Improbable lines into tho other
boroughs What We need of all
things is to stick to what was designed
from the beginning. namely, that since the
city builds and owns the subways il should
build one great comprehensive system to
connect all OF the boroughs and he operated
on a single fare OF five cents throughout
the whole system. | am unable to compre
hend why any ono should ask that two or
more systems should be built. thereby in
Producing the necessity of paying n new
fare every time you change from one line
to another.
Sixth--1f We carry out the present propo-
sition and thereby have all of the subway
extensions built by the city. the city TO
put in only s53. .DO. 900 of capital. all in ex-
cess. estimated to be s15 600 Ou0. To be con-
iributed by private capital. the city will
then he able TO devote lis funds hereafter
10 the building OF extensions IN the bor
ough. as they become necessary. II can
for instance. build extensions such as
through Queens to connect with the Stein
way tunnel in Brooklyn. to connect the
Fourth avenue subway with Coney Island
and also with the Borough of Richmond
under the water as has been pointed out
by the President OF that borough. II the
city ferries to that borough are to continue
to create the present huge deficit. the
quicker the subway extension to st. George
be built the better. for the interest and
sinking fund charge on the cost thereof
would be less than such ferry deficit as
now appears.
credit of the city should not be- loaned To
any existing company for extensions.
This can only mislead those who do not
know the law OF the case as laid down by
the statute. although. not SO intended. The
city il not permitted to loan lis money or
its "erdit To any company. All IL can do
IL to build the subways itself through the
Public Service commission. as have already
pointed out and vet som. will continue to
,l., l.,, -.
should loan the money TO the company
Indeed some 20 50 far a. to say that the
proposition il to give II to the company
TO make n present OF II. But of course We
must NJ some point cease to regard such
Statements however We may regret to see
thoughtless persons misled hy them.
Permit me TO say in conclusion that the
vast majority of the intelligent people of
the city of New York desire that this board
now 20 forward in this great matter. after
a year already spent in leading M to IT,.
Il IL Justly expected of Ms that We do now
proceed immediately. An end should come
To this perpetual talking and arriving at no
result. The Public Service Commission is
now ready to proceed to formulate con-
struction and operation contracts. and II
there he any delay the cause is here in this
hoard.
The Comptroller issued last night a
statement commenting on the Mayor =
report. In it Mr.. Prendergast said;
Practically everything said in the report
written bv the Mayor has already been
stated by him in other communications
He il now absolutely committed to the
a, ceptance of the proposition of the lIser-
borough company. In view of this fact
he could have made much more useful
contribution 20 the literature OF this dis
cussion by addressing himself to the COM
plete analysis of that proposition contained
in the majority report submitted by Mr..
Mitchell and me.
II IL interesting now to have the dis
cussion turn upon the question of platform
pledges. The Mayor saws that the political
platforms of the last city election favored
city built and city controlled subways in
language more or less definite. but that the
drafters of these platforms seem to have
been under the deluslon that some other
kind of subways could be built on the sec
ton OF the statute which applies to the
building of the "ity's subways. The Mayor
must now admit :: AT he was one of those