New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-20
WILCOX SIGNS SUBWAY
CONTRACTS AFTER ALL
Mccall Asks Predecessor as
Head of P. S. c. to Attest
His Signature.
END OF LONG STRUGGLE
City Officials, Shonts and Will
Jams Rejoiced to See Heavy
Load Lifted from Their
Shoulders.

They are signed AT .ast-'he contracts
for the dual rapid ira 1sit system. over
which there has been So much coutro-
vcrsy for three years. they have also
been sealed and delivered" This makes
March II "A red-letter date ON the munic.-
IA calendar. The contracts. which IN
olive total expenditure Of more than
>po"0,"1 are probably the most impor-
tant IN point of financial magnitude that
nave ever been executed al one time The
Panama Canal will cost more money. but
'ue varioaS contracts for that work W,lc
executed at different times.
Not only the city OIL .ials. hut President
Shouts of the lnterboloush Rapid Transit
company and President Williams of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company ac-
knOWledsed that q heavy load mad been
lifted from their shoulders
They did not look with amy degree of
alarm upon the announcement of Clar-
euce j Shearu that within q day or TWO
ne would ME the papers i'm ms suit for am
5 snuulment Of the contracts on the ground
of fraud and waste Of city money. lie
said he would apply for an injunction re-
stFaining the execution of any part Of the
contracts pending a decislOn Of his suit
, which. he declared ne would lake 10 the
iCourt of Appeals. if necessary. John J.
sIiopper friend of William Randolph
Hearst will he the plaintiff as he was in
the sui, to prevent the approval Of the
co.tiv"f~
.oyrt viii Not Interfere.
The general opinion prevails among
lawyers that the court Will not enlon the
progress of the work.
William Il Wilcox. former chairman Of
the Public Service Commission signed
the contracts. after all. After three Years
'of work IN periectins the dual system ne
was unable 10 bring the matter quite To a
conclusion before The expiration of his
term. For sentimental reasons he desired
To have his name on the contracts.
A. soon as Chairman Mccall mad fin
,jshed signing the FIST contract, which
bappened 10 be- the Brooklyn Rapid Tran
sit Company's main contract. he told how
Mr.. Wilcox felt about the matter. ana
added: Former Chairman Wilcox has
promised 20 do me the honor 20 attest my
signature.
Every body IN the nearing room OF the
commission. where the signing took p.acs
applauded loudly as NJ. WILCOX wrote
his name.
II consider this one OF the greatest
honors OF my life" said Mr.. WILCOX. FOR
this is one of the most important steps
that the city has ever made"
Chairman Mccall then extended the
same courtesy TO Borough President No
Aneny who. next 10 Mr.. Wilcox and a.
chairman OF the conference committee Of
the Board Of Estimate had more TO do
with the successful outcome of the negO-
tiations than any other person. Eacn
man put his name on all the main con
tracts.
Neither President Shonts of the Inter
borough nor President Williams Of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit would hazard q
guess as to which one Of their new lines
or Improvements would he ready for op-
Grafton first. The third-trackinS and eX-
tension Of the elevated lines ought 10 be
completed in a year The first thing the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company Will do
Will be 10 equip the Fourth avenue sub
way and the Centre street loop. These
lines ought to be ready for operation
within ten months or a year.
Commenting on the signing OF the con
tracts President ShOuts said:
1t means that the citizens Will get
twenty-mile ride for nickel over any
part Of a system Of sixty miles costing
$40 oOc00, on 100000 a mile.
1t means that they will get the longest
Tide. under conditions OF the greatest
safety for the least money In the most
expensive vehicle that the mind Of man
slas ever conceived or the hand OF man
has ever built"
President Williams said he was greatly
believed that the contracts had finally
been signed. az il relieved his company
from paying the interest charges on the
$4,000 90 that the company borrowed some
time ago 70 carry out the work
1t l. the greatest accomplishment Of
our DAY" said the Mayor later-he was
not at the signing. The effect that IL is
10 have on New York is something that
no mird can properly realize"
The signing took just forty-five minutes
Chairman Mccall first put his pen TO one
OF the contracts a one minute after noon.
ii A. Butler. an assistant counsel Of the
commission. who acted as notary. put
his last signature on the last contract al
~ Tho -