New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-26
NEW RAPID TRANSIT
L|MPS, BUT APPROACHES
July |, HOped-for Date of ReaIi-
cation, viii Find Bridge
Loop Month Behind.
SUBWAY IN SPRING, MAYBE
Steinway Tunnel Traffic at
Least Month Off-Progress
Sure, However, in Each
Case, Says Commission.

Less than week after the execution
Of the contracts between the city and the
two rapid transit companies calling for
the construction Of the dual subway sys-
TEN Chairman Mccall OF the Public Ser
vice Commission assured the citizens II
Brooklyn and Queens that relief from
the intolerable transit conditions ~ the
present would come 10 them long before
the completion Of the duai systom-vould
come by July /, h hoped lie men
toned the bridge loop. the Steuway tun-
mel and the Fourth avenue subway as the
factors contributing toward this happy
result-the loop TO accommodate the
| Brooklyn elevated trains entering IL from
the Williamsburg Bridge. the Ste.nway
tunnel 10 operate temporary service
from 9Th street. Long Island city. to Lex
ington avenue. Manhattan. and the
Fourth avenue subway 10 be available
from 36th street. Brooklyn. over the
Manhattan Bridge TO the bridge loon.
Manhattan.
With July ! less than q week off. il
appears that not one Of these improve
ments will be IN working order on that
date. II will take about a month longer.
AT least, the Public Service Commission
ers estimate before the loop can be op-
Grated with the temporary equipment
planned. Traffic In the SteinUay tunnel
Is at least four months off. and as for
the Fourth avenue subway, that means
Of relief will not be available until the
spring Of next year.
Commissioner Williams explained YES
terday that the commissions insistence
upon the very latest signal and safety
appliances In the ridge loop had been
responsible for the DELAY there. The diff
ferent units Of such a system nave 10 he
made to order. and the manufacturers
could not deliver them in time. The
tracks and stations IN the loop are al
ready completed. The signal apparatus
has just begun TO arrive. As the con-
tractors have thirty days IN which to in
stall IT, the loop must wait for It's OPEN
Ing until August I. al the earliest.
The contract for the equipment Of the
Steinway tunnel is drawn up. practically
ready TO be let the commissioner said.
The delay in this case has been due to
unforeseen difficulties in vesting the title
10 the tunnel in the city. The contract
with the Interborough called for trans
fer of the tunnel 10 the city for 5000 90.
Owing, however, TO the previous litiga-
ton between the Interborough and the
city and state over the title, and 10 an
, accumulation Of disputes over liens and
contracts, the passing OF title proved a
long and laborious operation. IL is now
almost an accomplished fact. The law
yers for the Public Service Commission
believe that within a week the tunnel will
belong actually and legally to the city.
But 1t will take four months 10 equip il
for operation between Long Island city
and Lexington avenue and i2d street The
present overhead trolley with which ii
was originally equipped 10 accommodate
surface cars from Queens. is TO be ripped
out Careful surveys show that the tun-
mel will accommodate rolling stock SINH
lar to that employed in the present sub
way. So third rail is to be installed and
real trains run through ii. The plan is 10
permit passengers to transfer to the sub
way at the Grand Central.
The Fourth avenue subway must wait
upon the completion of its connection
with the Manhattan Bridge. The Bridge
Department. which has this IN charge.
cannot promise results before March 1914.
though November of this year was the
time set not so long ago. The subway
itself should have been completed last
month. according TO an estimate made by
the Public Service Commission In No
vember 1911. There is still some work 10
be done. however. on the Fulton street
and Ashland Place sections. but its COM
pletion will antedate that Of the bridge
connection, IL is predicted.
The completion Of the bridge connection
street, Brooklyn. and the Manhattan
Bridge loop. II is probable that a connec-
ton between the Coney Island lines and
the Fourth avenue subway Will not be
completed for d year and a half. The