New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-13

| Although he would not discuss the
Fundamentals" against which he SAID ne
would speak AT the hearing this afternoon,
Mr.. Shearn acknowledged last niGht that
he did not consider that any Of them was
| strong enough on which to base another
! injunction suit. 1t is understood 10 be the
| aim of Mr.. Shearn to turn loose upon the
new chairman Of the commission q lot Of
delegations Of taxpayers Directing TO
! the contracts This talk. however. viii
| probably not influence the independent
| judgment Of the new chairman.
Mitchell To Be Heard.
! President Mitchell 81 the Board Of Al
dermen wants to talk in opposition To the
! contracts. but will be tied up for part Of
J the afternoon ON q conference with the
3 New York Central officials OF the West
Side problem lie said last night he
would ash Chairman Mccall 10 continue
| the hearing until he had the opportunity
/ OF getting there and expressing his views
II is probable that the hearing will be-
an extended one, as the attitude Of Chair
man Mccall is that he wishes 10 give
/ every one opposed to the contracts a
'
! Chairman Mccall takes the position that
! il every opportunity for kicking j. given
/ to the opponents OF the plan they VIII.
! have no ground FOR further complaint
when he has made his final decision.
! Commissioners Williams and Cram will
{ mol be al the hearing to-day. in all proba-
! bility. Mr. Williams will be at Albany 10
/ regard to the grade crossings questions
| before the Legislature. commissioner
Cram is suffering from rheumatic govt.
Low Defends Dual System.
/ Two firm defenders % tn. Iual ~ stem
( were busy Yesterday preparing statements
/ 10 oppose any move on the part OF MI
! Shearn and his hackers. They were Seth
Low. chairman OF the National civic Fed -
! Grafton. and Borough President McAnenN.
! both Of whom added several arguments
/ 10 their former remarks in statements
( given TO the public
Mr.. Lows arguments were iu the form
! Of letter TO Chairman Mccall Enclos-
| ing the letter which h" wrote to Governor
| Sulzer short time ago. in order that
| Justice Mccall might refresh his mind Oh
It's contents Mr. Low emphasized III.
| point that neither the city nor the rail
road companies would pay Tor the pro-
| posed extensions. nut the travelling publ r.
who used them. lie contcnded that Tia"
| dual plan was intellectually more adVafl-
tageous to the public than any aftermath, .
that could be suggested. The letter con
| tinUed:
| Beyond ali controversy the dual plan
offers To IN" people. who vii pay Tor any
/ railroad that may h. built. the longest
I rides. the greatest area Of single fares
/ and the widest choice Of rides To be taken
Of any transit plan that has ever been
| proposed for this city.
! II is also estimated that the riding pua-
/ lie will save from $4,000 10 5000, per
/ annum by the Substitution through The
/ construction OF the dual plan. of single
| fares for what are now double fares. /
| submit that. in view Of the fact that u ~
| the passengers who are 10 pay the bills
/ this consideration alone would Justify YOU
| in faVOring the dual plan
Among The many misstatements which
| he had heard rega riding the pending con
tracts. MI Low said il had been stated
that the city would be responsible for the
bonds or either company should IL default.
/ Undoubtedly. he admitted the bondhold-
ers would have a preferential claim upon
the earnings Of the dcfaulting road. but
10 cali could be made upon the city TO
make good the deficiency.
Aiming at Wrong Target.
! The critics OF the dual plan. Nj. Low
held. were aiming at the wrong target
II was not a question OF what the city
was proposing to give. but what IT was
going to get. In the first place, il would
become the dominant partner In a unified
rapid transit system. In addition. the
first subway contract with the INTERIOR
| ough would he terminated fifteen years
earlier than it otherwise would he and
the Brooklyn extension would fall in at
| the same time.
| II was true he conceded. that the oper-
alton OF the unified system would remain
! i'm the hands Of the operating companies
for forty-nnc years. but all new con
structions could be recaptured after ten
years. and. by an exchange of legs. so
called. tho city might. after ten years.
come into possession Of either a complete
! East Side or complete West Side road.
President McAnenys statement demon
s,rated what would happen to the city If
the dual system failed to so through. lie
said in part:
The entire cost Of the system to be
operated by the two companies will he
s3le 10000 Including the money il has
already spcnt on the Fourth avenue line.
i'm Brooklyn. and the Centre street loop
line, the city furnishes NHvD.0O Of this
amount and tho companies 100000. The
CITY has contacted for $G.SO0.cop on ac-
count of the Lexington avenue and
Broadway lines. To complete the system
tho city must still spend sio4.,ro,o10 for
construction and real estate charges. or
the companies contribution 100000 is
for construction and s43Gn,op for equip