New-York tribune., 1915-12-19
MCGUIRE Seeks Haste in
Plans for William
Street Route.
DELAY WILL MEAN
A GREATER COST
Nearly Six Months Have Elapsed
and Nothing Definite Done.
He Declares.
BY the Real Estate Board.


Are proper arrangements 20 be made
during construction Of the William
Street subway for adequate entrances
and exits on narrow downtown streets,
or will dangerous congestion be in
vited by placing these on the side
walks. as originally planned by the en-
gineers OF the Public Service Com
mission?
This question was taken up last
spring by Borough President Marks.
The Borough Presidents position was
that in no event should these exceed
ingly narrow sidewalks along William
Street be utilized, and that adequate
arrangements be made during con
struetion so that the city should not
later on be called upon 10 reconstruct
or relocate these entrances and exits,
at great cost, as has happened In other
parts OF the city.
The Borough President pointed out
that in Boston the custom Of acquir-
ing private property was frequently
resorted 70 as a wiser alternative than
locating exits and entrances on the
sidewalks.
The urgency Of the situation will be
seen when II is understood that the
sidewalks along William Street where
these exits and entrances are to be
placed unless public sentiment against
this Is given due consideration-are
from 9 TO 10 feet wide and that based
on the present normal travel Of 1000
persons past given point In an hour,
exits OF more than SO feet, as
planned, will be necessary. This would
leave approximately feet on tho side
walk 70 accommodate continually In
creasing pedestrian traffic.
The position taken by Borough Presi-
dent Marks was strongly supported by
the Real Estate Board, the Merchants
Association and other organizations.
This was nearly nine months age.
Meantime the contractors, Smith, Hau-
ser & MacIsaac, who have been at work
on the William Street subway for more
than year. have gone ahead Of their
contract and expect TO complete the
work in about sixteen months. All
working drawings of the entrances and
exits to stations at Fulton, Pine and
Wall streets should now be In tho
hands OF the contractors. The neces-
sary steel should have been ordered.
Incidentally, the price of steel Is now
advancing and deliveries are delayed.
Further delay will mean still greater
cost.
The necessity for at once providing
for adequate exits and entrances Is
emphasized by the congestion on tho
present subway at such points as John
Street and Wall Street.
The need for immediate action Is
stated IN letter by Laurence Mcclure,
president of the Real Estate Board, 20
Commissioner Riegelmann, who has
taken great interest in the progress Of
the William Street subway. II is In
part as follows:
referring 10 the public hearing held
at the Office of the Public Service Com
mission on June % to receive protests
from merchants, owners, organizations,
such as the Real Estate Board, Mer-
chants Association, Downtown Inter
borough Association, etc, against the
use of the narrow sidewalks on william
Street for subway entrances and exits.
As d result Of this hearing, a special
committee was then and there appoint
ed, of which you were made chairman,
with Edward P. Goodrich, OF Borough
President Marks's Office, and +. c. Cam
mann, Of the Real Estate Board, the
other members.
AT this hearing il was promised that
the various owners on William Street
would be seen and the matter definitely
taken up within thirty or sixty days, so
that those interested In this question
would know exactly how II would be
settled. Nearly six months have elapsed
and nothing definite has yet been done
On behalf Of the owners In the district,
merchants doing business in this vicin-
ity, the general public and our mem
bers, the Real Estate Board asks how
this matter stands.
ave inclose herewith copy Of letter
sent by the Hon. Marcus M. Marks 20
the Hon. Edward z. Mccall. under date
Of April %, 1918, setting forth the
necessity of solving this problem at an
early date, 10 avoid the necessity Of
future change IN the subway structure,
and also calling attention 10 the fact
that the sidewalks on William Street
should not be used for subway en-
frances.
"The work Of construction on the
William Street subway has been in
provision or definite arrangement has
yet been made for entrances and exits
to stations As this subway Is 10 be fn-
ished within sixteen months, this mat
ter should be settled at once. II should
have been settled months ago.
"The sidewalks on William Street are
only 9 TO 10 feet in width and should
not be used for entrance purposes. At
Fulton Street, which will be the impor-
tant station on this line, the entrance
will be on the easterly side Of the street
only. This will mean such congestion
that entrances wider than 6.e feet will
be absolutely necessary. although even
this narrow width would leave only
three or four feet Of the sidewalk
space, which is entirely inadequate, as
it is figured that 1000 persons pass on
this narrow street at this point in one