New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-03
Rapid Transit Progress
Vast Amount of Work Going on in Manhattan and
Brooklyn New Lines and Extensions-Con-
tracts Awarded in 1914
Rv EDWARD f. MCALI>

chairman fubnC SeIN'Se N""iSeion.
:. few months we expect 90 place
..nporary operation the Stein
.ynnel. running from Lexington
Manhattan. under 42d st and the
r.. River 70 Jackson and Van Alst
Long Island City. This tunnel,
1,,.b was built by the marlborough
o.,5 Transit Company and purchased
~. city in the dual system agree
=. e now undergoing reconstruc-
- % a. q for operation in connec-
=, With the existing subway. The
-..,,structiou work is more than oV
can. completed and should be I'm
i.,,8 mex. spring. As soon ss II Is
III. .be company will be required TO
-..a a service between the limits
-.ored. with free transfers 20 and
-, .be existing subway. This VIII
...b,e passengers from Queens Bor-
o.. cross the river and go up or
.ov-n IN Manhattan for scent
Eventually the Steinway Tunnel
bo extended westward under 42d
..s connection with the existing
.,.-.,v AZ Times Square with station
?. che Grand Central Terminal and
-..os..vard from the present
o...,s terminus 70 the Queens plaza
= As Greensboro Bridge and q con
..,.io, with the new rapid transit
r,., % Astoria and Corona.
The beginning Of operation in the
r,y-.b Az. subway and the Steinway
rs,,el will give the people the first
5s-,onstration of the benefits Of the
srs, system. Tho next lines to be
laced in operation probably will be
n. new third-tracks or the existing
Treated lines IN Manhattan. The Bronx
IA P-ooklvr and their various extern
,io,s IN those borouGhs and Queens.
D,-ine the year 1915 it should be pos
,,ble for the New York Municipal Rail
vev Corporation 20 place IN temporary
,,sration the new Liberty av. extern
,.on of tho Folton s.. elevated railroad
.-d .he Lutheran Cemetery extension
- the Broadway and Myrtle av. lines.
This should he followed within year
~ 50 BIZ the operation Of the new
,l;r6.tracks on the Fulton 81. elevated
,ailrosd in Brooklyn and on the Sec
o,d. Third and Ninth avs. elevated
..u-o.ss IN Manhattan. After this
will come the operation OF the various
Elevated extensions and the trunk lines
q the new Lexington av, Seventh ay'
md Broadway subways.
Considering the nature OF the times,
the progress OF work on rapid transit
lines during the year 1914 has been
most gratifying. With the outbreak Of
he European war and the sudden bust
ness stagnation which followed the
CITY Of New York, as we'll as private
enterprises, was obliged 10 curtail its
erpenditures. and exercised extreme
caution in contracting new obligations.
Recognizing. however, the importance
Of pushing 20 completion al the earliest
possible date the tremendous rapid
transit development in which the city
had embarked, the city authorities
made an exception in this regard and
wisely permitted a continuation Of the
disbursements for rapid transit con-
sruetion on the scale planned. AS
result. this commission has been able
70 let new contracts and 10 pay regu-
larly the monthly estimates on the
work already under way. While | have
no, been able 90 get the exact figures,
think an safe in stating that the
ety's actual disbursements on this &C
count have averaged about 100000 a
month during the last year Inc erect
has been beneficial IN more ways thhn
one. Workingmen upon the several con-
tracts have been continued IN employ
ment additional employment has been
provided for many upon the new con-
tracts awarded. and the general stu
alton has been improved by the elrcu-
ation Of 100000 each month.
"Since the beginning OF the year 1918
,he commission has awarded twenty
four separate construction contracts
for new subwsys or elevated railroads
70 be owned by the city, aggregating
more than $50 100000. In addition, the
commission has awarded track instslla-
ton contracts, and contracts Tor sta-
ton finish. special work and other
track materials, aggregatlng ABOUT
Sl,000.000 more With the WORK pre-
yiouslv awarded the city now has un-
der contract or completed SlbO,OOO,UVo
worth In construction contracts on the
dual system. This applies only TO lines
10 be owned by the City Of New ORR
and not all Of the sl50,000,0O0 Will be
paid bv the city, for the two operating
companies are pledged 20 contribute
about SIP 100000 toward the construc-
lion Of city owned lines, and prooaoly
half Of the amount Of this contribution
is included In the total of SlbO,OOO'VVV'
In addition, the companies themselves
have awarded construction contracts
on privately owned lines during tne
year sggregating S15,000,OOO or SIo'-
100000, so that al the close OF the yeaI
1914 dual system contracts, botn puDlc
and private, have been awarded 10 the
extent OF about $685. 100000. The totai
estimated construction cost OF the dusl
system is 1926. 600, so that cohslu-
ersbly more than two-thirds OF the
total is already under contract.
"Out Of eighty-three contract sec
Tons. into which the city work is az
Wded, contracts have been awarded Tor
sxty-hye, leaving only eighteen yet 70
Dc let. The most important OF the con-
Tracts remaining 10 be awarded are
hose FOR the Eastern District subway
ne Eastern Parkway subway and the
f.atbush av connection with the
Brighton Beach Railroad In Brooklyn
ne Nassau 50. subway IN Manhattan,
and the elevated portion Of the rel
ram Bay PARK branch OF the LeIlng-