New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-21

tional facilities as set forth in the
act or i'm accordance with provisions
of existing general laws; and
"SiXth-Providing that If. within
the period specified, the company does
not construct its road to conform TO
the newly established grade, the
proper local authorities shall remove
the present tracks"
Out of States Power
Referring to the general features OF
the proposed agreement, the report
says:
an essence, the proposed arrange
ment involves the sale by the city TO
the Central company OF lands, ease
ments and other rights in property
whereby the company, with other prop
erty rights already owned or TO be ac-
CURED from private parties, gets prl-
vate right of way from Spuyten Duyvll
to Canal Street, with areas for eX-
tensive yards at Manhattanville, Six
tieth Street, Thirtieth Street and Canal
Street. That is, the company will have
a complete private right Of way from
one end of the city to the other over
streets and public and private lands, IN
much the same way as strip bought
in fee through a farm. By securing
such n private right Of way the com
pany will have forever removed itself
from the present power of the Legis-
lature 10 alter, amend or repeal, as pro-
vided in the original legislative char
ter.
an addition. the opportunity is open
to sell electricity and, by being permit
ted to lay pipes and tunnels in certain
fu1,
power, light, refrigeration. etc, TO ten
ants of company buildings. In short.
this arrangement contemplates for the
Central company assured rights in per-
petuity and a free hand to embark,
whenever it may wish, upon what may
be the most extensive freight terminal
and warehouse development in this
country"
Urge Rental for Grant
The commissioners suggest that the
public may secure its proper return
from a grant by fixing a fair rental re-
adjustable periodically so as to secure
future adequate returns, or by lmpos-
ing obligations in regard to service.
rates, facilities. taxes. or by reseving
opportunity TO resume the grant and
perform the services directly.
an the present case" the report
states, "the city gets certain payment
now based entirely on present real es-
tate values, although part of that real
estate now constitutes public streets,
the compensation for which is the CAPT
talization OF a very small rental. No
payments are to be made IN the future.
The compensation to the city, such as
il is. is made now, once and for all.
This precludes the possibility of any
future rcadiustment that might allow
of the public sharing in any increase nm
the value of the rights conferred upon
the company TO use public property
The members Of the Port and Termi-
nal Committee held another conference
Yesterday with Ira A. Place. vice-presi-
dent Of the New York Central, in re-
gard to certain notifications Of the
plans. Mayor Mitchell and Controller
Prendergast said at the conclusion Of
the conference that important phases
OF the agreement were still under con-
sideration and they were not yet ready
10 make a statement The Controller
gave out a letter received from the J.
Romano Brown Company. one Of the
largest real estate dealers in the city,
approving the contract with the New
York Central and urging its immediate
contamination.