New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-17
n, Y. Central to Spend
$100,OO0,0O0, City to Give
$6,000,000 in Land
HARDY REPORTS TO
ESTIMATE BOARD
Bitter Fight Still To Be Elk
pected from Opponents
of Scheme

Final solution Of the New York Gen.
trial track elevation and freight conges'
tion difficulties, a civic problem OF
more than n generations standing. be.
came a probability of the near future
yesterday with the completion. after
months of discussion, Of the proposed
parking plan that has the approval OF
both city and railroad officials
The plan as adopted involves the ex'
penditure of SlOO,OOO.OoO by the rail
road in carrying out the improvements
demanded in the tentative contract and
the contribution by the city of some
what more than s6,0o0,00O in real es-
tate as payment for the benefits 1T will
derive. Although the arrangements
represent much bargaining and trading
between railroad and city, experts en-
ployed BY the Board OF Estimate assert
that it includes benefits TO the pubic
far in excess of the cost.
Benefits for City
Among these benefits, as enumerated
in the report submitted to the Board
Of Estimate by Corporation Counsel
Lamar Hardy, are the following:
Electrifcation of all the New YORK
Centraps lines in the city limits.
Removal of unsightly tracks by tun-
rolling and roofing over between l2Sth
Street and Seventy-second Street.
Retaining of the river front Tor
park and public purposes between those
Elevation Of all tracks below the
southern terminal Of the freight yards
at Fifty-ninth Street, eliminating all
grade crossings.
Reservation of the right by the city
10 permit incoming roads, from Ne"
Jersey or elsewhere, 10 cross undeI'
over or at the grade OF the New OH
Central tracks from Thirtieth street 10
The south terminal at Canal street
thus eliminating possibility OF lreight
monopoly. u,
owned by the New York Central road,
NAV be rooted over and parked at any
t:ma the city desires to incur the ek-
nense of construction, probably six MILL
ion dollars. - .
With the exception Of two points, the
roilroad has no access TO the water
front between Spuyten Duyvil and It's
southern terminal. These exceptions
are at the SiXtieth Street yards ana
those at Manhattanville, between 15otn
ard 1920 Streets.
Fight Still in Prospect
City officials who look upon the plan
with the most approving eyes do not
hone that il will be adopted without
sitter fight against those who are OPP
losing ii on the grounds that the ROAD
should have made additional conees-
sions to the city.
Even the making of yesterdays re-
mort was at the risk OF violating a tenn
porary injunction granted by Judge
Cropsev. in the Kings County branch OF
the Supreme Court. Because OF TINS re,
straining order. which will be called
for final hearing tomorrow, II was
necessary 10 make hurried changes IN
The wording of statements that accom-
panied the proposed contract.
Mayor Mitchell, as chairman OF the
BOARD Of Estimate, Will hold meeting
of that body Friday for the purpose OF
announcing plans for public hearings
on the contract. Controller William A
Prendergast said yesterday that a
month would be allowed to permit
everybody interested in the p Ian to be-
come familiar with its provisions pc
fore the opening of the hearings IL is
more than likely that two weeks VIII
be consumed at the hearings.
Mayor Mitchell Tours District
Details of the proposed contract were
outlined by Mayor Mitchell in the
course of a tour of the district 10 DC
affected by the improvements Yesterday
afternoon. Particular attention was
called TO the changes TO be maze III
Riverside Park. which has been the
chief object of complaint by members
of the Woman's League to Preserve
Riverside Park
Controller Prendergast answered the
ARGUMENTS Of those who assert that
the marx will be greatly damaged by
saving that the 1A0 acres OF the PARK
row developed would be increased by
+hirtv-seven acres through the new al
rangement This addition in park ter
,itorv. he said. would result from the
exchanges through which the road VIII
convey TO the city all property vacated
through moving its tracks inland ana
in tunnels, and through the filing ana
glopipg of parts of the park now I'M
available for any practical purpose.
As TO the restoration of the park at the
conclusion Of the roads construction
work there, which must be completed
within four years. the original oher
Of 100000 from the railroad for this
nurposc stands. 1t is agreed by the
Civ that part of the restoration
work in the park will be looked upon
as mart Of it's own burden of expenses
incurred in the improvement
City Expenditures
The city's expenditures IN connee-
tion with the entire plan. as set forth
/, tho proposed contract, include:
transfer Of real estate valued at So
no 500 in excess of real estate trans
forred 10 the city by the railroad; pay
,ren, of $4,000 of the 100000 estl-
r,oted ms probable cost OF restoring
~ mark: parking'of the roof structure
~, riverside Drive Extension, at an
",,;r,ated cost OF 100000.
Sr"at stress is laid on the fact that
- New York Central will not be per
S w. IN enjoy a monopoly Of track
'rsace on the waterfront below Thir-
~ Street in the statement issued by
| c,eetrstion Counsel Hardy. Since the
O ~ of such q monopoly grow
nc ont OF the contract constituted the
,reotost objection mace by CIVIC organ
izatlons opposing tnx ser eotissod Wi,