The whole line should

needed to afford facilities to both lines. be underground, except possibly the Southern boulevard and Westchester avenue section. Some money would be saved by building an elevated road on Jerome avenue instead of a subway, but in view of the many obvious objections to an elevated road, in view of the important character of this thoroughfare, and in view of the small saving in cost when the expense of constructing the whole line is considered, a subway throughout Jerome avenue would be preferable.

Possible Connections of Line. The line thus planned could be connected with the New York Central railroad at Mott Haven Station, at 138th street and at 42d street, and suburban trains could be run through to the Battery via Broadway- a more direct route to downtown Manhattan than by the present subway. At this very moment, before the Grand Central Station has been reconstructed and while the traffic is being so seriously interfered with by this reconstruction that the number of persons using the Grand Central Station is very much less than it will be when the station has been rebuilt and the trains are again running upon schedule time, yet the present subway is congested by New York Central traffic. The proposed line would relieve this congestion and help handle the additional traffic that will come when the New York Central has completed its work of reconstruction and has electrified its lines.

The proposed line will also run close to the Steinway tunnel at 42d street and the Blackwell's island bridge at 59th street, so that a connection may be made with each. By either route the residents of Queens will be able to reach the lower portion of Manhattan much more expeditiously than at present.

The "Broadway-Lexington avenue line" is not a part of the "Tri-Borough route" as originally planned, but by means of the connection through Canal street, discussed later in this report, it has every advantage which the Manhattan portion of the "TriBorough route" possesses and certain other advantages which the other does not have, inasmuch as the Manhattan portion of the "Tri-Borough route" would not tap the Broadway section between the Post Office and Tenth street. It is also possible to inake a similar connection with the Williamsburg bridge and any

subway extended by this route into Long Island. At the Battery it could likewise be connected with the present tunnel to Brooklyn or any future subway built east or west of Broadway.

Thus, while the proposed line is to be constructed in Manhattan and the Bronx, it will afford great relief to Brooklyn and Queens.

Other Advantages. The value of the Broadway-Lexington avenue route both from the transit and from the financial standpoint is apparent. Below Fourteenth street it will run through the very heart of the commercial and office centers of the city. It will also tap the populous district between Forty-second street and the Harlem river, the residents of which at present can reach the lower Broadway district only by a circuitous route. The two branches in the Bronx will tap the sections which are most in need of transit facilities. The Jerome avenue line has been

urged for years. The Southern boulevard section will run through a district already well populated and the Westchester avenue section will open up an area which has not developed owing to the lack of transit facilities. Further, the present subway carries the Bronxites by a very devious course from their homes to their offices. The Broadway-Lexington avenue route will shorten the trip very materially. Further, the directness of the line and the few curves (Lexington avenue is almost upon an exact line with Broadway) will safely allow cars to be run at high speed and will lower operating costs.

Inasmuch as more of the Bronx lies east than west of a line continued in a straight line upon the axis of Lexington avenue, the most natural connection of Jerome avenue would be with a future line down Eighth avenue, or a line between Eighth avenue and Lexington avenue, for it is probable that every subway built upon Lexington avenue or east of Lexington avenue, will be needed for the portion of the Bronx east of Jerome avenue. But if the Commission were to build the Jerome avenue line and to lease it to the company operating the Broadway-Lexington avenue line under such conditions that it might allow a separate company operating the Eighth avenue line to have running powers over the Jerome avenue section, the present connection of this section with Lexington avenue would not interfere with the ultimate normal development.

Attention should be called to the fact that the Broadway-Lexington line, as above outlined, is not precisely the same as the Lexington avenue route proposed by the Rapid Transit Commission. The Lexington avenue route, as originally planned, was not sufficiently direct and contained so many curves that the speed of the trains would be interfered with. It was also planned to connect the Lexington avenue line with the present subway at 42d street. This is considered objectionable for two reasons; the present subway has all the traffic it can possibly handle with decency, and perhaps more. To add to its burdens. by feeding another line into it would be exceedingly unwise. Further, if such a connection were made, any competitor of the Interborough Company would be at a decided disadvantage when bidding for the operating lease. Upon the other hand, the subway as now proposed will not interfere with any longitudinal routes which may be built later. be built later. For example, a line connecting with the present subway at 42d street street and Broadway could be brought downtown via Broadway to Union square, thence down University place, Wooster street and Church street to the Battery.

Finance. The estimated cost of the Broadway-Lexington avenue line, including the two branches in the Bronx, would be about $60,000,000, and with the present traffic condition in mind, work ought to be begun immediately upon every section. However, if, for financial or other reasons, it should be found desirable to delay the awarding of the contracts on construction of certain portions of the route until another year, it would be pos sible at once to begin on the section from the Battery to the Grand Central Station. Within another year the contracts for the sec tion from 42d street to 138th street could be let, to be followed by the Gerard and Jerome avenue section. By the time the portion from the Battery to 42d street would be ready for lease to an operating company, the other sections of the route would be under contract, so that even though they were not completed, the bidders for a franchise to operate would know when they were to be finished, and a lease could be made for the unfinished as well as the finished portions of the line. Further, if the construction of the entire line were approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, it would be possible to advertise a

lease of this route at the same time the lease for the Fourth avenue subway is advertised. Thus, any prospective bidder could obtain not only a lease of the Fourth avenue subway in Brooklyn but also of the very remunerative line up Broadway and Lexington avenue. Owing to the possibility of a physical connection through Canal street, these two lines could be run as one system, making the proposition from a financial point of view very attractive and remunerative.

2. CANAL STREET EXTENSION.

The Commission also adopted a route for a two-track subway from the Manhattan bridge through Canal street to West street. According to the present plans for the Center street loop, no means have been provided for connecting any of the bridges with the present subway, the elevated roads, and new subway up Broadway or any future subways west of Broadway. Even the Fourth avenue subway from Brooklyn has been planned to run down Center street without any connection with any subway or elevated road in Manhattan. Such a condition is most inconvenient and inadvisable, particularly in view of the fact that by building a line across town under Canal street, any persons coming to Manhattan via the Manhattan bridge could change to the present subway, the proposed Broadway-Lexington avenue subway and each of the four subways to be built west of Broadway without climbing to the street and also to the elevated roads whose stations are immediately above. It is also possible to make a physical connection with the Broadway-Lexington avenue route and other subways, so that cars would be run through from the Bronx to Fort Hamilton or Coney Island via Manhattan bridge and the Fourth avenue subway. This plan does not interfere with a connection with the Center street loop, but merely provides for the running of certain trains from Brooklyn through to the North river and certain others down Center street to City Hall.

The estimated cost of this Canal street line is $7,000,000, but if it is not considered possible for financial reasons to construct the whole of it at once it could end for the present just west of Broadway. But it should be constructed at least to this point at

an early date, to provide for a connection with the present subway and the Broadway line.

These two routes having been adopted by the Commission, the matter was referred to the chief engineer and counsel, so that plans might be prepared for submission to the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. This was the situation at the close of the

year.

D. THE RAPID TRANSIT LAW.

General Conditions.- The Rapid Transit Law is very generally misunderstood. It is commonly supposed that this Commission can grant franchises to street surface railroad companies. The fact is that the Rapid Transit Board had no jurisdiction over street surface railroad companies and could not grant them franchises. Its powers and duties were limited to rapid transit roads whether elevated, subway or surface. It is also commonly supposed that this Commission can grant franchises for the construction of rapid transit roads by private capital. The fact is that before Greater New York was created, it was determined by the referendum of 1894 that new rapid transit roads should be constructed and owned by the city of New York. That is now the law for the whole city. No city or State board can to-day grant a franchise to a private company for the construction and operation of an independent rapid transit road within Greater New York. This practically limits the construction of new rapid trànsit lines to what the city itself can afford.

Extensions of existing rapid transit lines, such as the elevated railroads and extensions of steam railroads, could be authorized by the Rapid Transit Board and can be authorized by this Commission. But the power to extend existing roads does not of itself enlist private capital for independent enterprises, and many of the more remote parts of the city are left without rapid transit because of this fact and because the money for rapid transit construction by the city is limited. Existing rapid transit lines are therefore freed by the existing state of the law from possibility of competition with any other rapid transit lines excepting such as the city itself may construct, and with the knowledge that for several years at least the state of the city's finances will