Vol. LXXXVII





JUNE 17, 1911





No. 2257





THE   SUBWAY  CONFERENCE  COMMITTEE'S   REPORT





An Able Document of Permanent Value, Outlining a Sound Rapid
Transit Policy Applicable to the Future as Well as to the Present.





THE McAneny report has the merit of
presenting a carefully thought out
policy applicable to evei-j' important re¬
lationship between the city and rapid
transit corporations. It lays down sound
general principles by which the city may
be permanently governed in planning
new routes, in granting franchises and
in   making  financial   arrangements.

The programme which it offers is in
thorough harmony -with Ameriean tra¬
ditions. There is no discrimination
against private capital, yet private capi¬
tal is required to accept conditions that
insure   every   essentia!   public   advantage





but there can be 110 doubt of tlieir hav¬
ing been adopted in the interest of the
city as a whole. The contracts proposed
will hardly be accepted by the Interbor¬
ough and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
without some hesitation, but while they
may be disappointing in other respects
they concede to each company what it is
most anxious to get. The committee
offers to the Interborough the privilege
of express tracking its elevated roads
and to tlie Brooklyn Rapid Transit a val¬
uable short haul trafflc in iManhattan.
These inducements should be decisive
with  the  companies.





kept 'within the city's control, and that
the city should always have the power
to retake the component parts of a
system capable of independent oper¬
ation at any time that it may deem
such a measure necessary.

That where a proper measure of con¬
trol can be maintained, it is good pol¬
icy and correct economy to utilize and
extend the facilities offered by exist¬
ing rapid transit lines already at the
service of the city, rather than to re¬
duce the uses of such lines through
wasteful competition.

That   the   available   funds   of  the   city







THE  NEW SUBWAY SYSTEM AS APPORTIOXED  BY  THE  McANENY  COMMITTEE.





which municipal operation aims to
achieve. On the other hand, no obsta¬
cles are placed in the way of the city's
operating its own lines.

To those who, under existing wasteful
methods of public administration, are
not ready to accept municipal operation,
save as a measure of necessity, the re¬
port is welcome because it devises a mode
of co-operation with private capital which
all shades of public opinion must concede
is fair and practicable. If the terms of
co-operation now offered are rejected by
private capital, there wili be no division
of sentiment as to the expediency of re¬
sorting   to   municipal   operation.

Tlie routes laid out by the conference
committee   are   certain   to   be   criticized.





Ciiief among the considerations that
guided the conference committee in draw¬
ing up its recommendations are these:

That the city should provide, as rap¬
idly as the means at its command per¬
mit, not only for relief of congested
areas, but for the opening of lines
through those sections that, though rel¬
atively imdeveloped, offer promising
opportunity for the better distribution
of population.

That the location of particular routes
should be determined by the city, for
tlie city's reasons, and not necessarily
to conform to plans proposed by oper¬
ating companies.

That the occupation of lines in the
hands   of   private   operators   should   be





should be used for new construction
work and placed where they will aid
best in preserving the city's strategic
position.

That the city should have a full and
fair share in ali profits derived from
the operation of new lines; not only aa
a matter of the rightful enjoyment of
the fruits of its own franchises, but as
a means of hastening the release of Its
self-supporting investments from, the
constitutional debt limit and of the
construction of additional transporta¬
tion  facilities.

That the basis of operation, in every
case, shall be such as to secure a
proper  contribution  from   the   earnings

of the more profitable inside or  "short