The contract with Mr. John B. McDonald provides that wherever station platforms are located at a depth or height excceding 30 feet from the surface of the street, contractor shall, if required by the Board, establish an approved plan of elevators not exceeding four in number.

When the plans for this station were prepared in 1904 no provision was made for either elevators or escalators, though they might have been required of the contractor under his contract with the City.

The station is now entirely completed in accordance with the plans prepared by the Board. It is entirely practicable, however, to provide either elevators or escalators for this station for a very small additional cost over what the cost would have been if they had been installed when the station was first constructed.

Since both train platforms are served through one ticket house, access to both north and south bound trains would be had by elevators or escalators constructed on one side of the street.

One of the following plans might be adopted:

First-Property may be secured on one side of the street, preferably on the west side, and an elevator building constructed which will contain at least two elevators operating to the level of the ticket house floor; a bridge or passageway can be con structed over the sidewalk to the building connecting with the ticket house. If this plan were carried out, passengers would then ascend or descend by elevators to or from the ticket house level and thence to or from either train platform by stairway 15 feet high. This plan would involve a minimum change in the present structure. The present stairways running from the ticket house level to the street would not have to be disturbed; all the work to be done would be additional work. Private property would have to be acquired, however, in which to install the elevators. The cost of the two elevators, exclusive of the elevator house and private property for the same, would probably be about $25,000 or $30,000.

Second-One of the stairways ascending from the street to the ticket house level, preferably on the west side of the street, can be removed and an ascending escalator substituted for it. Passengers would then ascend by escalator to the ticket house level and thence to either train platform by the stairway 15 feet high. Disembarking passengers would use the same stairways between the train platforms and the ticket house level, and thence descend to the street by the exit stairway.

An ascending escalator can first be provided, and if subsequent conditions warrant it, a descending one can be built as a substitute for the remaining stairway on the same side of the street. This plan would not require the purchase of any private property. One ascending escalator could probably be constructed for about $30,000, which represents the whole construction cost.

It is obvious, therefore, that the second plan is the more preferable of the two. The work would probably have to be ordered as an extra, under the contract with Mr. John B. McDonald, and additional money provided to defray the cost of the same, since the station at the above mentioned point has already been completed under the plans approved by the Rapid Transit Board.

The Secretary presented the following communication from George Cromwell, President of the Borough of Richmond, relative to the care of certain tracks in Richmond, which was referred to the Chief Engineer:

BOROUGH HALL, NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK CITY,Į
July 12, 1907.

ΙΙΟΙ

Hon. WILLIAM R. WILLCOX, Chairman, Public Service Commission, No. 320 Broadway,

N. Y. City:

DEAR SIR-I beg to call your attention to a condition existing in this Borough, on Richmond road (Concord), between Ninth street and Vanderbilt avenue, where there is laid an asphalt pavement. Owing to escaping electricity beneath the tracks of the Richmond Light and Railroad Company (Midland Branch), the water service pipes, due to electrolysis, are continually eaten away, thereby causing bad leaks, which necessitates a continual ripping up of the road to repair the leaks at an unnecessary expense to the City, as well as to the individual property owner. There is one case, that of an orphan girl, who owns a small building occupied by a laundry, who has spent at least ninety dollars within the last three years in this connection.

The attention of the railroad company has been repeatedly called to this condition, but to no avail. Deeming this complaint a matter for the consideration of your Commission, I beg leave to write you in the hope that the Commission may take the necessary remedial steps.

The Secretary presented a communication signed by Louis Arnold, Secretary of the Atlantic Avenue and Brooklyn Improvement Association, protesting against the granting to the Monorail Railroad Company the right to operate a railroad of any nature on Atlantic avenue, Brooklyn, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole.

The Secretary presented various communications from the City Departments, asking for the transfer to such departments of employees of this Commission, and the following was moved:

Resolved, That this Commission hereby approve of the following transfers:

Jane A. Ruoff, Stenographer, salary, $1,080, from the office of the Secretary of the Cominission to the Board of Water Supply, City of New York.

John Dunn, Rodman, from the Engineering Department to the Department of Parks.

Samuel S. Cox, Jr., Rodman, from the Engineering Department to the office of the President of the Borough of Brooklyn, Bureau of Sewers.

Ayes-Commissioners Willcox, McCarroll, Bassett, Maltbie, Eustis.

Nays-None.
Carried.

The Secretary presented the following communication from W. T. Hornaday, Director of the New York Zoological Society, relative to the proposed terminal station at One Hundred and Eighty-second street, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole:

NEW YORK, July 13, 1907.

1371

Hon. WILLIAM R. WILLCOX, President of the Public Service Commission, New York City:

DEAR SIR-I have been directed by the Vice-President of the Zoological Society to confer with your Honorable Board concerning the proposed extension of the subway elevated structure northward from One Hunded and Eightieth street, West Farms. Pending the formulation of any definite request in the matter, I have conferred with your Chief Engineer, Mr. Rice, and from him received full information regarding the status of the terminus up to the present time. We have been made aware of the recent request of the Chief Engineer of the Interborough Railway Company for plans for the erection of a terminal station at One Hundred and Eighty-second street. It is because of this request of the Interborough Company that I have been directed by the Zoological Society to take up the matter. At this juncture, I will only take up your time sufficiently to advise you that, in the estimation of the Zoological Society, the erection of a terminus at One Hundred and Eighty-second street, on the lines proposed by the contract between the City and the Interborough Railway Company would be a very grave calamity, and in the Society's view, highly detrimental to the best interests of the public. We earnestly hope that some arrangement can be made which will obviate the technical necessity of erecting a terminal as now shown on the contract plans.

With a view to harmonizing all interests in the matter I have taken up the question with the Interborough Railway Company, and at the present moment the matter is under friendly consideration. I sincerely hope that it will be possible for us to arrive, informally, at a conclusion which will satisfy the Interborough Railway Company and the Zoological Society, and which also will meet the approval of your Honorable Board.

I take the present opportunity to submit these facts for your information, and that of your Chief Engineer, in order that you may be advised that the whole subject is under diligent consideration. I hope to be in a position to submit to the Public Service Commission at an early date, a suggestion for a final plan for the terminus which will meet your approval.

Yours very respectfully,
(Signed)

W. T. HORNADAY, Director.

The Secretary presented a communication from M. F. Ihmsen, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Independence League, transmitting a memorial setting forth the ideas of the Independence League as to the lighting and transportation problems of the City, and offering to appear before the Commission to advocate the building of a comprehensive system of subway railroads, and that the contracts of construction and operation be separated, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole.

The Secretary presented a communication from E. S. Piper, President of the Allied Board of Trade, urging the building of an elevated loop to connect the bridges in addition to the subway loop now under construction, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole.

Commissioner Bassett, Chairman of the Committee on Brooklyn Bridge, stated that his Committee would give a hearing on July 23, 1907, at 2 p. m., to listen to suggestions in the direction of improvements as to the handling of transportation.

Commissioner McCarroll, Chairman of the Committee on the Fourth Avenue Subway, reported progress.

TRAVIS H. WHITNEY, SECRETARY.

Proceedings for Wednesday, July 17, 1907.

There were present-Chairman William R. Willcox, Commissioners William McCarroll, Edward M. Bassett, Milo R. Maltbie, John E. Eustis.

The Secretary presented the following communication from the Secretary of the Public Service Commission for the Second District, transmitting a communication from the Merchants' Association of New York to the former Commission of Gas and Electricity, with a copy of a report of its sub-committee on Gas and Electricity, and, on motion, it was referred to the Committee of the Whole:

2727

ALBANY, N. Y., July 16, 1907. Mr. TRAVIS H. WHITNEY, Secretary, Public Service Commission for the First District, No. 320 Broadway, New York City:

DEAR SIR-By direction of the Commission, I hand you herewith communication received by the former Commission of Gas and Electricity from the Merchants' Association of New York, dated May 7, 1907, requesting the Commission to investigate the cost of supplying break-down service by the New York Edison Company, with a view to determining the fair charge for such service, and to make recommendations to the Legislature as to modifying the existing law if found necessary. It appears that no action was taken in this matter other than to acknowledge the receipt of the communication.

Very truly yours,

J. S. KENNEDY, Secretary. "May 7, 1907.

The Honorable Commission of Gas and Electricity of the State of New York:

GENTLEMEN-Differences having arisen between certain members of this association and the New York Edison Company as to the obligation of the Company to supply so-called "break-down service," the Edison Company requested the Merchants' Association, through its Committee on Gas and Electricity, to examine into the subject, with a view to developing the equitable considerations which should govern the relations, in the particular cited, between the company and the public.

This committee accordingly made such examination as was practicable, and embodied the result of its inquiries in a report, a copy of which is transmitted herewith.

The conclusions and recommendations of the report are as follows:

"It is our opinion that the New York Edison Company should be required to furnish its services to all applicants, irrespective of the use to which such service is to be put; that it should not discriminate in any way against the users of private