Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-28

An Underground Railway In New York.
The rapid growth Of New York city has
been such that it is necessary to introduce
steam in order to facilitate passing from
one quarter Of the city to another.
1t is estimated that at the present rate
Of growth every lot upon Manhattan is
land will be built upon in sixteen yesrs,
The waste places on each side Of the Cen
trsl Park, and above it, will soon be filled
with teeming population, which must
have some quick means Of reaching the
lower part of the city. Steam cars cannot
be used upon the streets, and it follows
that railroads must be built under the
ground or over the tops Of the houses.
Both methods have been tried in London,
and with success.
A report has been made Of the cost Of q
tunnel Of sufficient dimensions for two
tracks running from Bowling Green to
Central Park. The estimate is 81, ,260, 900.
The Tlmes' remarks of the London un-
derground railway says!
This railway has proved complete sue
cess in every point of view, speedily be-
coming favorite route Of travel, and con-
sequently highly productive on its cost
the shares advancing, within very few
months after its opening, to fifty per cent.
premium. The trains are drawn By loco.
motive, coke-burning engines, which run
at the ordinary rate of speed. The tunnel
is well ventilated. Its temperature is al
ways uniform. It is free from dust or
noise, and is entirSlS safe from accidents.
Indeed, so complete has been the success
Of the experiment, that eli London is alive
with similar enterprises. 1t is proposed
to construct most elaborate system of
underground railways for the seoommoda-
ton Of every portion Of the great netrop-
oils. For this purpose no less than S40,-
000 900 have been raised. The engineer
ing difficulties encountered are considered
Of no moment whatever compared with the
objects TO be gained, as it is shown by the
fact that one of the lines proposed, and
which will, doubtless, be speedily executed,
is to run some three -fourths Of mile di
reOtly under the bed Of the Thames
The advantages Of such railrosd are
well summed up in the following para
graph.
The work proposed for New York solves
at once and effectuslly the problem how
to relieve our oVer-crowded streets, while |
it will equslize as nearly as possible the |
value Of property throughout the whole |
island. Without some better snd more |
speedy mode Of conveyance than at present |
furnished, it could not be long before the
business Of Wall would flow up to Canal
street. But provide the means whereby
the merchant and banker can be carried /
all the way from his residence to within
few hundred feet Of his place Of business at /
the rate Of twenty miles an hour, and the
lower part Of the island must always re-
main the favorite site Of commerce and
trade. Central Park will then be within
fifteen minutes time Of the Battery. For
all those living beyond the limits Of the
City, north and northeast, nearly an hour
will be saved; at 25 miles distant, not
over an hour need be consumed by a busi-
ness man in reaching his Office.
The work proposed would be equally inn
portant as q means Of distributing freight
as Of passengers. The freight trains
would run at night, say from II P. N. to
A. N. With it, all our butehering estsb-
ishments, now public nuissnces, could be
twenty miles distant, and fresh
nests, with milk, vegetables, fruits, and
in fact food Of all kinds, could be deliv-
cred by rail At dozen different and con-
Venient points. Merchandise designed for
from the city could be COL
ected during the day at different stations,
and loaded and moved of, with vast
saving over the present cost. In fact, the
proposed work would, as we have already
fulfill every condition neossss-
y to tho complete convenience both Of the
Iravel and commerce Of our city.