The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-31

Underground Railro.d and Other
l Schemes.
The near approach OF the period for the as
sembling Of The Legislature OF this State once
more swakens an interest in the railroad and
other projects for this city. Tho rapid growth
| Of this metropolis, and the narrow limits be-
tween the rivers, render 1t necessary that we
should have additional facilities for transport
ing passengers Our present city railroads are
| no. sufficient to meet the public necessity.
During those hsuss. of thu day when our citi-
zens are going to and from their business it is
| a. much a. mans life is worth to attempt to
| get OF or on the oars Of any Of the principal
lines The people are packed and crowded In
together, with . head sticking out here and a
leg there, like 90 many sheep in ; cart, sn route
| for the butchers stall. The .omnibuses are q
nuisance, and belong to the past age. There
| is no way Of correcting the great evil except
by moro city. railroads. There is no dis
| guising tho fact that the present means
Of conveyance are totally inadequate to the
wants Or the public. 'Thoss citizens whose
wealth enables Them to keep their private car
riages and roll along in luxury through onr
streets, to and from their places Of business,
do not realize this fact. II is not in behalf Of
| that class that we write, bnt for the mass Of
the people, who form the hundreds Of THOUSANDS
Of our population. Willie we nrge the con-
struction Of more lines OF railroad, let no
person interpret US as endorsing any one Of
| the numerous schemes which will be presented
to the Legislature for this purpose. We are
totally opposed to the policy Of farming out
these valuable franchises to q set Of specu-
lators to enrich themselves We contend that
they should be so disposed Of that the city can
derive revenue from them. II is the great
mass of The people and the city that we de-
sire TO benefit, and not dozen or two specu-
lators.
How or when these new lines shall be
built we leave for time and events to deter
mine. The object of this article is TO call
attention to their necessity. Yet we cannot
fail to recognize the fact, as it seems to us all
who look at it in practical way must see,
that either the underground railroad or
railroad in Broadway is impracticable 1t
is an established fact that double track
railroad in Broadway will seriously obstruct
The business in that street, that thorough
fare in the business portion being too mar
row for two tracks to be operated sue
cessfnlly. Still greater obstacles present them
selves to the underground project, which the
Times is Just now advocating. To construct a
road the whole length of the city in that way
would necessitate tunnelling through rock for
the entire route above Fourteenth street, while
large portion OF that below would have to
be made water proof. We look upon this
project as unfeasible, except IL may be for
packages and parcels, operated on the pneu-
matte principle. The idea that our business
men will descend into so close and damp
gion, and there sit in car long enough to ride
four five OF six miles, seems to us prepostcruus.
Still, il there are men foolish enough to invest
their money in project like that, we have no
particular objection to their having the oppor-
t,inity of trying it. 1t will keep their
money in circulation and do somebody
good. even If the projectors do sink every
thing that they put in, which would
be almost certain. But that is matter
for their own consideration. We simply warn
them of the inevitable failure Of such a scheme;
but if they desire in face of facts to spend their
money in that way, the loss or profit is their
lookout. Right here we shall, no doubt, be
met with the question: if railroad in Broad
way and under Broadway are both impract-
cable, where can we build more railroads.
We are aware that MANY OF the side streets
are already occupied with rails, but we believe
Ill G.~r "a
lines, and these, 10 accomplish their purpose,
should strike Broadway at their lower terminus.
Then, again, there is the elevated railway, which
is far moro feasible and better every way than
the underground. Let them he over the side-
walks over the back yards, with bridges across
the streets or on top OF the houses, we care not
how, only so they are built. II seems 10 us
that the perfection 10 which engineering has
been brought at the present time could mature
some plan which would relieve The city, now
that the necessity for such relief exists Tie
formation of the city and the substrata or
foundation are such that the rules or systems
which would apply TO London or any Of the
leading cities Of Europe will not be applicable
here. There is an opportunity for some man
Of science and genius TO become q public
beneiactor, as we'll as to make name which
will last as long az tho city stands. The null
titudss Of professional men, artisans, clerks,
mechanics and lsboring men Of this city need
additional facilities Of travel, not only In pur-
suing their daily svocations, but in reaching
the outskirts Of the city, where they can
breathe the pure air and invigorate their sys-
TENS during their few holidays. Who will step
forward and suggest or mature plan to &C
complish oil thiss
Once more we reiterste that We are not ad-
vocating any special project Of this or that
party Of spectators. We care not who build
the roads. onlv that thew are built in q way