New Orleans Republican., 1868-04-19
Especial Correspondence of the Republican,
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

J
that they would be furnished with some
method of rapid and cheap transit from one
end of the city to the other; but now they
seen to be on the point of having these
hopes fulfilled. The lower house of the
state legislature has passed by unanimous
vote the bill for the construction of what Is
known as the Arcade railroad, under Broad
way, and there appears to be but little
| doubt that the senate will also approve the
measure. This project is OF so unique a
character that description of it may not
be uninteresting. 1t should be understood
that covered as is this island with horse-
railways, they are utterly insufficient to ac-
commodate the vast amount of travel that
is forced upon them. Manhattan island is
so narrow that all the growth of the city
has been forced up toward Harlem and
Yorkville. But very small fraction of the
inhabitants of New York live below
Fourteenth street, and every year
the city pushes itself further north
Last year the number of persons carried
on the horse-cars was one hundred and one
million, which is as much as to say that
every man, woman, and child in the city
rode about one hundred times during the
year in these vehicles. None of these cars
run on Broadway, the great central thor
oughfare Of the metropolis. The travel on
this street is still confined to omnibuses and
private carriages, and so great is the throng
of these that day after day the street becomes
more and more uncomfortable and danger
Gus for pedestrians.
The plan of the Arcade railroad is simply
to make two .Broadways, one above and one
under ground. The whole width Of the
street. from building to building, is to be
excavated to the depth of seventeen feet,
and the present roadway is then to be re-
placed as it now is. The lower street is to
be lighted by patent lights placed in the
| pavement above, and it will be light enough
| to enable one to read. 1t will have side
walk as the upper street has, with this ad-
vantage, that it viii be rooted out from the
weather, perfectly secure from rain, snow,
wind, mud, and dust. It will be lined with
stores as the upper street is, and the ladies
can do their shopping with ease and pleas
ure without ascending to the upper regions,
which however they easily can do by means
of spiral flights of steps placed at short
intervals. This much for the pedestrian
advantages Of the new street. Now as to its
roadway. On it, which will of course be as
wide as that of the street above il, will be
placed four railway tracks. The two
inner ones are to be for rapid trains
going at a high rate of speed,
and without stopping from Harlem to
the battery, distance Of eight miles, in
thirty minutes. The two outer tracks are
for cars moving more slowly, and stopping
to take on or discharge passengers as they
may wish. The cars are to be run with
engines that will emit neither steam, smoke,
nor sparks. The cost of the construction Of
the road is estimated at a little more than
two millions of dollars, and it is to be com.
pleted in five years. No interruption to the
travel on broadway is to take place while
the work is in progress, the excavation
being carried on under temporary wooden
bridges TO be placed across the street, which
will not be removed until the new roadway
lis laid down. Twenty-Five per cent of the
net annual income of the road, after paying
ten per cent to its stockholders, is TO be ap-
propriated to the school fund of the state.
To the good people of New Orleans, accus-
toned to regard cellar as an impossibility,
and even compelled TO bury their dead
abovei ground, the idea of making a mag
nihcent welllighted, and healthy street.
iiVf5 miles long, beneath another. NAV seam
absurd. But very probably, If they come
to New York at the end of five years from
this, we can exhibit to them this wonder.
The races at Jerome park, this spring and
summer, will be even more than usually at
tracttye, and those of your readers who are
fond Of this sport, and who Contemplate
visit to New York during the coming sea
son, viii do well to make their arrange
ments 50 as TO be here during either
the spring or summer meeting. The
spring meeting commences on the ninth
Of June and continues for 1--WE DAYS; the
summer meeting will commence on the 9Oth
OF June and continue for three DAYS, There
will be another great race which will com
menCe on the 4th of July, to wit: that Of the
candidates before the Democratic national
convention, which is to assemble here on
that day; butas the winner In that match
be ne whom he may, Is certain to be beaten
BY the Republican nag in November, no
very lively interest will be excited BY the
preliminary contest. There are MANY ex.
cellent horses already entered for the
Spring races at the Jerome park. On the
nrst day tJune % there will be four races;
on the second day four; on the third dav
three; and on thedast day four. Among the
horses (Which will run are Metairie, Ken.
tucky, Fleet wing, and Enchantress. besides
a host Of others Of lesser fame.
Next to New Orleans New York NAV Law
claim TO be the most ssFrenchys CITY IS the
United States Our French population Is
perhaps even much larger than yours, but
Il does not form 50 proportionately large q
part Of the entire community Nor do our
French people inhabit q quarter OF their
own and Isolate themselves from the other
classes Of society. Ne9efthelesa. the French
element IN New York Is very psWerfal, aad
e effects may be plainly seen IN the color
Ing given 70 our plaees of public amuse-
ment--thoee, I mean, Of the better class
IN addition to our French theafre which Is
u many respects the most attractive Of al
tne temples a Ehespia here, Ne are about
% nave an almost perfect imitation offhe
iamoas garain Ma51ls of Paris. 1t is
trel paFi, and via b snoue3 N So. FI's,co
4 garden laid out ia fhe form al : 7jrees
cross, In which there aie Hnt1flalia. io1ir-
tai1a, Naike, flowers, ll|Euzious sesfs. and
cqoi shades AT night the solt Maze 81 ~.
nqmerable gaoliqhf1, hidten behind riofes
"a colofed glass, irradiates 4he scsne. Thora
is oapcing hall one hundred feet long ara
ssfFentynQe ices vide, frQm which abeh
snree panqnetng saloons where af86n
hundred people eau sit to eat The diska
Prepared pg the cunning skin Of r4nch
COOKS, wno have been imported q the
original Fackasta' expressly fsr tti9 pu7-
pose. An orcheatrn of lxtf perform sqs. ls1
by Theodore Thomas. he best al an 56u
naesiros Will play lI4lI4 hong. Every
night but Wednesday lII ere VII bs z dance
ftes TO every "re1necISa uers5a0 fof
tssai =1ve cents ana on NJ "a ~ rf6ht
q bf|i which win c5.t oas d6'lr s { +. .Il
dAaNar. IheEa is q she1fze b Ilb ata.1 lar
,tIes thQusand persons and smaller nc
'Y asrs Hrlfzts pnraA eaN " 81 "a 1