The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-28
An II evated Hallway.
TIE EXPERIMENT IN NEW YORK.
Iron the Nev York World Fab Al

| From the New York World Feb al
yesterday the inhabitants Of Greenwich street,
ano the storekeepers doing business in that section
OF the city, had something novel and new 10 look
al IN the shape OF vehicle or street car running
ABOVE their heads, on elevated track is feet or
Whereabouts above the level of the side walk This
Unusual spectacle drew large crowds to the street
corners to look at the running Of the cars. Every
one has heard of the West Side Elevated Railway
which has been in process of construction for
some months past, and which is intended when
Scompleted' TO run cars from the Battery through
Greenwich street, up Ninth avenue to thirteenth
street, and so on mp the Bloomingd road the
| terminus TO be at or near the Harlem river Half
mile OF this track has been completed from the
| perimentsl car was placed upon the track to test
the durability and safety of the new railroad and
It's mode OF propulsion. The experimental car ia
fashioned Of iron and wood, something after the
syie OF tne present street car. with the exception
that row of reversible chairs are placed in the
mldcle OF and running down the cars. When the
seats are filled the car will accommodate about
Iorly persons. The distance from the Battery
10 Spuyten Duyvel 10 fourteen miles and az each
nall lille stationary engine will be placed.
which will connect with the bridge, built on nm.
night IRON posts OF the best material, the founds
uohs peing sunk on the sidewalk, upon which
the single track is laid. These engines will
furnish the propelling power by means of an end
less wire rope, about the thickness of the Al.
ianuc cable, which will haul the cars M and
Gown t1e roac, as the case may be. At present
OF mile, and by this means passengers viii be
able 10 ascend to the cars. II is, however in.
tenoed by the company to erect stairs at shorter |
distances from each other as soon the road has
oeen completed. The rate OF speed will average /
ntteen miles an hour, and it Is thus expected |
mat great saving will accrue TO passengers |
gong rom one end OF the island to the other,
being an improvement on the present metbod
OF horse-car transit, which now in stormy
weather. annoys passengers so much in going and |
coming from Their business. The expenses for a
single track on ihe east side Of Greenwich street.
from the Battery to Thirteenth street. will be about
$500 OO0 It'll calculated and the fare will probably
De nxed at aboat ten cents Bat il is also the in
tehuon OF the company 70 erect another or double
track on the west side of Greenwich street, upon
winch TWO cars will run down town from the
upper terminus. 1t will take about four
months to erect the remaining routes of
The track from CORTLAND street to Thirteenth
street. one million one hundred thousand pounds
d metal mas been used in the erection of the frat
aaii mile, now completed, and the total amount of
metal necessary to complete the work from the
Battery TO Thirteenth street will be 900 600
oonnds. IL has been demonstrated that the oscil.
alton oil the track on the passage Of loaded car
8 not more than half an inch, while the spring of
ne metal would safely permit il to be twice "a
much. Forty passengers in the car of an aver.
ge OF lao pounds each, would make the weight
600 pounds. The engineers report that tha horses |
raWlng the vehicles in the street have become 40 |
accustomed to the slight noise Of the elevated car
passing 10 and fro as not to notice ii at ell at the
Testht Jubcture. when the road is completed |
Will be possible to transmit passengers from the
hudson railroad depot in Thirteenth street to the
artery IN twenty minutes, while at present II
axes an hour 10 make the same distance 10 the
orse cars. Three thousand persons an hour can
Q transported over this road with safety at the
ste OF twenty miles an hour, by the use OF a sin.
lie track and two turn. outs " and a turn.tabIe.
Yesterday, the trip was made several times from :
ouruand street TO Rector at a speed of twelve TO
iteen miles an hour, 10 satisfy the doubts of '
1moer OF the guests of the company. The mode
transit seemed perfectly safe and satisfactory
every one present, although the slight oscjlla. |
on OF the car was calculated to upset a yery ner |
Dus mans stomach. The brakeman stands on a |
atoIm fronting the car and yesterday he |
emed to have perfect control of his apparatus
every sense. The motion was not as perceptible
II is IN travelling in street. car but the unusual
'lght from the ground of the track is perhaps the
ny reason why the public should be doubtful of A
e safety OF the new mode of travel, There ia | .
lother doubt TO be solved. Will the ice or snow. "
pad weather, cause car to run off the track. IL
very one can Judge themselves what a nervous
ale person IS liable TO be placed in while pas Al
~ an embaDkment on q steam railroad. Well
Is eighteen miles Of elevated railway will be one
nunuous line of embankment when COMPLETED p
hough. TO be sure, it is more easy to stop these II
re-, with their peculiar motive power than 10. r.
mouve on steam railway.