The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-11-03


NEW YORK ELEVATED RAILWAY = This
railway, with its novel method of locomo-
tion, will soon be opened for public accom-
mediation. Experiment and speculation have
ceased in reference to il, and already il is a
success. 1t will be extended to Thirtieth
street, in the course of sixty days, when a
speedy iransit for the lower precincts of the
city will be secured to all at a moderate tariff
Twelve miles on hour will be the general rate
of speed, although twenty miles an hour has
been made on the finished portions of the
road. From the Cortlandt street depot TO
the Battery, the distance has been traversed
in one and a half minutes, but the running
time will be about two minutes on this, the
first division of the road, which is now COM
pleted. There is every prospect that the
road will be open for traffic about the LIST of
November.
The first section is run by a stationary
engine, located in the cellar on the southeast
side of Greenwich and Cortlandt streets,
which propels an endless steel rope, sup
ported on trucks of four wheels, also run
ming inside of rails at intervals of $50 feet.
The frame of the trucks forms triangle on
the top, the cone OF which is called "horn;"
this catches Zip" attached to lever,
worked from the platform OF a car, which,
when lifted, allows the truck and rope to
pass by, and the car remains stationary. 10
order TO start the car again, a turn of the lever
is necessary, when the truck catches the lip,
and the carriage is in motion. The car is
ingeniously constructed; is about 35 feet in
length, and fitted up plain and neat 1t will
accommodate 40 passengers. 1t runs on
eight wheels three feet in diameter, made of
wood. Steel fingers, ~ of an inch wide,
hold the wheels Oh the track. On either side
of the car, are iron bars 10 inches wide,
running the full length of the car, within
about two inches of the track, on which
heavy elliptic springs support the body of
the carriage. Should, by some extraordinary
accident, the wheels of the car leave the
track, the bars on each side would prevent
it from being precipitated to the ground.
Between these bars, underneath the floor of
the car, are arranged six elliptic springs of
two feet span, moving on wheels, which
break the shock of the truck, carrying the
rope when the car is started. While un-
der way, there is scarcely any vibration
felt. The track is, apparently, very solid, and
the motion of the ears is very easy.
The speed is regulated by the brakes, and
the noise the car makes by running, is hardly
perceptible. Horses view the moving mass
overhead with indifference and people un-
derneath the truck scarcely look up. The
time made between the Battery and Cort-
landt street, over half mile, was one mill
ute and quarter. The company intend to
put on cars enough to accommodate ali the
traffic; and in order to give working people
every show possible, they will run cars for
their exclusive benefit. morning and evening,
at about half fare. The depOts, as arranged
at present, will be located at the Battery,
Cortlandt street, Franklin, Bethunc, aud
Twenty-second streets. In short, the com
paDy also propose TO erect steam elevators,
to lift persons and baggage to the platform,
from which to step into the cars.-N Y.
Herald