The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-14
UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS.


: don-Its Importapcs ~ Bqsiuess Men-Ne-
cessity for q Similar Road In New York.
The following communication, from the pen OF o
practical and experienced gentleman upon this sub
ject, and which bears strongly upon the proposed
underground railroad be built in this city, win be
found both interesting and Instructive
To THE EDITOR on THE HERALD:-
the feasibility OF an underground railway IN New
York and IN spite OF all the engineering difficulties
that are 80 much commented upon and debated In
Gotham the London underground railway Is q great
ana h really one OF the Institutions OF that
great CITY, IL trayerses large district OF the town
north side OF the river, and Is OF incaculabe
advantage to the people while It's passenger traiic Is
something enormous. 1t Is not one sim pie direct line,
ana It's trains run underneath the business the trse
and the structures above It, It's Importance to Len
town and the rapdlty by which these long distances
can be traversed by its use. Hwo&d be dtiicuit 10
calculate accurately the value TO the people of New
YORK or direct line running underground from the
Battery TO Yonkers. with It's dep0ts ut every hall mile
or MILE by reason OF the peculiar Oh the
island OF Manhattan and the tide or travel which
lows down the island IN the morning and upward
IN the evening" but the district thus rayersed 10 tne
English capital seems to be quite as Important and
At stated ana well known points are the stations
street and purchase your ticket as you enter the
ceptl0n or waiting rooms. You descend by broad,
airy and well lighted stalrways 10 The grade or level
oil the track with no more OF discomfort or annoy
ance than when you descend any stairs III public
building. AT the station there Is platform precisely
like that OF any English railway with the double track
and the same precautions and safeguards about
crossing or going upon the track. I'll as light a.
day, for there Is an open dome or glass covered
which Is not seen or noticed from above as II ID on
ground belonging TO the company and Is always en-
closed and back IRON the street, 80 as TO be wholly
unobjectonabe. SO far as light and ventilation are
CONCERNED 1t Ia as pleasant as any or most Of the
The trains are on schedule time to the exact
minute, printed notices Of which are kept posted IN
the depots, both above and below, anu you eaten
your train at such a moment by your watch with
the same precision and certainty that you would
tran any surface 9ad nsre are afs r
each, similar generally, TO trains on DINER
English railways, except thas s RUE
road than those above ground. This Is especially
Of The first class cars, as they were superior IN
railway in Great Britain The locomotives III use are
splendid machines and or enormous power. They
are SO constructed thai they be stopped almost
instantaneousy and the time occupied In stopping
at depot and changing passengers u most surpris
Whatever might be the difference of views as to
the relative merits OF the English system OF railway
carriages and our own for general use upon raul
roads above ground, there cannot be Two opinions
as to the immense advantage Of the English passen
ger car for an underground road Is an important
desideratum to limit the time OF the tram at the
depot or the underground railway to the shortest
possible time consistent with the SAFETY and con-
venience OF the passengers
senger car. IL has three or Jour compartments
eacn, one OF which contains seats for SIX or eight
persons VINO SIT facing each other. door nike that
OF q close carriage, having window which lets
down with strap IN the lower panel. is on either
the station opens the door nearest the platform, and
no matter how large or how ful the tram ls 1t can
be completely emptied IN ten or fifteen SECONDS OF
time. at the most only eight people have TO step on
TO platform nearly level with the floor OF The
car II can be filled quite as quickly and ordinarily
one minute Is su1clent to unload ana reload tran
An English car could change passengers at depot
and be miles away before the people could get out
q car CONSTRUCTED on our system, while the
children is thereby greatly essened, as Is an easy
step from the car to the high platform.
class Tor which you hold ticket, and show your
ticket to the guardas you enter and hand 1t to col
lectOr you get out at your destination, and you
have travelled further than your ticket allows you
must pay the difference. The cars are brilliantly
ghed by gas SO that i y always light enough 70
the disagreeable effects OF smoke nom the engine
commonly experienced by railway travellers in
That this was avoided by a contrivance In the
locomotive, by which the smoke was consumed
smoke was wholly obyiated by closing and not
using the furnaces when IN the tunnel ana
opening and burning them in the dep0tS only,
| which are ventilated and open from above. The
monenL or that the train stands a. the depot be-
ing time Keep s o
| and run successfully with tine steam ON hand. Fur
thermore the fuel used is coke or coal having under
ana causes it to burn without any serious amount OF
smoke. Leading engineers state That TINS was per-
| fecty feasible and practlsed on this road
| Most people imagine that ride underground
must be dlsagreeabe, dark, damp and noisome. One
Trip on the L0adSn r. n n
| pleasant as possible, and the Trains are run Will,
astonishing rapidly and quickness OF succession
body It, and 1t the best for everybody TO use
1t literally annihilates distance as applied TO city
and It's importance in London to business and com
mercal men, where the business Is 80 scattered and
frequently Ut such long distances In different dlrec
| lions, cannot be well oyel- estimated.
financial business OF the city Is confined TO tue lower
end OF the island, and below Chambers street, II moi
actually below Fulton, but IN London 1t Is scattered
everywhere. and important and heavy business IN
| terests are long distances apart. the ordinary
o ID 9aPn are roT
1 one part OF the city to another u is difficult
for stranger to realize the extent OF this purel,
local traffic, but 80 far as NUN beers are concerned
is very largely IN excess q all other passenger
| using these ROADS. The underground road Is con
structed for districts that have such acoommoda
tions and In part Of the city where It Is probably
most needed. Hence Its great value and impor
| tance
| relative value OF an underground railway would b.
as high as in the city OF New York; none where the
perative or more pressing. The New Workers have
| done much to excite the emulation OF our English
brethren, much Of which the American people MAJ
this, their greatest want, excites the most profound
| surprise abroad In conversation with one OF TIN
| leading engineers or Great Britain, who tho
roughly understands our city and the to
biography OF this island, he remarked shat tn,
| idea That there were any engineering obstacles IL
| the way OF an underground road here that could bt
called AT all dincult was simply absurd" WheI
alusion was made TO the prevailing idea that Canal
street was too low, he replied that nothing would
be easier than TO construct that part OF u Of iron
water tight; that 1t was matter Of perfect ihdlr
ference whether 1t was below or above high wate
| mark and that as Tor expense that portion OF Il
would probably cost less than other portions OF tht
| roadN ="
| II business man could leave his ONCE near Wal
street and be nj his residence Murray Hi or neal
| the Park in ten or fifteen minutes, and the upper
part OF the Island In corresponding time, who Car
estimate the value OF sucn means or communca
| pay its promotersf
| The Metropolitan Railway, OF London, Is gran,
| success. How long must we wait In New York Il
| enjoy the benefits OF o similar road