New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-09
RAILWAY ENTERPRISE.


The demand for some feasible plan that will secure
speedy transit through this city is universal. The
saying is as common it is venerable Necessity is
the mother of invention;" and predict, having IN
view the inventive genius of our people, that the
time is not far distant when something of the kind
will be developed and whoever succeeds in the mat
ter will be regarded not only by the present age but
by future ages as public benefactor There are
various ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS surface, and ele-
vated-now undergoing public scrutiny. and the 1ol-
lowing now takes its place in the list of competitors
Without expressing any preference 1T is but Just to
presume that all have merits to some extent ms the
immediate advocates of each gentlemen OF ability
1t is however, reasonable to suppose that each, like
most untried schemes has its Objectionable features
Suppose the different projectors combine adopting
whatever is promising, discardng the remainder.
Such combination would probably prove beneficial
to themselves and the community. Let them try II.
The principal projectors of the plan embodied below
are Gouverneur Morris and Isaac ID. COlman, csqs.:
the former an enterprising citizen Of Westchester
County, and the latter popular civil engineer OF
this city, 1t is proper to state, however in this con-
nection that Mr. Baily, who is identified with the
Hudson River Bridge movement, is the author OF
several important suggestions.
They propose that the Legislature grant to the
Common Council authority to condemn or take prop
erty for public use for width Of fifty feet COM
mencIng at OF near Chambers-st and City Hall
place and running on line between Broadway ana
Fourth-ave on the West, and Chatham-st., the Bow
cry and the Third-aye on the East, to the Harlem
River: and TO accommodate travel West OF Broad
way, Fifth-ave. and the Central Park, To take up
line in the same manner diyerging from the first
line at such point as will best favor travel TO and
from the City by the different railroads, on the most
IL. 4 IL nth
thence parallel with Ninth-ave. to Fiftyninth-st,
and thence 10 some point OH the Harlem River or
Spuyten Duyyil Creek; the ground surface to DO
well paved, and devoted to foot travel including
professions and the like.
They further propose that the Legislature Mt the
same time grant TO company the right to cover the
whole space at elevation OF at least fourteen feet
above the crowns of the streets Except where cuts
are necessary, with solid platform of timber ten
inches deep, the whole 10 DO covered with asphalt
and gravel or some proper substance, with the eN-
cepton of suitable skylights in the center Through
the blocks the platfarms to rest upon walls OF stone
masonry or frames Of iron, each side, and Ia bo
supported by three rows of iron columns with grid
ers standing masonry foundations In the middle.
The walls iron frames on the sides To be 30 coz
structed to permit openings through the same for
door-ways and show windows in adjoining build
streets to be crossed by iron bridges. having
the same elevation aud beds similar to the platforms
nclosed for at least eight feet in hight in such man
ner as to produce n good architectural effect and to
screen tho working portion of locomotives from OBJ
seryation in the streets; the whole TO be of such di
mansions az TO allow the passage Of thrty-tun loco
motives, and TO have strength equal TO breaking
weight of six times the stationary load and ten times
that of tho rolling load.
Upon the platforms and beds of the bridges is TO
be placed the supersructure for four railroad tracks
(steel rails two for express trains INSIDE tracks,
making few landings, and two for accommodation
trains loutsde tracks,, making as many landings
as travel may consistently demand; the rails
to be beded on, or underlayed with rubber
betting, or strips of lead sheeting. and fastened
to the superstructure strngers at elevation OF
from u to IA inches from the upper surface of the
platforms, and above the hight of ordinary falls of
snow. The walls of masonry iron frames on the
sides between the blocks, when adjoining buildings,
are TO be inlaid with peat, tanbark, or similar ma
terial, and the iron columns TO be tubular and so
arranged to carry off into the all water col
lecting the beds OF platforms, whether from melt
ing snow or otherwise, thereby afforGing the
ground surface public promenade, either for bust
ness pleasure protected against storms the rays
of the sun.
The motive power proposed Is steam. or, il certain
experiments being made successful land il is
said they are promising compressed air can be substi
tuted The locomotives are TO be Of such weight aud
pattern as to work the road with safety and economy
and to run at such rates of speed the public
sites may require.
passenger and freight depot, it is claimed, will
be required at near City Hallplace and Pearl-st,
of about $50 by $50 feet 10 accommodate travel in
a manner to accord with the importance of the city
as railroad center. and that way stations of one
room on the story level with the road on each side
in the buildings adjoining will be necessary. in
about every four or five blocks.
1t Is estimated that the cost of constructing such
road and furnishing station facilities, including the
,rorkino and rolling stock will be 81, O5,299 per mile
and of engine houses, car houses and shops in all
100000. u
IL will be conceded, it is said, that the company
shall pay TO the city an equitable per centage toward
liquidatng the expenses to be incurred in procuring
the right of way
ADVANTAGES
The nd vantages urged by the projectors OF this
plan among others are as follows:
First: II VIII two-fod purpose-furnishng In
creased facilities and conyeniences both In foot and rail
way travel
Second: No obstruction in tho of streets for ord
nary purposes.
Third: flooring sufficiently strong to hold loeomo
tive or train In case OF dcrailment.
Fourth: deadenlng OF noise aud ratng by fioor as
proposed, with rubber lead underayers Tor rails,
masonry iron frames inaid with peat and producing
uniformity Of sound caused by tho tracks being on
bed.
Filh: The structure OF the bed VIII permit OF the
tracks being kept in the best order with perfect joints
Sirh: 1t will be separate from all other modes OF con-
veyance, and will allow comparatively high rate OF
speed insnring great saving IN tmo 70 the travelling