The New York herald., 1870-05-20
RAPID UPTOWN TRAVEL.
Ways Of Solving the City
Transit Problem.
The Suspension Bridge and the viaduct Plans
Prospect Of Speedy Commencement
Of o City Railroad.

The veto OF the obnoxious Broadway Arcade bill
by the Governor leaves the whole question Of
rapid uptown travel open for discussion, and ne.
cessitates fresh agitation and further errorts to
obtain simple ana comprehensive plan for the re-
lief OF our great thoroughIare which IN its execu-
tion VIII not work damage to private interests nor
wantony destroy public property yet finally solve
the difficult problem Of city transit. While reckless
spectators, gamblers ana lobbyists who had the
Arcade swindle in charge were standing between
metropolitan progress and the people any sugges-
tions relative TO ft and proper manner OF relieving
Broadway had but small chance Of attention.
Now, however, that the abomination has been
cleared away through the opposition OF our public
spirited Governor, opportunity Is afforded for
full ventilation of the question. That 1t Is not inn
possible TO have a safe cheap, rapid and popular
means OF travel from the Battery to Harlem within
short period Of time, and without damage to pri-
vate rights and danger the lives OF citizens, is be-
yond doubt In fact the suggestions to this end
are 80 numerous and so widely different that 1t Is no
easy matter choose between them. In this article,
however, It Is proposed 10 show how much more
easy and simple plan than that OF the Arcade can
be successfully carried out, and how little the citi-
zens have to fear and how much TO hope from the
propositions presented.
A SUSPENSION RAILROAD
Claims atlcntl0n nrSt as being the opposite OF the
arcade plan. 1t VIII require more elaborate and
definite description than can be given TO 1t In this
article. This brier description, however, must
suffice for the present
This Is simply steel or iron track, suspended
from wire cable by steel rods. one inch IN
diameter. The car Is suspended close under the
track by four Wheels two on each side, resting on
and above the track and arranged In such a man
ner that II Is impossb bic for the car TO run OF the
track. The track itself requires support but once
In rfnr NJ mill rhA N
dummy engine, situated in the front end, the same
as ordinary dummies II can be propelled with the
greatest speed ana with perfect safety and viii save
thousands OF lives by not being liable to run on the
track or over any ono.
1t tis claimed for this system that for railroads
through the country requires grading as 1t eau
cross hills, ravines and rivers OF half mile wide
without bridges or viaducts thus saving an i'm
mease expense which railroads on the ordinary
plan have to incur 1t Is perfectly free from dust
viii last three times as long other railroads and
cannot be delayed or obstructed by snow II ever
ten feet deep.
It Ia merely an extension Of the suspension bridge
plan OF construction, and seems by the drawings
submitted to be deserving OF careful considera
tion. Rapidity Of construction and cheapness car
be claimed for It, and IN all probability full test
| its merits Will show that 1t will combine perfec
| safety with the required speed.
Before proceeding to consider another methot
which is proposed, and which, by the way embraces
| substantial durability with other requisite qualca
tions, the following letters on the subject are in
serted. The writers evidently familiar with tht
question, and disposed TO assist in its elucida
| tiOn:--
| To THE EDITOR OF THE BERALp:-
notice IN your issue Of to-day an farticle headed
slow to Releye the City, anu after commenting
on the Governors judcions veto OF the Arcade Rail
| way bill, you mention the European plan of rapit
transit railways upon of archesl as beinl
more likely TO answer the requirements Of the public
than any other plan yet introduced.
/ 10 fun tho fhVnn ffa
plan; but either of these would necessarily be ver
| expensive, and might deter capitalists from under
therefore, in Nv view of such COZ contingency in Hsy
| and in order to get rapid transit railwa
at e.i an sasy day tsat on w accomplish tn
| safety to passengers and pedestrians with uI
limited capacity and durability, at a moderate cos
without lnterruptlng the public travel or business
the city during It's construction or subsequent Opers
tlon. plan Is now being prepared that trust WI
| obviate ali the objections heretofore MADE TO IN
various plans proposed for rapid transit through III
city Of New York and which will soon be offered I
the public for their approval or condemnation.
The idea has been suggested to several prominen
gentlemen OF the city, and all agree that The plan
good one, and admit that there is serious obje,
! tion 10 It's general Introduction for rapid trans
| through the city. CIVIL ENGINEER.
| 70 THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:--
IObserve that much attention has OF late bee
given to the subject OF rapid railroad communica
| tion nOrtbward and souhward through the city an
| the best mode to accomplish this. The plan pro
| pose is for company to acquire, by purchase, th
Ilkut vi Ndy TIE Ccutre Ol Tue DlUch
| between broadway and the next street west, run
| ming parallel say one lot each cross street su
| fcienrly wide TO lay q double track and abOu
twenty or twenty yve feet above the street; lay tn
track leaving room below for first and second stor
10 the stores, shops ana dwellings above the stree
| This will obviate the difficulty OF street cross
ines, will not disturb gas water pIpes @
| vaults under ground and will still leave the fir
| anu second stories OF all the building
for "business purposes - "resdences or for onlces
&C., for said railway. The former could all be rente
by the company Tor nearly as mucn as thong
fhArn M ilrUaN fra.. nhfev abA