The New York herald., 1871-01-22
What Governor Hoffman Thinks
About 1t.
a GRAND RAILROAD AVENUE.
The Elevated Through-the- Blocks Plan
the Most Feasible.
How the orumbling Property own.
ers Can be Euchrcd.

when II is on time, reached Peekskill about six
O'Clock on Friday evening, where ID suddenly came
70 dead stop and began TO back. What could the
matter pef 1t was through train, and the only
object that stops 1t for any length OF time between
Albany and Poughkeepsie is the .conee and cakesn
~ Poughkeepsie. Heads were poked out Of win
dows and voices in the dark called for information
'wnat the deuce this paces' and ''say sonny, do
you know what we're backing forv' were ques
lions which greeted the little Possibilities as they
ran to and fro among the passengers, driving a
brisk trade In rosy-cheeked apples and doubtfuy-
fresh peanuts. Business men never have time,
when business lie active to answer questions which
do not concern them, ald the inqusitive ones got
NO answer. Presently there was rush OF silk
dresses and shuiing Of feet IN the leading draw
ing room car and walked Governor Hoffman
and number Of trec-looking passen gers. each one
OF whom was half hidden from front view by big
vahses and shawls thrown their shoulders.
"How dye do, Guv'nor f' exclaimed jolly-looking
eountryman as he stood up to offer the Chief Magis-
trate his seat.
WHATS THE ROW ~
The Governor smiled pleasantly as Is his wont,
and exclaimed standing in the middle OF the car,
meanwhile, to see which OF the many seats
offered to him he would choose .wen, 1t
was just discovered In time.v The country
man turned pale, and interrupted him
by gasping out, ''Has there been frightful -fu
"No,n replied the Governor, finally taking seat In
corner Of the car; nothing frightful has hap
pened. You see one OF the wheels of The car was
In was found TO be out OF gear and we had to leave
1t and come IN here"
''Qute providential wasn't It y, and the country
man looked very pous rs he asked the question.
The Governor gave no other answer Than nod OF
his head which could have meant anything, either
negative or affirmative.
would ha rou0h now Cuvjnr UoudpY;f
the cars should go TO smash and Kill about three
democratic membersS That would change things in
the Legslature-wouldn't itfn
An old lady sitting near the speaker pulled her
shawl away over her head at this ami gave shud-
der. The Governor smiled pleasantly and replied
ait certainly would.n
.Of course, II three republicans were killed at the
sane time some people would call the thing provi-
dental. wouldn't they, Guv'norfn
"Tnat may be.n
ssBut that wouldn't
MAKE TIE THING PRovIDENTIAL y"
The Governor was getting tired OF his neighbor
and he quietly replied:-
''The dojngs Of Providence are differently inter-
preted by different people, but believe there is
Providence, for all tnat.n
This was enough for the venalite. He had the
Governors opinion upon 1t that Providence
was not a myth. That was oficial; and
50, enveiopng himself In the thick folds
OF his great cloak, he laid back In his
chair and in few minutes-snored. Noy 1t so hap
pened that there was HERALD reporter In the same
car, who has idea or two about the uptown quick
transit question. The cars running at the rate
Of thirty-six miles hour to make up for the loss
OF time at PeeksKill, and trees and telegraph poles
dtted by like ghosts dying before midnight wind.
One OF the brakemen had strapped his tightly fitting
cap over MS head by means OF strap clasped under
MS chin, and lt was rumOreu the COmpartment
where BOSS Tweed sat laughing and iokinQ with
Tom Fields and Hitchman that the encineer had
tied himself to his bench, To keep good look
ont ahead. The reporter took In the whole
see 1nmaTs at to sr a all
opportunity more favorable TO interview the Cover
nor on the uptown transit question without his
Knowing he was being interviewed. There he was,
right in front OF him,he man the scratch or whose
goose quill could decide for against hundred
cottages shooting by to illustrate the idea OF quick
transit to lis fullest extent. The reporters mlnd
was made up; so he fell into general talk and then
made a desperate drive for his object.
WE'RE GOING VERY FAST, GOVERNOR
This quite sententionsly. Mr.. Holman was, appa.
rently lost in deep honght about the election of '72
III would be good thing for New Workers II they
chester county," finished the reporter VINO thought
this lead" 10 the object OF his desires rather wen
put in.
The Governor turned his seat about so as directly
70 face mis- interlocutor and, getting thoroughly
aroused lprovidennalyl by violent jolt OF the car,
Indeed, 1t must be great blessing"
"Ihere's no hope for anything Of the kind for
few hundred years yet, supposeS'
We'll don't Know replied the Governor, get
ung suddenly interested. IL DOM believe we,ll
have TO wait that long for such communication .
"fou mean that the uptown TRANSIT question can
be solved, thenf'
"Certainly.u
The Governor at this point placed his overcoat
across his knees threw back his head and fell into
deep contemplation OF the richly fresooed roof or
the car. He evidently believed the transit question
setted between hlm and the reporter he made mis-
take be did, for rayiDg hts forces again SO as not
exclaimed:-
.'You really think 1t can be solved''-here broad
grin OF assumed increduIty. II think will never
live TO see 1t settled"
''That may be,n said the Governor, ,sbur there
is one thing about IT, The people In New York
clamor Tor quick uptown transit OF some kind and
they must get IT," The Governor now evI-
Genty interested. "You see" he continued, "that
there have been very
MANY PLANS BROUGHT BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE,
and almost every year some new theory is started
which Is set down TO be better than any other pre-.
viously conceived. There is such multiplicity
Of plans that 1t will be hard work to dispose Of ali
OF them justly IN time TO make choice. This will
be one OF the difculues OF the present Legislature
~ nat "ould oe me pest means TO employ to push
The Governor laughed at the simplicity or the uues-
uon, apparently not detecting It's underdrn, and
Il VIII tell you candidly that If the demand for
easy transit Tor Parlsians in Paris under Napoleon
III. mad been as active as II Is now In New York a
foad would have been begun and finished In a very
short time. The Emperor would have made a way
after that fashion. There's the trouble
(which do you think the most feasible plan, Gov
Ern0rgr
"wel have my own opinions on the subject 1
fhiak the best plan to meet the wants OF ali would
be
GRAND RAILROAD AVENUE
say one hundred and nifty feet in width. IRON one end
OF the island TO the other, through which could be
elevated railway, built on solid masonry The
property In the neighOorhood would not lose by it,
think. for It would naturally become the great
thoroughfare OF the cfty.n
ssT'hen your idea Is that there would be room for
other Things besides railways in thai avenue ~
s'0f course But this plan has many difficulties
like all others. Ii would cost q great deal. The
most feasible pian next TO this, is In my opinion,
an elevated railway on solid masonry through the
blocks, the lower portions OF which could be maze
70 bring II good revenue as stores.n
..Do you think u measure like this will pass the
LegisIaturer'