The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-25

The Proposed Route of the Via
duct Railway.
Report Of President Hilton on the Estimated
Cost Prospects and Profits Of
the Enterprise.

NEW YORK. July "a, 1871.
To THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NEW YORK
(VIADUCT RAILWAY COMPANY:-
Having now progressed sufficiently Win the IN.
veshRatl0n Of the proposed route anu consequently
at this lime to Law before you the following views
entertained on consultation with our engineers re.
speeding the ultimate results which VIII attend on
positively assuring rapid transit to the cltizens Oh
New York.
ate, and 1t is believed they cannot be disputed:
However they submitted to you as the result OF
our convictions after carefully investigating the en-
The cost OF real estate be acquired, the cost Of
construction and running expenses, contrasted WIN
the receipts for rents and passenger ana relgnt
traffic, are the elements which must determine the
probable profits on capital invested.
For the purpose OF arriving at fair conclusion, IL
Is proposed to review these items separately, ana
make such reasonable allowances as may be sug-
the estimate Of the cost OF the eastern viaduct.
from Chambers street to the Harlem River at l3Oth
western vaduct to Manhattanville
The cost OF necessary real estate for viaducts ana
depots is estimated at Sl,CO0oo0 per mile, or say
for eighty lots with buildings, at an average COST OF
The construction Of the v,aduct including rails
and permanent road bed and running stock,
WILL COST TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER MILE.
The distance from the City Hall to the Harlem
seven aud half miles, would make the cost OF each
branch OF the S22 500 900, and with an allow.
ance or 81, 500 600 Tor unforeseen commences woud
make the entire cost OF each branch OF the ROAD
Il is proposed that each branch road shall have
four tracxs two Tor last travel, making stOppages
at about two miles apart. anu two LOT way
travel, making stops at about each half mile:
Twenty trans per hour can be safely run
upon each track, each train to average. 800
passengers which would make the NUMBER OF pas.
sengers That could he carried IN fourteen hours OF
the day. upon the four tracks $4,000. But II must
be remembered that during three hours Vi eacn
greater than during the remainder OF the day. and
that soon as The road IS found not competent 10
accommodate me travel offered during the morning
md Qvp u1
cOmmOdate the surplus. Hence 1t IS that the pro-
jected roads VIII not at any time have the Oppor.
tuniiy TO carry as many passengers as their 1ull
capacity VIII admit during ten hours OF daily work
Trains Of about twO-tnirds iull capacity WIN pro.
therefore The ultimate transit on each road ought TO
be estimated at not less than two hundred and forty
eight thousand passenger fares per day, and this IS
calculated 10 include the night travel beyond four.
teen hours assumed as days work.
carrying a very large amount OF freight during the
night, and OF doing large express and light freight
business at all hours Of the day; ,,, .,.. ,,
are being carried on the horse railroads OF this city
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY.sIx MILLION PAS.
per annum 70 ooo 900 Of whom are carried upon the
lines east Of Broadway AMI Fifth avenue, running
north and south. In addition to this very many
millions are carried III 0nnibuses and upon the
steam power and by the i've Harlem steamboats,
which run continually throughput the day.
Tue transportation business Oh the horse railroads
and Harlem steamboats, Is all the growth Ol very
few years, and Is increasing rapidly year by year,
the increase during the past year being over twenty
per cent. The largest Increase being on the lines
which run with the greatest speed, showing con-
clusively the desire of the people Tor rapid
transit"
1he continual increase OF population and the con-
slant absorption OF residences in the lower portions
of the city for business purposes are compelling the
Inhabitants to find homes III the upper portions Of
the island, across the ferries, and now conside
rable portion OF the business community IN the lower
portions OF the city have their homes across the
ferries, because they can reach them In less time
than they can from the upper portions OF the island
The most densey populated districts IN the upper
part OF the city owe their growth entirely 10 the pre-
sent facilities OF transportation. and although these
facilities are greater than they have been at any
previous time, they still inadequate 10 the wants
OF the people. To 90 from Sixty-It street to the
CITY Hall by the Madison ana Fourth avenue horse
railroad line takes about one hour, and by the Third
avenue line about fOrtyfive minutes; and to go from
Harlem to the City Hail 10y the rhrd avenue horse
railroad line takes an hour ana twenty minutes
and by the steamboats, about fOrty.nve minutes
The New York Railway Company VIII convey
twenty minutes, and to intermediate points IN
proportionateiy short time
AT Harlem we may expect to receive large
amount oil through
TRAVEL AND TRAFFIC. FROM THE INTERIOR
OF the country. Several new lines or railroad are
now being built, which Will terminate on the banks
OF the Harlem River, and VIII be completed by the
time that the New York Railway Company can reach
that point, One more Of these roads Will connect
with the whole interior system OF railroads In New
NAV therefore count not merely on the local travel
OF the island but also on large business from the
interior OF the country, consisting not only
sengc.s but also OF freight.
TRe receipts for freight on the four great trunk
lines OF railroads are more than three times that for
passengers, and the receipts on the New York and
Harlem Railroad are greater for freight tdan they
are for passengers, including their passenger re-
celpts from their horse railroad IL is therefore, fair
to assume that the receipts for freight by the New
York Railway Company Will be very large. The re-
ceipts for freight on the New York and New Haven
Railroad are about One-third OF those Tor passen.
gers, being less, In comparison with their receipts
Tor passengers than on any first class railroad In the
But TO put our estimate at an amount so reasona-
be as 70 be beyond question, let US assume that
and through the city OF New York railroads,
steamboats,, street horse cars and stages; In other
words that co., 900 fares are now daily paid for rid
ing in public convey into and through the city,
is to assume that 100000 OF that number OF
fares 900 passengers, would at once patronze
the vIaduct railways II both branches were built,
aud TINS without necessarily reducing the
PROFITS OF STREET CARS OR STAGES.
Fewer cars for awhile might be run but those
would he entirely filed with passengers gong but
Hence, # New York city was not to Increase IN
population from the time the vladuct roads are
nnshed IS therefore but reasonable to assert that
such roads, II both branches were now In operation,
would receive 100000 fares daily ana the railroads.,
steamboats, horse cars and stages would still retain
$4,000 fares per day, and such $1,000 iares, and
their natural Increase, would yield them rs large If
not larger profit than That derived from 100000
now employing mat mode OF conveyance. The reison
of THIS may be found in the TACT that very many
persons who will use the vladuct road, win also use
ta n esrTe t te vauct railway aed
and also In the fact that short travel Increases with
Increased facilities
There can he no doubt. however that simultane-
ousy with the construction OF either branch OF the
Viaduct many houses viii he erected IN the upper
part OF the city, and by the time the easterly branch
or the Vladuct is completed To 25th street 5000 adj
ditlonal houses tenements and factories Will furnish
10000 persons 10000 fares VINO Will use the roaa
mp and down, once day, anu make The total daily
fares on this branch at least 10000.
From many sources the number will Increase
during he first ten years OF the operation OF either
branch of the road until 1t reached Its full
capacity.
EACH vIADUCT WILL OCCUPY
over SIX hundred lots, between Chambers street and
l25lh street: 500 OF which may be let for stores or
manufacturing purposes, and each OF these VIII
comprise store OF twenty-five feet by over ninety
Feet and OF from twelve 10 sixteen feet hgn In the
clear; also, basement OF the same size. IL Is safe
TO assume that each OF sucn stores Will rent lOr
LII mr. uaa n allnXance OF TWENTY