New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-27
RAPID TRANSIT SCHEMES.
VARIOUS PROJECTS REVIVED.

vIADUCr, BEACH PNEUMATIC, AND CENTRAL
UNDERGRADUATES STUDY OF FACTS FOR
LEGISLATORS.
In preceding articles, THE TRIBUNE has
shown TO what extent New-York has suffered from tho
loss Of population the decline OF commerce. and the de-
probation OF real estate, and the alarming Of
mortality within the city limits These retrograde effects
have had great in the want Of adequate OF
for trade and travel between the upper
and lower limits OF the city. The encountered streets
and expensive cartago OF goods the crcwdng Of both
rich and poor into slowmoyng cars. have forced the
conviction the public mind that cheaper and more
rapid conveyance of both freight and passengers must
be provided but this conviction has been sufficiently
strong TO impel 70 action those who have suffered the
greatest loss by the want OF such OF ansporta
ton. Few real estate realize the extent OF the
injury inflicted though all perceive Less its ox
istence; The depreciation of property below the City
Han within the last hye years alone exceeds In amount
the cost Of the most ample means OF conveyance
For years business has been deserving the lower part
OF the island and following population toward the upper
end OF the city illustrating the mutual dependence OF
trade and population and the value Of real estate upon
force the illustration. Tho city Of New York prior 70
l contained population sesdns above o9 l nth
second Ward lls4O contained population OF 1894 in
tanned in 1870 1881 but in 1850 only a757a decrease Of
77 In 1866 the Second Ward contained only 81 dwell
per Wards Of the city, which had no exist
ence in $780, contained In 1865, 1918 dwell
| 'ug-nOuses, ana IN lSO oI uliooo'
SEPARATION OP HOMES FROM PLACES OF BUSINESS.
The importance of this marked change Ia much greater
when 1t is remembered that 1t occurred during the
period OF the greatest commercial prosperity OF the city,
and at the time Of her most rapid growth In population
From 1910 TO 1860 the increase 100 cent; never
theess the Second and Third Wards decreased during
the same time per cent, while the part OF the city
above FOureens grew 658 per cent, against 1G0 per
cent for the whole city. Thus IL appears how rapidly
than ten years the population were being sep
arated from their places OF business These figures prove
that necessity for rapid transit as evident then
az IL to-day; but with the marks OF ruined
trade lost population, and vanished prosperity on
every hand for the want OF such accommodation for
business and travel the great public mind has not gone
beyond the fact Of ite necessity.
The homo can be separated from the place OF business
only for limited distance. over the ordinary mgh-
ways Indian corn will hear transportation only for
about $50 miles beyond that the cost Of freight exceeds
the market value. similar law applies WIN equal
force 10 every species OF occupation, labor, ana
prodSct For years thc home and place OF business in
NcwYork have been too widely separated ms dis,
convenience OF travel 1t is at the cxremities OF the
island where the loss of trade and population and the
rapid diversion OF trade and population from tho CITY
during the last years, and the Increasing ra0 on
the loss together with the corresponding decline Ia the
value of real estate have demonstrated by dat! aud
statistics already published IN TIE TRIBUNE but thote
facts are such vital importance To the welfare or the
citizens OF Rew-iork that thty can not pe 700
impressed upon the public mind The loss OF trade arises
nom The OF carng goods through crowded streets
from distant wharvca warehouses; and railroad dePos
OF population grows out OF TINS oss oi trade
ton passengers long distances by means horse power
in and stages impeded by vehicles used Tor noVnS
goods; thus the whole question IL resolved into the
| RECONSIDERATION within the city limits Of goods
| to shelter, OF passengers to their hoineS'
TRANSPORTATION or MERCHANDISE EASY; Oh PAssEHGEks
DIFFICULT.
The question Of Transporting merchandise ~ simple
| and not difficult of solution. BY widening the
streets on the water front building the wbarves iron
| columns filed with masonry and erecting IRE PROOF
warehouses on the wharyes with railway along the
bukhead hne the transportation is reduced to moving
the goods the ships cars directly INTO tho ware
house The wharf, warehouse and railroad depot pchs
structure there no other
Business thus centralized aud the cost or lts tic
ton cheapened and reduced a. least 20 per cent @
the transfer shipment all the goods moved by all
the railroads and vessels in the United States
question, and is attended with many didcdltios The
sanitary awsin fact, all regard for life and health
forbid the crowding Of population, aud demand on tho
contrary its decentralization Array mas tine pop
ulation i'm tho lower half OF NewYork city become so
dense that with all natural advantages for sewerage ID
Of the most unhealthy cities ia the cIyzod World
| are suffering from disease-ie ease IN point. As
| the labOring classes cannot be further crowded
| together, bat the area of babitations must DO
| so extended as 10 give to each,
only alternative IL 10 shorten the distances between
the several limits OF the CITY ny lncrca acCs Io1
travel In order TO determine where tue me Tor RAPID
transit shall be located aud tho nature OF plan OF con
srcon special reference mu. be had to the residences
OF the population from which they are to be trans
| ported, and rapid growth must be PROVIDED Ior
form Of the city ana the location Of its Inhabitants must
be considered IN providing for me remedy ine lfmmd
il 1884, miles in length and less than IN width at IT'S
broaGest part narrowing to point at the southern end
The principal part Of the business Is carried on peioW
Canas distant only Ii miles from the Battery, aud all
the business locality IL below Fourieenthst aud within
"a miles OF the part Of the island. AT further
distance OF less than q miles above tOurteens Is the
Central PARK, dividing the cry mo TWO nearly equal
tants reside aaoye the business part OF the cty ana
their dwellings extend continuously to distance OF
may hereafter DC added must, from ncccstlt y have
their s further from the business center on the
east west side OF the Park
THE sETTLFD LINE or TRAVEL
II has been shown former articles that durng even
the time OF the most rapid growth OF population tho
number OF inhabitants ia the lower part Of the city de-
creased and that the dwelling house was forced
constantly TO give place 10 the store and the workshop
The location OF business VIII always remain az me love-
part while those who transact viii reside on the upper
part OF the island. The line OF the railway therefore,
must be at the most convenient distanGo 'ioi4 a
the dwelling houses on the upper part OF th lslhu
those ut the intermediate points along the Inc cohec-
ing with the business center. The area iof tho
dwelling house and home must De ehafged ior the
preservation OF life and health YET az the Same lhe to
store Workshop and office must be bronghS nearer 10
the clearinghouse ana nome IneIo - uui
one means whereby all the distractions ana
consequent INJURIES ag1 3. tbe samS o,ne REMEDY
afforded ali the existing sanitary evils. buch an lni-
for The transportation OF passengers along that
settled line Of travel which has already tor years DSe
determined by the topography OF the island and the plan
of the city In the main features there IA but one line
there IT, and be, other IL commences AT inc BAT
follows
ton of the New Boulevard thence along the Boulevard
10 One ST.; thence on curved
| line TO Harlem Bridge; thence down and along
Fourth-ave intersecting at Unonsquare with tho
broadway line. Thus the railway passes through tho
center of business OF the city and both tho
east sections Of the city created by the Central
Park In addition for the accommodation OF tho Popua-
ton above the Harlem River, the Fourth-aVe branch
should that river at the bridge thence passing
along the eastern bank OF Harlem Rive! high
the upper part Of the island return on curved line to
point within mile or the East River, and thence back
10 Harlem Bridge. railway thus located runs within
half a mile Of every dwelling house In the city; and
every mart OF Westchester County within five miles Of
The Harlem River. This would practically bring every
jnhabitant the city and OF the area mentioned within
hall mile OF the Battery, and than thrce-quarers