The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-03

Decided for the Lobby or for tho
Peoples
The HERALD has advocated for several years
the construction of steam railroad In New
York, In order to afford quick transit from the
Battery to Westchester county, so that the
upper part Of the island, now almost inacces-
sible to business men, may be brought into
use for residences. The description of road
to be built is matter Of very little conse-
quence 80 long as the great want Of the city
is supplied without unnecessary delay, and at
on outlay SO reasonable, considering the mag
nitude Of the work, as to insure to the people
moderate rates Of fare. As general rule
passengers would rather travel above ground
than under ground, and on sanitary consider
atoms, as well as for the comfort of travellers,
viaduct or surface road Is preferable to a
close, dark and damp tunnel. The Metropoli-
tan Underground Railway Of London was
found to be SO injurious to the health of pas
sengers accustomed to use 1t constantly as
well as to its employees that the company
was compelled to open q number Of outs
and ventilating shafts about two years ago,
at heavy expense, while even with these
improvements the atmosphere is still so objec-
tionable that no person who can rs well use
the viaduct thinks of travelling steadily by
the underground line. In New York, espe-
cially on the line Of Broadway, the narrowness
of the street and the unbroken rows of build
ings would render tunnel more difficult Of
HIATT tho,, 20 1ny,M ntv ali ton
Underground, while the cost Of construction
| would be largely increased through tho pecu-
liar obstacles to be overcome. Hence 1t has
appeared certain that the underground plan is
not the one best calculated for this oity--frst,
because 1t would be almost impossible to pro
vide sufficient ventilation, and next, because
the engineering difficulties In the way. The
necessity of entirely relaying the sewers and
pipes now occupying the ground and the GER
tain damage to buildings would swallow up
80 vast an amount of capital, even supposing
every dollar of debt to be honestly incurred,
that the heavy cost Of the road would necess-
tate the imposition Of rates of fare so high as
to deprive the great bulk Of the people of the
real advantage of rapid transit. But for
these undeniable facts the HERALD would just
as soon favor the construction of an under
ground road as the building of viaduct rail-
way. 1t is only because viaduct presents
none Of the difficulties of the tunnel scheme;
because oil the obstacles to be overcome In
the former are visible to the eye because
the expenditure necessary can be calculated
to dollar; because no property is injured by
its construction; because the convenience of
the citizens is not interfered with, and because
its total cost would admit Of reasonably low
rates Of fare, that the HERALD advocates the
viaduct plan in preference to any other.
Apart from these practical considerations we
care nothing what project may succeed, pro-
vided that the people secure the boon Of rapid
transportation at cheap fares. The railroad
franchises belong to the people, and they are
entitled to enjoy the advantages to be derived
from them.
In like manner the HERALD has advocated
the building of two great vladuct railways
| along the river lines by the city, because it
has become evident that if left in the hands Of
| private Adventures and spectators no road
| is likely to be built at oil for many years to
come. Men Of capital appear to desire more
rapid profit for their money than is offered by
Investment in a railway that must take at least
two or three years to construct. Hence the
schemes are taken hold o. not by bona tide
investors, but by men who only seek the
franchises to make money llegtimately out.
of them. They are lobbied through at Albany
by giving away large interests to Senators,
Assemblymen, lobbyists and Bohemians. In
some instances bogus names are crowded in
among the incorporators In other cases
money is raised and paid out to procure the
passage Of the bills, and charged to the cor
poration; or, if cash cannot be procured, the
| original stock is partitioned among these
| legislative sharks, and the company comes
| into existence hampered with five or six mil
lion dollars of bogus debt This is the case
| with the Underground schemes now before the
State Legislature, and hence the passage Of the
pending bills, or Of any oae of them, does not
| promise to forward the construction of rail-
road for the use of the people. If the city should
build the road, under the management of an
honest commission, such as has always from
| first to last controlled the Central Park, the
whole amount of money necessary for its con-
struction and equipment would be raised as
rapidly as required, and would be honestly ex-
pended, the work could be completed in two
years, the interest on the debt would be paid
out of the earnings after the second year, no
heavy dividends would be required for stock
holders, and the people would enjoy the ad-
vantage of the lowest rates Of fare consistent
with the actual cost and running expenses Of
the road. If we believed that the work could
and would be done by private corporation as
speedily, as well and with similar benefit to
the people, we should advocate the bestowal