The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-13
THE FOURTH AVENUE TRACK.
How Commodore Vanderbilt Was
Interviewed.
The Committee from the Railroad Relief Associa
tons at the Harlem Depot-Lcng and Desul-
tory nversation-Vanderbilt with az
Eye to Business-Plan and Resolu.
ton Of the Committee Submitted
for the Examination Of the
Company's Engineers.


tions at present agltating the question Of sinking
the railroad track on the Fourth avenue yesterday
waited on Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Presidents
of the Harlem Railroad Company, to ascertain his
views rs to the proposed RELIEF aid improvements
contemplated. The committee consisted Of W. Peck
ham, Asher Barnett Hooper 9. Van Worst, Charles
Creary, Benjamin A. Willis, John McCoo, william
II. Cowell, Dr. A. Kesser, Henry Waterman and
| W. II. Martin. Commodore Vanderbilt received
the committee at the offices OF the company Fourth
avenue and Fortysecond street, the officers present
| being william II. Vanderbilt, Mr.. Wetmore and Mr.
| Schel.
Mr.. PECKHAM, IN explaining the object OF the
committee In thus coming forward TO confer Win
the railroad company STAGED that the general plan
upon which all the associations had agreed was
sunken road to the southern terminus OF the Har-
lem nats, near Nlnety-seventh street. The main
idea OF the committee was to obtain from the COM
pany some idea Of the action they were disposed to
adopt order to carry out the plan which included
the sinking the inside Of the depot 1t was gen.
orally supposed that under the circumstances the
company should pay all the expenses; yet others
were OF opinion that portion should be borne by
the public as well as by those whose property should
be benefited.
Mr.. VANDERBILT liter listening attentively to
the suggestions made by the chairman Of the COM
mittee. said that the great question was as to the
Mr.. PECKHAN considered that the company
should suggest some plan and gave some express
Mr.. yASDnRsiLT Observed e that the matter must
be looked at very carefully. Engineers should 20
Se % mode Of 1 nrocsens
Mr.. PEcKHAM urged that the company knew all
about the matter Ihey haa donSess s very
present also represented Harlem, anu they desired
a sunKen road below the flats.
Mr.. WErMORE observed that Such method would
Involve o very large outlay.
Mr.VANDERBILT considered that the matter was one
that reQuired very careful consideration. 1t would
certainly cost o heap of money, and the engineers
would doubtless charge good deal Tor their SER
| Mr. PEoKnAM said he had understood that the
| company would examine the matter
the COMMA ny had got their own men and the engl-
| neers of the road. lie thought 1t was very lm-
| Mr.. w. ii. VANDERBILT entered largely into the
conversation and gave 1t as his opinion that there
| could not be great many plans.
| very long and desultOry discussion ensued In
which the President OF the railroad, Mr.. Wetmore,
| committee took part. The subject matter OF the
conversation was principally limited TO the various
character OF he plans that should be adopted. a
| good idea TO employ Mr. Allen Campbell ana Mr..
Craven, engineers, to submit some plan which, IN
their Judgment, after examination, they would lie.
clare practicable and us the most desirable III ORDER
to carry out the work ana remedy all the evils COM
Mr.. PECKuAM stated that 1t was evident that some
thing must be done this year.
i iSso csnsiae s Sow Tor instance Il the Plan
| cost SIS, 900 600 the company certainly would not
adopt i. In facr, they could not do so. .
Nj. PEcKnAM-Well. suppose It said $4,000, ooos
Mr.. VANDERBILr-I dout beeve you could do
| anything for any s2,00o0O0.
MIR. pECKHAM-You don't believe anything could
be done for ~, 900 but IL IL cost S5,0OO0oO the
Mr.. VANDER1TLT-I couldn't do it. Now, II these
| operations entirely benehted the road, why, OF
the owners of the road and did not benefit the road
anything, that was another thing.
| MI. PECKHAM-Tnen you put IL substantially as In
the case Of opening street, where assessments
| Mr.. VANDERDILT-when we get piece Of prop
erty and we want to Improve that piece OF property.
WHY fI a as were
the wishes OF the several ASSOCIATIONS IN reference
e saod Of s n @
TO see whether they could be carried out; what
would be the cost and upon what terms the COM
Mr.. VANDERBILT said he could not tell anything
about It until the engineers reported what 1t was
gong to cost. Ii any thing In point OF reason were
asked, why. Of course the company would endeayor
10 do it; but If the committee asked something the
company couldn't do, why OF course 1t couldn't be
A member OF the committee strongly urged the
propriey Of having the tracks underground claim
ing that the surface could be used for parks.
Mr.. w. II. VANDERBILT inquired whether 1t wOuld
not be Just as well 70 have all the advantages asked
for under the track.
The member OF the committee replied that the
dinicuty could never be removed SO long as this
highway was occupied by the railroad track. II
would every year become worse, and something
must finally be done to abate the nuisance.
Mr.. VANDERBILT had no doubt that there would
be half dozen railroads running In the same 1rec
ton icWyears hence.
After great deal OF discussion Mr. PECKuAM
said the committee had plan which they proposed
the engineers OF the company should examine ana
pass upon. All the committee desired was to know
what action the railroad company would adopt.
The committee asked that their plan should be cx-
ahmed. Ii the company liked IL let IL be adopted,
but II better one were suggested the public would
undoubtedly agree to 1t; but far as the committee
knew the plan they proposed was practicable.
A member OF the committee observed that the
public wanted TO have the road out OF sight, and he
thought no plan that would not carry That into CT
feet would be acceptable.
member OF the committee cOntendcd that the
great question with regard to any plan was as TO
whether 1t would secure the safety OF human life.
The cost OF the undertaking must, or course, he
taken into considerations; but IL was not question
OF millions, since the work must finally be accom-
pllshed
Mr.. PEcKHAM then presented plan. which, now
ever, was not examined, and which, 1t was claimed
sent the views OF the several associations. The
Secretary OF the association submitted that the tot.
lowing resolution passed by the committee repre-
sented the ideas Of all parties conccrned:-
Harlem River the fats the sinking the track
arched covered the tcruinaton the
depot all premises the neghborhood occupied by hs
company, and the moving OF all trains by Signals and giving
way 49, the opinion Of this meeting, reasonable praccs
bic, and should be adopted
some discussion followed, but 1t was finally
agreed upon to leave the plan and the resolution
track with the company who are to employ
engineers TO examine into the entire subject and
give estimates OF the cost at an early day. TINS
drought the interview TO close.
MISSOURI