The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-09

ground Lobbyists and Their DcsiGns-The
Advantages OF viaduct Roads.
OF the many impudent schemes concocted
by the Albany lobby this session the New
York Underground Railroad job is probably
the most audacious. The men who are de-
handing a franchise for railroad which they
know to be utterly impracticable, and have no
intention of ever attempting to construct, are
as well recognized in this city for their pre-
tentious boasts of capital and influence as for
their incapacity 10 carry out any undertaking
involving large outlay and requiring public
confidence, even if there were q prospect of
its successful completion. If it were possible
to tunnel Broadway from the Battery to Spuy-
ten Duyvil Creek If there were no engineer
ing difficulties In the way which would take
millions of capital and years of labor to re-
move; ifthe cost of such an undertaking would
first requisite of popular quick transit-low
rates of fare-the people would select very
different agents to undertake the work from
those who are now clamoring and lobbying
at Albany for law of incorporation. But it
is well known to every practical man that
tunnel railroad under Broadway, similar to the
London road, can never be constructed, and
that the attempt would be dangerous to life,
destructive OF property, hindrance of the
real work Of rapid transit, and ruinous
failure in the end. Not building would be
safe after the excavation of the street. and
the loss by damage to property would 60 far
towards completing viaduct road from the
Battery to Harlem bridge. The business Of
the city would be seriously injured by the
upheaving of its main artery, and, after years
of trouble, annoyance, danger and injury, the
money sunk in the wild scheme would
be thrown away and rapid transit would be
farther off than ever.
This is of course arguing on the supposition
that the men who are modestly demanding the
valuable franchise would actually prosecute
the work should they be authorized by law to
do so. But the fact u.s. they have no thought
of wasting their valuable time on so visionary
scheme. They are practical men as we'll as
patriots, and while advocating reform they
keep sharp lookout for their balances at the
bank. The franchise would be Of little value
to them if it should not, under some shrewdly
drawn provision, authorize surface Broadway
railroad. This is the kernel in their under
ground nut. The golden visions that once
floated before the eyes of the persistent ia cob
Sharpe now trouble the dreams of his sue
cessors In the lobby, and they hunger for the
millions said to be contained in line of horse
cars running up and down our principal
thoroughfare. This is what is meant
by the Broadway underground scheme
nothing more and nothing less-and it
is for the property owners along
the route and the people generally, who for 80
many years resisted the desecration of their
favorite avenue by tramways when horse rail-
roads were popular means of transit to
make up their minds whether they will permit
it now when horse cars are literally "a stencil
in the nostrils, and when some different mode
of conveyance is demanded by the necessities
Of the city.
That vaduct railroads furnish the cheapest,
best and only practicable mode of rapid tram
sit in New York is evident to all who are not
they hope to make money without reference to
the interests of the city. There are no en-
cheering difficulties in the way of such under
takings their expense can be calculated to a
certainty, 80 that it is known before their
commencement what they will cost and
whether they will be paying invest
ments; the time they will take in
construction can be exactly ascertained
and the work can be done just as rapidly as
the money to pay for it is supplied. Instead
of damaging property-as an underground
railroad must do under the best of circum-
stances, and as it has done in London-via-
duct railroads in New York would open up
and improve all the localities through which
they would pass. A viaduct on the east side,
from the Battery to Harlem, would cleanse
the infected district of the old Five Points
and cover that valuable ground with business
houses. A similar work on the west side
would in crease the value of the now depressed
property all along the North River. Two such
roads-one on the east side to Harlem bridge
and the other on the west side to Spuyten Duy-
vii Creek--would accommodate all the wants
of the city, and, by adding millions to the
assessable value of its real estate, would
materially decrease the general rate of
taxation Above all, they would COM
mand the confidence of capitalists if
placed in the hands of honest men,
and could be built without any unneces-
sary delay. The New York Railroad Company
in the first year Of its existence succeeded in
securing nearly two million dollars of bona tide
subscriptions, Notwithstanding the prejudices
that were raised against the incorporators.