New-York tribune., 1873-01-30

too, needs knowledge on tnlS SuDJect, ior
bill is pending there which cOntemplates the
immense and, to our minds, preposterons
scheme of building road under public direc-
ton at public cost. We therefore fOreshadow,
for the benefit of both Aldermen and Legis-
ators the replies of some of those to whom
the former invitation was addressed together
with plans and opinions of practical men who
are in private station but yet prominent In
public affairs.
The opinions, while differing on the best
plan to be adopted, concur in two important
points. First. there are no engineering difh'
culties which cannot be surmounted. In fact
there are no serious engineering difficulties at
all, except that of ventilation, and this aplies
only to the underground road. The street
sewers can be easily accommodated to
the plan of that road, and ventilation by
shafts can be obtained, though not, OF
course, as perfectly as would be desirable. The
second point on which there is general concur
renee is that the financial obstacles are the only
ones to be overcome. There is general doubt,
based on the i'll success Of roads in other
cities, of the advisabilty of such investment;
but it is safe to say that in no other city in
which rapid transit has been tried have the
conditions been as favorable to the expert
ment as in this Metropolis. In London and
Paris city travel is divergent; from the heart
of each to its suburbs the people pour daily by
scores of avenues. The circular roads in each
city do not fairly answer these wants. In
New-York the lines of travel are very largely
in one general direction, and each morning
and evening the problem is presented of sup
hn1o ;tu f,,n Of pbpan
means of going north and south. Hence the
demand for long line of road through
district limited in width but unlimited as to
population is greater than it would be if there
were a dozen divergent lines by which the
populace could reach different localities
We have never permitted ourselves to doubt
either the feasibility or the financial success
of the worst of the proposed Rapid Transit
schemes for this city. 1t would pay not only
directly but indirectly, and affect the values
of real estate no other material project has
ever influenced prices on this island. Nor do
we believe the success of a quick transit
scheme would injuriOusly affect the present
surface roads. On the contrary, it would create
many cross-town roads, and add to the merely
local or short-trpn travel, which is the chief
and best paying custom of the existing street
lines.
While the Aldermen are IN search of infor
nation of this class let them apply at Louis
vile, Kentucky, for intelligence relative to
the success of the experiments with steam
cars on the ordinary street roads. We are in
formed that dummies carrying a common
compact engine, and seating thirty passengers
-One-third more than our horse-cars-run
the whole length Of the principal business
street of that city without obstruction and
without becoming nuisances. They can be
brought to a stand, when at full speed in less
distance than it is possible to stop horse cars.
single engineer is competent to run the engine
and collect the fares; and the locomotive" does
not frighten passing animals. bill is pend
ing at Albany authorizing the use of steam
dummies in Brooklyn, which we hope, in the
light of this Kentucky experiment, will pass,
in order that steam on surface roads may be
tested by the enterprising railway managers
of that city.