New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-26
THE CITYS GREAT NEED.

yRArSs EVERY NINETY SECONDS CARRYING
100000 PASSENGERS DAY,
Among the effects of the panic has been the
creation of dtrust OF railroad enterprises remote from
the financial and the other hand the conco-
traton public attention on enterprises at home that
are likely to affect local interests Nothing has attract
ed more attention than the various plans for rapid
transit ln this city, and among these has been
reccayed with greater favor than that of the Gilbert
Elevated Railway operations which have been re-
Gently begun, stated IN Wednesdays TRIBUNE The
following FACTS obtained fSom trustworthy sources are
Of general interest
The Gilbert Elevated Railway will be an iron viadnct
railway supported above the middle the streets by
iron arches which span the street. and are supported on
iron columns placed along the line OF TIE eurbs. the
tracks occupying only one-thrd OF the width OF the
and leaving the streets and sidewalks clear for
travel The telegraph wires designed to be carried
the center of the arches, and
the lights placed the columns. The tracks OF
the road sustained by truss girdes running Iong
tuduay along the streets, which do not interfere with
hight or vision the street. BY means OF screens
which up the sides high as the wheels OF the
cars, their movement is kept from the view OF
horses IN below. On either side Of the track
guard rails extending sufficiently high to prevent
the trains from being thrown from the track and In
spaces beneath the tracks pneumatic dispatch lines are
placed transmission OF mails packages and news
papers Tie plan combines in eminent degree, great
strength with beauty and Dghtness OF design, and has
the approval of OF the most eminent en-
gDeers OF this country and OF England whom are
J. H. Linyille, President OF the keystone Bridge CON-
pany engineer OF the bridge the Mississippi at St.
Louis and the bridge across the Hudson Poughkeep
sic Alfred w. Craven Of this city, Gen. George Green,
Edward Ii. Tracy and Gen. quincy A Gilmore The en-
gneering requirements are outlined in the following
specifications:
motives weighing 10 Ous each, in spaces or panels OF 10
feet at speed not less than 50 miles az hour The iron
N IL "a n SO To
motive power, addition TO the weight of the struc
pounds per square inch. tensile pounds per
ncn shearnP STRAIN and reducing the strain IN
sSSr by GCrdOn s form formula i for Columns
The iron used under tensile strains shall be OF tough
aud ductlc quality, and capable OF sustaining the fol
lowing tests; Ultimate strength $1,000 TO 10000 pounds
pounds per square inch reduction of at breaking
point ayeraae rs per cent eiongaton 10 per cent
All workmanship to he of first class, and any iron
tcctcd OF inspection by the engineer.
In Work having pin connections AL abutting joints
having an error Of over one sixty-fourt6 Of an
inch length between pin-hoes, onehun- |
soWcd IN 4y yeed work al plates and Joint plates
shall be square aud Gy dressed SO as 70 form close
s6I- and truly opposite Rvets shall be OF the best
quality 81 rvet iron shall completely I'll rivetholes,
s ChordinIs. ,9ain tles and suspension bolts shall
reads enlarged beyond diameter of bar. and shall be
htled with radia nuts and washers locked All bars
per sGIare men aud struck smart blow with
hammer while under tension and u any snow fg1s o, 81
he painted before eayin, the works with heavy coat
OF metallic pant with inseed oil andtaer being erected
shall again be painted ia Ornamental! colOrs according 10
designs furnished Ivy the en- giueer.
6. All machine cut work shall be covered with white
lead aud talow before leaving the works
Toe @ snail not det under the o massage
one heen-hundredth of their length, and shall return
to their original Gambler after the OF the train
According recent proposals received from respon-
AN he for a
mile and i. is estimated that passengers be
regularly transported each II rs proposed to
trains during the busy hours OF the day every minute
aud half.
HISTORY OF The ENIERIRIsE
rhs charter incorporating the Gilbert Ele Rail
way Company was granted by act Of Legislature, June
H. 1872 ana the wing commissioners were appointed
10 locate tie route Henry G. Stebbins, Gen. O. A. Gill
more Shepherd Knapp Chester A. Arthur and Gen.
Jonn Dix After careful consideration OF the subject
In reference TO the accommodation OF the whole public
they designated the following the route OF the ran
way: Beginning at the south shore OF the Harlem
River, at Kings Bridge; thence along River
st. 10 Elgnth-ave. thence along Eighth-ave
10 Onehundred- and-teDth-st.; thence along One
n1rel,and .tenthst. TO Ninth-ave.; thence along
Einthave. 10 Fltythird-st. thence along FIFTY
tLmdst to sxtdave thence along Sxthave TO Fourth
at thence along FOurth-s TO South Flthave; thence
along South Fn-aye crossing Canast to West Broad
way; thence along West Broadway &c Chambers-st;
thence along Chambers-st TO Broadway thence along
Irosdwav TO and around Bowling green into
Beavers; thence along Beaverest TO Pearlst; thence
along Pearlst New Bowery to Dvision-st; thence
along Dlvlsion-st. AlenSt thence along ADen-st
and Frstave TO Twenty-thrc-st thence along twenty
third-sl 70 sec0nd-ave. thence along SecondaVe 10
Harlem River; thence along Rver-st to Eightb-aVe.
Also, a connecting beginning at the intersection OF
Broadway and Chambersst; thence across Broadway |
and along Chambers-st to Chstham-st thence along |
Chatham-st to Division-st
The general idea wac to accommodate eq Ialy both |
aides of the city There has always been in the city an
slement-ehief in which are the street raiways-reaoy
70 oppose every rapid transit scheme through THIS IN
nuence bill wassntroduced, last Winter, into the Legs
ature 70 change the route Iroad The route was
changed below Chambers-st from Broadway to Church
rt and thence Bowling-green. While this change In |
mn way affected the value Of Che franchise 70 the Com
many or the accommodation OF the public the agitation
had the effect seriously delaying the beginning OF the
work as negotiations were already nearly comheeu
for obtaining the capital and periecung Inc con-
tract for the road az located by the COMMISSIONER
Although strenuous opposition was made 10 any change
beng made, the bill vas passed amending the Cnar'ef'
and commission was appointed TO relocate the route
CONSISTING Of r. A. whitehouse Edward X Bell, Edwin
r. Meade J. f. De Nevarro, and X M c. Graham. After
aretol the report OF the commission was
made On eptember changing the route az above men
,bcued In consequence OF this change operations
had 70 be begun over again by the COMPANY,
and the manic following almost immediately, caused
further delay. The work has now been peguh'
and viii be continued az rapidly az the
weather will permit. That such a road Will DC amply
remuaeratiye passing as it WILL through the heart OF
The tv At canal distances from the center donbt s
by ts protectors The passenger circulation
Of the street rways already in operation In 1870 was
about iooo an increase Of 900 per cent 10 ten years
The same ratio Of increase the next ten years wond