New-York tribune., 1873-01-17
RAPID TRANSIT IN EARNEST.

THE GILBERT ELEVATED RAILWAY MAINLY FOR
LOCAL TRAFFIC--TTS SPEEDY CONSTRUCTION
INSURED BY THE COMPETITION OF TRUNK
LINES.
A TRIBUNE reporter called yesterday upon
DR. Rufus Gilbert Chief Engineer Of the Gilbert RaiI
wav COMPANY 70 obtain additional facts IN regard 70
tho enterprise Dr. Gilbert said that he was sorry that
tho word scheme had been applied to his road.
as il savored, he thought, OF underhanded work,
OF which there had been mono so far as
he was concerned. He liked the word project
better and he thought that this was grand
one and ono which could not fail He said ne was not
conscious OF any colIusion with Commodore Vanderbilt
by which his bill passed the Legislature. He thought
he was successful chiefly through minding his own bust
ness There were before the Legislature the Beach
Pneumatic' the Arcade the Central Underground, ana
the Gilbert beside the Vanderbilt Rapid Transit Dill
Commodore Vanderbilt concentrated his strength In OPP
position to the Others and did mt seem to notice the
Gilbert project and the Legislature did mt understand
the scope of a single clause in the BILL or more oppo
sitlon would have been made to It,
His design was 70 build, railroad, but system
OF RAILROADS.&C. was stated in the title OF the BILL HIS
original purpose waso connect with every railroad
entering the city, with the railroad ferries from New
Jersey and Long Island well as with the roads ap-
preaching from the north His first bill contemplated
a trunk line through Third-ave and the Bowery with
branches leading to various desirable points 1t met the
strenuous opposition Of the Third Avenue Company aud
was OF course defeated. The bill then amended 40
as 10 provide that the roads should through such
streets as should be designated by Commits
sion cOnsisting OF Gen. John A. Dix, Henry
G. stebbins, Chester A. Arthur, Gen Q. A. Gilmore,
and Shepherd Knapp but the lines were not
to be between Third and Sixth-aves. This warded on
the opposition OF all the strong city railroad lines. but
left the entire city east and Of these boundaries at
his DISPOSAL The bill passed in May, but was not
signed by the Governor till June II, after petitions In
its favor had been presented bearing the names OF more
than 5000 prominent men Of New-York-not residents
along the line but reputable business men, DR. Gil
bert thought that project OF public improvement had
ever been supported by larger interests.
His primary object was local traffic He was ply
stefan az well as an engineer and for many years had
directed his attention TO the question OF scattering the
dense population crowded into lower New-York, IN the
interests OF health and morals With this purpose alone
in view, however he doubted II the plan could have
been carried out The obstacles were many, and men
were ukewarm in their support of measures for the pub
lie good. He had combined influences which so
powerful that there was possibility Of failure. The
vast railroad interests preparing to concentrate
upon the upper end Of the island were dependent upon
the ability enter and traverse the city. The railroad
corporations would be certain to insure the
r,pid construction of the road. It not,
however in their hands He careful to provide that
the agreement should not be one-sided The orig
ina purpose would not be forgotten nor made second
ary Local trains would run with q regularity which
would not be interfered with by the through trains
switches and turouts would be provided, aud trains
would FOLLOW one another merely at intervals Of five
minutes, as had been stated, but every minute the
public should demand
An officer OF the Erie Railway Company informed
reporter that agreement between that road and the
Ney.York and Boston roads simply q business
arrangements in regard to uniformity of fares &c. and
had reference to tho contemplated use OF the southern
section OF the latter road as trunk line for Western
passenger traffic by the way Of the suspension
bridge at Poughkeepse It was understood, he said.
that the bridge would be built soon, and that stimuli
taneousy with its completion there would be road In
operation connecting the Boston road at Brewsters
with the Erie at Turner's The bridge was under the
control OF separate company, and he could give no
particulars of its progress
Calling at the Office OF the Hudson Suspension Bridge
Company the reporter unable to obtain any definite
information owing TO the OF the engineer, but
was assured that the work would go without unnecs
THE VANDERBILT ROAD
It has been reported that while Commodore
Vanderbilt has been active in his preparations for sink
Ing the track OF the Harlem Railroad above the Grand
Central Depot has allowed work the rapid transit
road below that point be suspended and that he has
no intention OF carrying il through without additional
aid from the city. reporter was assured, yesterday,
by Mr. Buckhout, superintendent OF the Harlem I'M
provement and engineer Of tho road that this was
error. He sad that sufficiently rapid progress
had been made the route had been marked out,
and nothing remained but to give out the
contracts aRd have the men go to work.
The work would be completed below the depot quite
soon as that above that point. and there would be no
object in having 1t done earlier He only hoped 1t would
be put good hands those holding the contracts
already awarded Mr!Buckhout said that the public
had an impression that the and gas and water
pipes would present difficulties This foolish bug
bear they would neither be obstacle 10 the work
nor be liable to injury.