New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-13
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
Npw p,pID TRANSIT DESIGNS.
FINAL MEETING OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERS 'o"

NEW RAPID TRANSIT DESl0No'
FINAL MEETING OF TIKI CIVIL ENoiNhh"' ~"
CONFEDERATION OF RIVAL SCHEMES. ,
The final meeting of the Committee OF oivn
Engineers TO consider means OF rapid TRANSIT io -
and passengers was held at No. CO Wnhams' s cs'o
Richard T. Morgan OF Bloomington, ill' presenter
Milan which consists OF series OF Gothic arehcS i"o
most feasible place for their CONSTRUCTION 10 'no w.
spsce IN the center Of the street NO experiment VI '
des,gn has been made. although tho iongtuuhh Por
tions OF the structure In general use on rafoaus
uebou the country. and easily endure inc "ekn
and strain OF the heaviest engines and trains Inc
arches are placed at intervals OF 'Sfeet more OF
,es. and will not interfere with the gas or the sewers
Tho road IL 20 be double track and the best route Is
the line OF Broadway the Battery TO Nnthave with
branch from Union-square to Thirdave and thcn fol-
lowing the lines OF those avenues The proportions OF
,ucb transverse frame will correspond nearly TO those
Of Westminster Abbey. The estimated cost per mile for
a passenger road Is $4,000, and for both freight
and passenger tsii. ioi Charles Williams OF New
York presented his Rapid Transit Suspension Via
duct" IL consists Of series OF pillars situated at every
street crossing between which the road is suspended
this plan combining the advantages OF both the Trnss
and Suspension" designs Its great advantage Is the
nonohstucton Of the street account OF tho length OF
spnns Thetnvent0r claims that II Is on the suspension
principle railways for rapid transit can DO con-
s,rcted at the cheapest cost and enst obstruction 10
the srcctway and 70 the greatest satisfaction OF the
WV
OF construction was given H. c. Gardner stated tnat
the solution OF the whole problem OF rapid transit
depended on the decision OF the present CON-
mittee. All the old charters, eight In NUMBER,
are now worthless. he said, and under them no
road can be built. A. f. Lozicr's plan was TO support
an elevated double columns 10 feet apart, tho
columns OF and the bedpate OF castiron ono
foot deep and feet vide The gauge OF the road
would he four feet or possibly 81 feet The estimated
cost Is $40 per mile including telegrapho line. r.
g. Bartlett spoke with reference TO his plan. which
known rs the "saddlebag plan" IL is built with
single track and single limo OF posts occupying only
The consist OF threo apart
mcnts one over tho track and the other two ON either
sdo OF It, There could he possibility OF getting of
Tbs track Tie posts on which 1t Is supported would
span the and occupying the space between tho
present tracks would not interfere with tho street
travel The posts 10 be Il feet high, ana
made OF rolled wrought iron, with sof hitting
iron bracket. the motive power would be
either steam compressed air. and the ronte
from the Battery Harlem Bridge could DO Travelled In
minutes The estimated cost for track up and down.
completed and equipped, Is s2,500oOo. Geo. b. Taylor
waited road Whatever at cost OF t226.OOO per mile. 1t
consists OF stone and sOeL Alfred Speer SAID that the
part Of tnc Greenwich Elevated road no estimated
the total cost OF Travelling Side~ ak 20 be sO3tO
per mile the entire is miles s3O5625O He intends 10
have inspectors stationed every three or four blocks TO
keep constant watch OF tao condition Of the moving
road aud The interest on capital invested TO be 7
ana the PROBABLE daily receipts at 25G charging no
moro than ivc-osnt fare. H. Dufee said that no road
could be built except In the Interest OF the city his
plan would DO an elevated sidewalk covered win
an awning and Two tracks Of road, one over the
other Objection mado 20 this plan on the
ground that the sidewalk the avenues varies In wldth
from feet 20 O5 feet and In place on Fifth
1t is 20 90 feet Goepe offered plan for convey
means of submarine tunnels THIS plan was devised by
Jerome Wonmackcrs and has been used 10 extent
in Holland Tbe Hon NJ. C. Smith spoke in the inerests
OF the Arcade Railway. lie said that the capitalists
willing take stock in 10, and affirmed that IL
would misfortune II the road were located elsewhere
than In Broadway The property owners from the Bat
terry had consulted with reference
OF the 800 property owners consulted ITO favored the
project ~ opposed It, aud lS4 were neutral Or the 1853
tenants and cSsees 604 favored the bill, 40 opposed IT,
aud 100 were nOn-cOnmlttaL The engineers OF the
Americau Institute and the Senate Railroad
Committee. ho SAID, had given this project thor
unqualified Endorsement He insisted on having four
tack line along tue center Of the island W. L. Church
said that II would be timing with the peoples interests
10 build a COubo track line. He favored tho Arcade
plan, ana considered any elevated road infeasble lie
sad Nntlrave was lnoumberod with It's road, ana an
OF stores aud much less by those residing on the line
The highest estimate OF an underground road was
and the damage 10 property by an elevated
road would than pay the extra cost or an under
ground road. EVou IL an elevated line di1 pay there
WOULD be- 80 competition to cut of ali prOfs IN
Hyo years. He also claimed that any road must be
built not M private but ms IA municipal enterprise:
Nit Burton spoke regarding the transfer OF freight, and
freight and passengers such has been proposed could
be self supporting account OF the low charges
now made for carrying freight. Each railroad should
have terminal elevator 10 assist RAPID shipment ana
before the middle of December aud perhaps not until
January, 1875.