New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-04
ALBANY.
THE TRAVELLING SIDEWALK.

MR.. sPEER's RAPID TRANSIT scIfEME-PLANs FOR
GIVING 1T PRACTICAL TRIAL-TTE QUESTION
DISCUSSED IN THE ASSEMBLY.
SRom the REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRrBUNE.l
| ALBANY, March 3.-AmOng the multtudinous
schemes for quick transit in New York that have
figured before the Legislature during the last ten
years, none has been subjected to moro alternate
praise and ridicule than the plan popularity known
as "Speer's travelling sidewalk" as its inventor
| calls it, an endless railway train" Tho scheme
| is simply connected and continuous tram of plat
form elevated above the curb stone partly
the sidewalk and partly over the street. and pro-
| PEELED by stationary engines located under the
street, mile or half miie apart.
| Competent engineers have certified that engines
OF 1-horse power, stationed one mile apart on the
line, will DO amply sufficient to propel the train
Being O continuous train it must Of course run in
| circle or oval and its advantages over all other
schemes yet invented provided it be practicable,
that it carry any number of passengers with
out crowdne, and by an ingenious contrivance they
can be let on or off at any street-corner without
stopping the tram. II also has the advantage OF
enabling q passenger to accelerate his speed by
walking on the platform toward his destination at
the time the train is in motion; 30 that if the
train moves at the rate of 10 miles per hour the
passenger can walk three or four miles more, thus
reaching his destination at the rate OF 13 or IA miles
! an hour. For two years past Mr.. Speer has bad on
exhibition in Albany working model Of his scheme
100 feet in length which has been visited by large
number of persons, and has elected great variety
of opinions as to its merits and practicabiiity
All admit the theoretical merits and beauty Of the
scheme, and a majority who have seen 1t. including
engineers fully convinced of its practicabiity
But as ridcule is always more powerful than argu-
ment, the sneerers at "Speer's travelling sidewalk
| have thus far had the advantage, and have pre-
vented the inventor of the scheme from securing
| at the hands of the Legislature an opportunity to
! give his experiment fair trial. Last year he was
granted, out of sympathy more than anything else,
the privilege of trying experiment. at an expense
of $500, 900 OF more, around the block bounded by
Whitehast., Bowlng-green, and Safest, but the
| bill giving him this privilege was vetoed by the
| Governor. lie came here this year with q bill de-
signed TO overcome the Governors objection, which
was favorably reported from tho Railroad Commit
tee, and up for discussion in the Committee of
the Whole of the Assembly to-day. The bill. as re-
ported, allowed the inventor to construct his road
| from point opposite the Post-Offlce, through
| Park-row Chatham-st, Bowery and Fourth-ave. to
| Eighth-st thence thorough Eighth to Greene, and
! through Greene, Church and Vesey to the place OF
starting subject to such alterations in the route as
the Common Council, with the assent of the Mayor,
should make.
Mr.. Weed moved to amend go as to require the
inventor to test his plan outside the city, and get
certificate of its practicablty from the five engi-
| neers named in the bil-George b. Mcclellan, c. h.
Haswel, w. j. McAlpine, Charles X. Graham, and
John Newton-before he should be permitted to
begin the construction Of the road in the city. Mr.
Weed said that while he had respect and sympathy
for the inventor of this scheme, he regarded it as
chimercal and utopian to the last degree, and he
did not think there were three men in the Legisa-
turs who had the most distant idea that tho thing
| was practicable.
Col Spencer denounced 10 the crazy scheme Of a
visionary dreamer, which would prove to be an abor
! ton in practice.
Mr. Prince said that il there were but three men
in the Legislature who believed in this plan of quick
transit he was proud say that he one of them
He not only believed it to be entirely practicable,
but that it was by all Odds the best plan for rapid
transit that had ever been invented. 1t curl
GUS fact he said, that while everybody was clamor-
ing for quick transit in NcwYork, and declaring it
TO be the supreme necessity of that city, the repre-
sentatives from New-York in the Legislature were
invariably found opposing every plan for quick tran
sit that came before the House. II bill omitted to
| give the Common Council power over the construc-
| ton of the road, complaint was made of this Omis
sion; it, on the other hand, they are given that
power In this DILL then III was clalncd 10 De I'M
| safe TO trust them with it. For his part, he had
always voted for every scheme of quick transit that
held out any prospect OF being carried into effect.
and. believing this to be the best scheme of ALL he
should vote for it aud against the amendment Of Mr.
Weed.
| Mr. Vedder also expressed his entire faith in the
| practcablity Of Mr.. Speers plan, did also Mr..
| Lincoln. The discussion ended by the adoption Of
| Mr. Weeds amendment; and, as amended, the bill
was ordered to a third reading.
THE RIGHTS OF uTIGANTs IN THE COURT OF
| APPEAIs-ALBANY NOTES.
| Albany, March 3.-The bill introduced by
Mr. BLESSING to give IN which the Mayor and Com
| mopa,ty of New-York plaintiffs or defendants, q
on calendar OF the Court OF Appeals
ri,e TO short discussion in the Assembly to-day. The
advocates Of the BILL Messrs Melvin. Spencer and Bless
ing gave as reason passage that large number
Of small creditors Of the City Of New-YOrk, who
mfering for the due them, kept out
of their pay by factious Htgatons the part OF Con-
troller Green and the object Of the bill was to get
speedy decision Of these suits from the Court Of last
,ort Mr. Alvord moved to strike out the fret section.
| He could see no reason why litgsnts In NewYork
should be gwen preference those in the country
| In suits coming before the Court OF Appeals. Mr.
Batcheller supported the motion 10 strike out lie said
that il the City Of NewYork chose to keep In Office
Controller who spent his time and the money Of the city
in petty litigation TO avoid the payment Of honest
claims az was represented by tho delegation from that
city IL was her own fault and must suffer the
| seouepces; but 1t was no why the Court Of
nnaals which WAS constituted for beneft OF the