The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-12
The Various Plans OF Rapid Transit

The Various Plans or Rapid Transit.
1t will be strange indeed if the people of
New York cannot have a rapid transit road
out of the multitude of schemes now before
the Legislature. Some are good, some are
bad but there are suggestions enough in the
many to frame at least one plan of rapid
transit which will recommend itself to the ma
jority of the people 1t is in this view we favor
Mr.. Eastman's idea Of appointing a commits
sion to select q route and q form Of railway
best adapted to the necessities Of the city.
The underground plan, so much talked Of
few years ago, is no longer in favor. Nor
does it meet the needs Of the situation. Quick.
transit is quickly demanded. We have waited
for it long enough. The public can have no
patience with any such transparent imbecility
as the Broadway Underground Railroad,
which, even with the best intentions, cannot
years. The Senate at Albany might employ
itself more honestly and intellgently than in
passing bill to give this road license to I'M
dermine and destroy the principal street in
the city OF the plans now before the Legis-
lature there are three that stand out promi-
nently-namely. Vanderbilt s, Gilbert's and
the Third Avenue Elevated railroads. Van
derbilt's follows the route Of the present
Fourth avenue street car railroad to the
Grand Central depot, and the design is
double series Of iron columns planted in the
middle of the street and united by transverse
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The Third avenue plan follows the route Of
the street car railroad on that thoroughfare,
and in design is similar to that of Wander
bilt. Gilberts is a more ambitious design
than either Of these two. 1t starts from
Kingsbridge, runs through River street and
Eighth avenue to One Hundred and Tenth
street, through Ninth avenue to Fitty-third
street. through Sixth avenue to Amity street,
and then along South Fifth avenue, Canal
street, West Broadway, Chambers street,
Church street and Bowling Green Park,
into Beaver street From this point it
takes up the east side of the city through
Pearl street, New Bowery, Division street,
Allen street, First avenue to Twenty-third
street, and along Second avenue to the Harlem
River. The design is an open archway OF
iron, spanning the street from curb to curb,
and supporting the roadway on the summit Of
the arch Of plans less familiar to the public
is Speer's Travelling Sidewalk" as it is
called, which has passed the Assembly. 1t is
on endless link of elevated wooden platforms,
worked by stationary engines, and intended to
be kept moving day and night up one side OF
q street and down the other. Passengers get
on and off by means Of small cars, the wheels
of which at one side rest upon the movable
platform and at the other upon stationary
rail Double-action brakes control the wheels,
which are Independent Of each other, and the
platform may be in full motion while the
small cars are at standstill. The bill per-
mits this invention to be tried around
some square outside the city, and if
General Mcclellan and two other engineers
named pronounce it practicable company
will be organized to run the road through
Park row, Chatham street, Bowery, Fourth
avenue, Eighth avenue, Greene, Church and
Vesey streets. The Greenwich Street Elevated
road, which at present is only compromise
between rapid transit and nothing at all, seeks
leave to extend and multiply its track. The
Gardner plan contemplates an elevated iron
roadway, bearing four tracks around the
water front of the city. Cauldwelrs bill is
for peoples road" elevated, running
from point in Westchester through Fourth
avenue to the City Hall. How this is to be
accomplished, with FIVE miles of Fourth ave-
nue. already in possession Of Vanderbilt
is not quite clear. There are other bills
for elevated rapid transit before the
Legislature, but they have no distinc-
tive character, and are obviously framed
for obstructive purposes in behalf Of two con-
spicuous interests-the New York and Harlem
and the Third Avenue Railroad Where Mr..
Eastman's idea commends itself is in allowing
all the roads here enumerated to compete be-
fore commission of five gentlemen to be
appointed by the Governor If Gilbert salts
fies the commission his plan is correct and
capable he will be awarded one route.
Vanderbilt will be awarded another if he
fulfls the requisite conditions, and, as there
is room for half dozen roads, every serious
design will have hearing. To us this COM
mission appears indispensable. If our streets
are to be disfgured and rendered useless by
such crude and cheap designs as that intended
for Fourth avenue, better surrender them
altogether, wall them up and let the loco
motive tear through them on the surface.
Gentlemen of the Legislature, it is a small
boon-please let us have this commission.
The PUDDLERs AT HARRISBURG have caved
= AG4nr a four months, cfrka fhnu haua an.