, 1874-05-03
RAPID TRANSIT IN CITIES.
Another Letter from Mr.. Rich
ard F. Morgan, Jr.


His Plan for an Elevated Railway
: B1oo,f1So1oy, H., April e. 1872.
70 the Editor ef TIE Chicago tribune:
7 SIn The necessity for soma better means o
! transit between the parts Of the large cities o
, the world occupied for business-purposes an
, | those occupied for residences than any now e1
listing, is one that has long been felt, and yea
BY year grows moro urgent.
As the distances between the parts OF II
cities used for business and those occupied 3
dwellings increase, the Inconvenience and los
OF time caused thereby increases also; 80 that
In the future. this want will be more and moz
felt. until somo relief is found.
Experience has shown that the nee OF animal
power, however applied, is inadequate to meei
the demand made upon 1t; and it is conceded
that some mechanical appliance must be used
While several metnols Of propulsion have beer
suggested, there 1s but ono that has demonstra.
ted its utility by its throughout the civilized
world. Tho fact that
| THE EIocoMoT1vE-Ey1ISE
hts, bv reason Of its greater safety, efficiency,
and economy, superseded every other contrivance
for the conveyance OF both persons and property
on land, is conclusiye proof that to it We must
look for the means Of transporting the vast num-
Der OF persons moving between the different
parts OF all great cities.
For this reason, q Light nnd perfectly inclosed
| locomotive ia advocated {tho weight OF which, it
| is believed, need not exceed fve tons), though,
it it should he found desirable, any OF the various
forms Of engines could be readily applied, and
any OF the proposed motors which may prove to
| be useful substitutes for steam would be availa-
I bio.
| In order to make the locomotive useful, it
must work upon track specially adapted to
! it, and this cannot bo upon the surface Of any
street without greatly Interfering with. and in-
| decd, even destroying its ordinary use. It fol-
lows that any railway for the object desired
should either be, first, below the surface Of the
street or, second in new avenue to be opened
for the 1ailroad itself or, third, elevated aboye
| tho street.
| It is probable that but little improvement
! could be made in the plans already before the
public for sub-snrface trucks, nor to those which
| contemplate the opening Of a new avenue used
only by the railroad Whatever objections justly
| exist to either Of these methods are inherent,
| and cannot be obvated by any change in the de-
| tail Of their construction.
It is we'll understood that many persons are
reluctant to admit the necessity Of any railroad
{ in an important street OF = city as tend
/ ing to disfgura it. It is fully believed
| that tho structure proposed would really
| DO ornamental rather than otherwise. But GER
tain other considerations should not bo over
looked. Cities exist IS places Of business; they
sonabe claims Of business men for the facilities
which they need have the right to be
FIRST CONSIDERED.
Already any such street will have ceased, to
10 L. ut~ -
will havo become chiefly business-ayenue, and
therefore, tho future OF that street should bo
considered mainly in that aspect II an elevated
railway can be constructed OF sufficient capacity,
and go as not practically to Interfere with the
present use Of the streets in any respect, nor
buildings it will possess advantages peculiar to
ITSELF The plan now submitted for constructing
a railway over tho carriage-way OF tho street, it
is believed, possesses the vital merits which
should secure its adoption, and is FREQ from
many objections which are made against other
plans.
Willis tho plan hereafter to be described, it is
believed, would be as useful IN the ttansporta-
tion of property az any railroad not upon the
su1faee Of the ground, still that does not seem
to be the problom to bo solved, nor is it the uso
for which the proposed road Is mainly intended
:, THE DEs1av 1s.
to set up at suitable intervals say about IS feet.
Broupht-irop Gothic arches, the base Of each
arch or rib to be on the sidewalk near the curb
stoue sDd the apex the centre OF tho st1eet.
At such height above the street, as not to in
terfere with its for ordinary PURPOSES, ffst
elliptical arch OF iron is to DO thrown the
street from one to tho other OF the arch or ribs
before mentioned. From the middle OF this to !
the apex OF tho outer arch, q longitudinal iron |
truss supposts principally the tracks, aided by |
similar trusscs on either side. |
Between these outer tru6ses, and passing |
ACROSS the bottom chord OF the middle one, ara
laid, at suitable intervals. the fooz-beams, also !
OF iroo, which support the tracks. These are to [
be connected by diagonal tensiou-rods, so that
they shall act as horizontal truss to prevent |
any lateral swaying Of the structure. The whole I
to bo left open, so - 10 prevent the accuuu1a- |
ton of snow OF other obstructions, and to avoid |
interference with tho light and Tentilat1on OF |
the street as far as possible.
THE CARS MOVE
upon truss. bridge above the lower. aad under
tho outer arch. The Office Of these iron arches
is the same as that OF the piers Of an ordinary
bridSe,-to support series OF longitudinal
trusses, which 1attor carry double track railway
above and over the middle OF the street. These
arched ribs will rest upon suitable foundations
Of masonry beneath the surface OF the street,
near the curb-stone on each side, and need not,
unlessfor architectural effect, occupy an area at
tho surface greater than IL inches square. In
deed, the arches themselves may be used as
supporters for street-lamps, thus saving the
room now occupied by those lamp-posts. And d
system Of insulation for telegraph-wires may
be established upon the structure, and thus re-
leys the street Of te.egraph-Poles- The outer
aud inner arches are connected firmly bv ten
sion-rods, 80 arranged as to resist the weight OF
the trusses. and Of the cars in passing, and to
direct the pressure OF their weight into the line
Of tho greatest strength Of material employed.
ACCESS TO TIE CARS
is proposed to DO given by platforms constructed |
of iron and glass, loading from stations provided
ut suitable intervals, aud in which passengers
can wait tor the arrival Of tho cars. These
ahor}f ho m hcfh atf3au nf ha |