New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-23
RIVAL SCHEMES or RAPID TRANSIT.
THE GILBERT PLAN AND TIE TTuRD-AvE CoMPANY's
PLAN CONTRAsrBD.

THE GILBERT PLAN AND TIE TIIRD-AvE. CoMPANYs
PLAN CoNTRAsrBD.
A reporter of THE TRIBUNE called yester-
day upon DR.. r. H. Gilbert the protector and inventor
OF the Gilbert Elevated Raway"-the work on which
has recently been begun in West Broadway-to ascer-
tain the difference between his plan and that described
in the bill just introduced in the Legislature for an Ee
waited Railroad OH Thirda and the Bowery" to DO
under control of tho Thirdaye Horse Railway Com
pany In TO the reporters inquiries DIR. Gilbert
said that in the plan OF his railway the man object he had
to furnish the greatest amount OF accommo
dation to the public with the least damage to property
along the route He wished to unite sound principles
engineering in the construction OF iron structures
with tectura beauty and symmetry of design To
accomplish this object the arches were made 10 span
the street entirely the columns being placed along the
ue curbstones at the edge Of the sidewalk eav-
ing entirely clear for travel beneath ana oc
cupying for the tracks OF the railway space OF only
20 feet in width elevation OF "a feet above
the street In the which are 100 feet from build
ing to building this would take only one-hfth OF tbe
spaoe leaving 40 feet on each side BY this plan OF con
structon railway be safely carried at greater
elevation than would otherwise DO possible ana AT Tie
same time while 1t offered little or no obstruction 10
light, it did not require any material outlay tof 'he
mere purposes of ornamentaton. While he considered
rapid transit imperative necessity for the CITY,
he did not think that railway should be built when
would not add tho beauty OF the streets or avenues
These ideas he had kept prominently IN we" III
ont all the details of his plan and he believed that when
his railway completed that the avenues on wmen
IT was built would be improved IN appearance ana the
residents benefited by the great amount OF Duhlhess
which IL would necessarily bring 10 their stores -
The plan proposed by the Thirdave. Horse car COM
pany as he understood IL from reading the bll dsre-
CARDS all these necessary principles. IL fills the streets
and avenues with posts and in the plans there IL no
limit TO the frequency with which they may be placed
along the streets 1t permits the company 10 occupy
sp,co of 80 feet the length OF the avenue Tor RAN
way tracks and cannot fail to endanSer travel by the
liability OF vehicles &C., coming IN contact win tne IRON
columns the space between the columns ~ only 10
feet. so great width OF the street being occu'
MED by tracks cannot fail TO seriously interfere
with hight penetrating into the stores snd the general
use of the street When tine Gilbert Elevated Railroad
Company asked the privilege OF building their railway
on Tnrdave. the Third-ave. Horse Railroad Company
II was asserted nstgaed the property owners ON the
oppose the or the act on tine grouhu
that ts construction would be detrimental To property
and all their influence IN the state Legislature 10
defeat IT, Company asked the state Leglsia-
tnre for permission to build "A railway on the same
avenue and offered plan that had not single recon-
mendation in its favor, and was objectionable IN every
particular He thought the application for SOOOWD 10
build this road prepOsterous.