The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-10
RAPID TRANSIT.
Description Of the Structure Which
Will Probably Be Adopted.
THE BEST, CHEAPEST AND SAFEST PLAN.

Public interest is concentrated upon the plan Tor
the proposed elevated railways on Third and sixth
It is generally assumed that the continuation
of tho Ninth line will not materially differ from
the present structure except in point OF superior
strength and safety But in regard to the two othei
avenues much speculation is still being INDUCED in
VIII it be the Gilbert plan, modified by the Commits
sioncrsy Will it be the same structure that on
Ninth avenueY These some Of the questions
being asked by curious and deeply Interested public.
Although the feeling of curiosity strong, however it
is somewhat checked by the perfect confidence in tbs
good OF the Commissioners. People do not know
what the will be- but they feel convinced that
whichever 1t may be, 1t will be
TIE CHEAPEST, THE THE REST.
They regard the admirable selection Of the routes-a
much more difficult taska sufficient guarantee of the
capablity Of the commission to fix upon the very best
structure that devised The very best of course
does not mean the most imposing ornate 1t means
the cheapest and strongest Capitalists have declared
IN such unequivocal terms that they will not embark in
the enterprise If the plan ncedessy expensive
that the question OF cost which enter largely
into the decision Of the Commissioners may safely b
left to the judgment of body presided by able
6nancer as Mr.. Joseph segman The interviews with
the financial backer of the proposed elevated railways
published in the HERALD OF Wednesday showed
clearly as anything could show that if the structure
should be of IA too expensive kind the whole labor oil
the commission would have been utterly wasted Mr.
Navarro, Commodore Garrison and other prominent
capitalists gave this opinion in manner too significant
TO be misunderstood.
II NAV be assumed that the cost of the structures Ia
be adopted by the commission will not be much over
$3.50 600 for single track per mile, $500 900 for
double track per mile These figures include the equip
New York Elevated Railroad Company, says that the
cost of the roads to be built by them on Ninth and
Third will probably be less than
$l50,000 per single track mile, and it is not
likely that the commission will fix upon
expensive plan for Sixth avenue
when good and safe road can be built on the two
other avenues at that cost. That the New York com
pany will not build any but safe roads can be deduced
from their persistent and large outlay of money in i'm
proving and strengthening the old road This has been
carried far that the writer informed yester
day all the profits of the concern have hitherto been
put into these improvements When it is considered
that the London rapid transit roads estimated to
have nearly FL 600 600 per mile than six
teen times much. it easily be how cheap
roads will be and how enormously they will pay.
ENGINEERS on PLAN.
II important To ascertain the views of prominent
engineers on what would constitute model structure
But in this respect no satisfactory conclusion be-
given, there are great varieties OF opinion-prc-
sumably for the reason that there many
varieties of good and available structures One great
fact however, stands forth consplcuously and that IL
that tho undoubted majority of the reputable engineers
OF this city decidedly in favor oil elevated plan
Their differences OF opinion are only regards the de-
tails OF the Probably of the
petent engineers the city TO speak the structure
likely to be adopted is Mr. Charles NJ. Donald Presi
dent of the Delaware Bridge Company, who drew the
plans for the continuation OF the Greenwich street road
from Thirty fourth to Thirty-sxth street THIS short
extension was only built very recently and will no
doubt be the model for continuation Of that road
High Bridge and, probably also for that to be built on
Third avenue.
STRUCTURE.
Mr. Mcdonald, when asked what the probable struc-
ture would be- said it would probably be modelled on
the structure of the short extension above alluded to-
After giving great deal OF serious study to the exam
nation OF the old road and of the various plans pre-
sented he designed what seemed to HIM the simplest
the most admirable and at the time the cheapest
He thought that ii offered the best solution
of this problem When asked to explain the superiority
OF the new the old structure he said the posts
were composed OF different material having . star
shaped section by which the attachments could
be rigidly made The cluster columns were set in the
line of the street curb and supported two plate
grders firmly connected by lateral bracing Upon
these rest the ties guard mbers and steel rails com
posing the track. Owing to the peculiar form Of the
iron used in the cluster column it becomes practicable
TO embrace its four legs 10 such manner to make
IL remarkably rigid support for the Orders resting
upon it. The Orders themselves are deeper than those
used in the old structure and hence much sitter
under the passage of trains The lateral bracngs which
connect these grders efectualy prevents any hon-
zontal vibration
THE SITUATION OF THR TRACK
The above Is the plan OF the short extension do
scribed by the engineer and the present work of
tending the road to SiXtyrst street will continue tho
same structure One important fact still remains to be
centre OF the street or along the curb on
each side Of the strcets Mr. Mcdonald
thinks that also in this respect the structure
adopted by the New York Company is the best. He
believes that placing the track in the centre OF tho
street. right over the street ear tracks would be pro-
ductive OF considerable annoyance, more especially
the Third avenue, whore the carts and wagons in pass
ing from the horse tracks, at the approach OF
street car might be obstructed by the posts Mr. Nc
Donald when asked the probable expense of such
model structure placed it at less than $3.50 600
per single track mile He thought that for 1928 900 all
nf ha sufiq
fed As regards the situation OF the structure 1t is
proper add that Mr. Mcdonald thinks that where it IL
possible to place the double track in the centre add
tiona strength could easily be insured by suitably
meeting the glrdcrs composing each single track
IMPORTANCE OF THE STRUCTURE.
Mr. Mcdonald SAID that the old road to Thirty-fourh
street would never be enduring one having been
built ON unscientihc principles However, he thought
il would last few years and could ut present be
used with entire safety thanks to the energy with
which 1t had been steadily strengthened. He dwet
strongly upon the vast Importance of fixing upon tho
right structure for the road to be built As
striking illustration Of the effect of an III consdered plan
upon capital he mentioned the fact that when the
hands of a man whose inventive genius over
Swallowed his practical knowledge" and the road
proved wrctched failure. The property
then passed into other hands the new
owners greatly strengthened the road and
improved the method OF running it, and the traffic
immediately increased thirty per cent As soon AZ tho
company financially strong enough he did not
doubt that the old structure would have give way
new one One element of lack of safety was owing
the that the Old posts hollow and that the
metal composing them very thin that the water
running into them quickly corrodes it.
THEODORE wEsToNs VIEW.
Among other prominent engineers visited was Mr..
Theodore Weston who for long time engineer Of
sewers and grading He declared openly in favor
depressed roads, elevated track could not
easily be made sufficiently strong to carry the
heavy rolling stock required for the enormous
traffic Another reason that the grades ele-
waited road much more difficult to manage The
maximum grade OF elevated road must be about sixty
feet to the lnch Mr. Weston condemned the Gilbert
plan in the most emphatic manner, and said the Com
mssioncrs could not possibly adopt IT, as 1t had been
condemned by the London experts who examined 1t on
the OF the London capitalists. That plan would
work satisfactorily, and 1t was to be hoped that
the Commissioners did not adopt the depressed plan,
they would, at all events, Tx upon better elevated
structure.