The New York herald., 1875-08-20
RAPID TRANSIT.

MYSTERIOUS ACTIVITY ABOUT THE COMMITS
sIoNERs' RooMs-sTnL DIVIDED ON THE
RoUrE-PRoPosED IMPROVEMENT IN CARS
THE HERAID's RAPID TRANSIT COMPARED WITH
CITY TRANSIT.
There unusual activity yesterday about the rooms
OF the Commission which held a three hours session
with closed doOrs far the press representatives
were concerned but had open sesame" for lawyers
and others who had special 10 grind either as to
route plans. Inventors who were in the lobby no.
ticed the suspicious movements Of certain wen known
lawyers, who continually lodging and out and
naturally thought that they had advocate
tain plans offered. Among those who
closeted for several hours with the
Commissioners was ex-Assemblyman Smith
Weed, and railroad lawyer said to be
named Greenleaf Special pains we're taken to keep
the names of the eight ten persons who spent
or less of the day in close communion with the Comms
soners from the reporters and the Secretary Mr. Nor
ton and the officer guarding the door, well as Messrs
Seigman and Brown, very reticent Mr. Mott,
one of the members who Is in favor of admitting the
press but who, with Messrs Delamater and Canda is
overruled by Chairman Segman, 1t is said later
planned that the session had been devoted a discus
sion Of the route and the law relating thereto He ex
planned that the business of the visitors who were
closeted with them TO offer argument in favor of
certain routes but he proessed to be unable to give
their names, and unwilling 10 talk of the routes they
advocated He stated however, that the Board had sent
the draft ofa resolution to the Mayor which the Commits
sion desired the Board of Aldermen should pass and
which the Mayor had transmitted yesterday to the
Aldermen, with special message. This resolution, he
said, merely to authorize the Commission to locate
road on any street or avenue, and was TO comply with
the law the act having exempted some streets but pro-
vded that the local authorities should approve any
route selected If the resolution had passed he believed
they would be able in day or two to select the route,
the Commission cannot at present agree upon H. AS
the resolution had been tabled he was unable to say
when they could agree The resolution and tho message
of the Mayor win be found elsewhere in the report of
the proceedings of the Board Of Aldermen One of the
republican members of the Board OF Aldermen later
assured the HERALD reporter that he had conversed with
Mayor Wickham who felt very kecnly the defeat Of the
resolution more so from the fact that IL was brought
about by his democratic associates.
Mr.. John Schuyler, civil engineer, of No 93 William
street, yesterday submitted financial exhibit Of tho
which one OF the Commissioners anxious to have
published In the press in full 1t is proposed TO take
the streets and 300 city lots to run ut the rate Of 22
miles per hour from six A. NJ to midnight, with 72S
trains of six cars each day and 300 passengers per
train This will accommodate bls4 400 passengers per
day. l62 $50 200 per year. He estimates the cost of
construction at $3l0,605 or with the right Of way
added at 81 449 93s the receipts at ten cents per pas
senger So 600 600 per year. The expense of running
the road is placed at forty per cent or 81 200 000
leaving the net receipts at 81 100000. He
proposes the organization of company with SO 106
shares of 800 each and the Issue of 1900 bonds of
81 900 each. This would give capital of ST. Co.,
which he estimates to be ample for all purposes
A NEW PLAN FOR HORSE OR STEAM CARS.
Mr. William KOhler civil engineer who has sub
mtted of the many plans before the Rapid Transit
Commission, has been investigating the best to
prevent loss of life by accidents resulting from getting
and of the platforms He writes TO the HERALD his
views follows -
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERAID:-
would suggest an Improvement in the present street
horse cars that would be the means of lessening con-
deraby the number Of accidents caused by passengers
jumping on and on the while in motion My plan
is that of having the platforms closed at the Sides the
steps removed and the to have opening three
feet wide with step TO assist the passenger in reaching
the platform A bar or hinge could readily be placed
across the opening when the driver takes his position
in front. BY this means nobody could have oppor
tunity to jump of the front platform Should the Rapid
Transit Commissioners decide upon road supported by
columns this method would all danger that may
be supposed TO result from such The expense
of altering the would be trling compared with the
increased safety and convenience provided Respect
fully, WILLIAM KOHLER.
NEW York, August 16, 1873.
The following s diagram of Mr. Keher's PLAN