The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-11
RAPID TRANSIT.


MEETING OF THE ALDERMANIC COMMITTEE
VIEWS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
The Special Com mittee OF the Board OF Aldermen
on Rapid Transit met, for third time, yesterday
afternoon, and listened to numerous speeches in
reference to the proper method and party to con.
struct rapid transit railway or system Of rapid
transi: railways. There were not SO many per.
sons present In the Aldermanic Chamber yester-
day as during previous meetings of the commit.
tee yet the assembage had the same apparent
character. There was present certain '.fne
ould Irish Rinteman," who has Deen conspicuous
at every rapid transit meeting held within ten
years. He Is mild Old man. whose LIE would
probably be without incident were 1t not that he
has scheme for rapid moving railway. which
he urges upon the attention OF everybody. He
has tried to force his scheme upon the considera-
ton OF the Aioermanic Committee, but he has
failed and, as he appears to be awed by o crowd,
he sat yesterday and watched the speakers with
the queerest facial expressions dis lace is
long, petoSens a Emphatic temperament, and
bears wonderful likeness 10 the countenance
given by Dore to Don Quxote, and by nature to
the patient, but enthusiastic, Mr.. Bergh. He sat
as II in q dream, obllvIous or the words of the
speakers. into whose faces he looked while they
talked, and as II he was concerned only with his
particular scheme for the accomplishment OF
rapid transit. There are many other queer people
among those who have regularly attended the
meetings OF the Aldermanic Committee, but space
is not available in which to describe their peculi-
aritles.
All the members of the committee were present
and Alderman Purroy presided over the meeting.
1t was announced at the opening OF the meeting
that the committee did not desire to hear of plans
by means OF which rapid transit might be
ht,txu to,ad .ttc fthn
citizens as to who should build the needed rail-
way or railways, aud what legislation Will be
necessary before any real work can be begun.
MIR. Horace Il. Day procured place on the door
and the permission Of the Chairman to speak, He
SAID tina. cheap and speedy transit OF people from
point to point in TINS city could not be accom-
pllsned by trains running every TWO: tnree, four
sucn trains, and because enough passengers could
not be procured woose lares would cover sucn
an expenditure. No one VIII deny, SAID Mr.. Day,
that u road OF the character OF the Vaduct could
be built and could be run, but such road could
not Ue sustained Ii the price wele placed high
enough the PASSENGERS would not go. l mean
such as make the great aggregate necessary to
swell the receipts. Indeed there Is no possible
way to make such road pay. The large outlay
necessary TO construct and operate 1t from the
| Battery to Harlem OrbdS tdat IL SHOULD ever De
attempted BY private capital. and the city should
make no expenditure IL this direction which
secret OF success lesin sending on car every
one, two or three minutes. o do this with
! steam locomotive or dummy to each Car would
! burden the system with 100 much cost. An engl-
neer, OF sufficient character and experience to
! operate the locomotive or dummy engine, where
the power Is TO be generated along tue trace.
would cost 81 a day, his assistant at least 81
more, brakeman So more; add luel ana wear
and tear and lncioentals and you would
! have ST. daily expense to each car thus run over
! the road, and this would necessitae 100 high
charge Tor the tare-say ten or twelve cents.
ms nigh iare would keep of most WORKING
people. IL | am answered, experience on the
apn u
Hudson River road, which furnishes Class OF pas
sengers who can afford to pay the nign fare Tor
The saving OF time to That class alone. TINS
/ advantage would not attend all RAPID transit
roads and the working and poor people cannot
ends 1t. am quite SAFE to-day IN assuming That
the ordinary steam locomotive or dummy system
would prove here, as 1t mas everywhere IN this
country ana Europe, a financial failure, and IL
must always iaIl. say boldly that 1t cannot sue
coed in taxing the place OF tue horse cars and the
reasons are various but mainly Tor those have
stated. In the correctness o. THIS conc uslOn
mechanic; ana with equal confidence claim Tor my
system compete success, and That all railroad
men and engineers must sooner or later agree
with me. indeed, they do now-sucl as have ex-
BY ny plan il used substantially the iron column
Green aich street Elevated road, or modhca-
ton Of it, as the roadway. There should always
be TWO tracks, one for up, the otner LOT down
! light designed only Ior passengers, TO seat
fifty 10 seventy.hve persons, to be drawn by COM
pressed air slowed under the ioUr and seats. One
iour and. at most but ave minutes for tne du.
lest palt OF the DAY arranged 10 step every l. 900
| Ieet, at the third or fourth DOCK. This
| frequent stopping ana frequent passing IS
Que OF the maln points OF success IN picking
up all the passengers, which tram of cars
| az intervals OF fifteen minutes would not co.
They would 40 Gas as they .r now r 90 IN IN
road, rather than wait Tor the tram and pay In
creased lare, take the horse cars ana reach the
| same point. Under my system there ~ ior t1e
whole road but two skilled engineers, ana their
| business to attend stationary engines located at
each end OF the road. where each car can rake In
It's uli cnarse OF compressed air !or the whole
! length OF the road. From careful estimates am
gers twelve miles, stopping eVe.y LOCO fee, at a
cost not exceeding one-quarter oi one cent for
each passenger
Mr. Jonn Il. church followed Mr.. Day. and SPOKE
in avor OF having the construction OF rapid
transit ALWAYS re crren TO privale CORPORATIONS
NEEDED LEGISLATION.
Ex-Assembyman crary, VINO Is tic President OF
the East SIDE Association, made a speech In advo.
ca.y o. a rapid transit railway ana in lavor OF Its
being constructed by private CORPORATION and
not ~ the city. lie SAID mat already number OF
legal gentlemen are engaged Ia toe WORK OF draft
ing amendments Tor tue General Railroad law.
wnicn was passed twenty years ago. III order 10
make the PROVISIONS OF tnut law nave lorce wilma
cities rs vel as oGtsldo OF them. mr.. Crazy said
that there is capital strong enough aud ready to
buiId rapid transit faliway III New YORK, ana he
opposed the proportion thai the city corporation
snail bulld u, not only on that account, but
also Oh constitutional grounds. lie reiefred to
section ia oi article . VI thc amended
constitution, as tue only authority that can be
l0unn sllEnL tnOu4n IL ~, IOT Tue CITY 10 assume
t1e task OF constructing rapid transit railway.
But there Is IN TINS section u dlllcuy that must
be surnountcd before toe clty can undertake to
Duiid a railway. what are city purposes must be
defined. The courts nave never decided any case
involving sucn question; and II the city goVerG'
ment assumes to Dulld railway, "a q city pur
pJse, ~ viii be fought by the people and RAPID
transit VIII be delayed FOR years. DR. Crary
thought IL would be no more proper for the city to
buiid railroad tnan 10 run SWIM passenger
steamers on the rivers, or 10 bund markets. or &c
numerous osner things on the plea OF proyidlng
CunIOrL OF tho NOODLE.