The New York herald., 1875-07-14
THE RAPID TRANSIT COMMISSION
The Press and Inventors Ex-
cluded from It's Meeting.
INVENTORS STILL DISSATISFIED.
Descriptions or Designs Presented
to the Commissioners.

Commission met yesterday at noon a number OF
persons were present. The inventors who pre-
sented schemes OF models were very few
In number. When the Board anr ounced
that the gentlemen invited TO present
plans and suggestions as well as the re-
porters would be rigidly excluded from the
meeting, everybody lett the room disappointed
and indignant About two O'Clock Colonel B. N
Harrison, Secretary OF the Commission, came out
and volunteered the Information to the press that
o resolution. offered by Commissioner Brown, was
adopted, by which the Secretary was instructed
TO insert an advertisements In the morning and
evening papers, notifying parties WHO may have
plans TO present or models to place before the
Commissioners to send them In before August 1.
lie also reported that thirty persons had
sent communications to the commission, either
submitting plans or asking an extension OF the
time for sending plans In as the impression had
got abroad that no plans would be received after
yesterday. About two O'Clock the Board adjourned
until noon to- day; but just before she adjourn
ment an inventor named Hannah, from Chicago,
was given q hearing. This action Mr.. Mott says,
was taken because Mr.. Hannah, who hao been
waiting in the city fof several days. had TO leave
for Chicago. The explanation did not satisfy the
other inventors, who were outside, ana
VERY SEVERE COMMENTS
were made upon the action Of the commission.
been turned out OF the room approached the
writer and said :--"You are a HERALD reporter,
believe. Have you noticed that they have turned
out those inventors who presented models with
out hearing and listened 20 q foreigner who
lives beyond the State. You gentlemen OF the
press who should be in there noting everything
and exposing any favoritsm, are shut out too.
The thing looks TO me IKE a regular star cham
ber,' and protest as an inventor invited here
against their sitting with closed doors. When any
one OF us is explaining his plan all the others
should be present and be permitted to listen to
him. The fact that the press is excluded is very
Suspicious and the papers should denounce the
secret conclave system"
Another inventor declared that he had supposed
that they would all be admitted. and that The
meeting would be open; but now ne felt that II he
could get his papers out he would retire from tae
competition. Indeed, the general sentiment OF
the inventors was in bitter opposition TO the Sc
cret meetings Mayor Wickhsm was coseted
with the Commission for over an hour.
AFTER THE ADJOURNMENT
Mr.. Mott and one or two otner members remained
ana numbered and arranged the models draw
ings and plans for future reference. The police
were still kept on guard at the door to exclude
reporters and inventors, but about three
O'Clock two gentlemen, who admitted that
they had no scheme to present. were admitted
by the policemen, and renamed in the room about
fifteen minutes. They were believed by some OF
the inventors to be lobbyists Of some particular
plan, and dissatisfaction became more general
Inc Secretary, Mr. Harrison, seemed indisp0sed
to allow the press access TO the Information In MS
possession. pleading too much business in the
Mayors oflce. Some OF the Commission expressed
their desire that the reporters should be furnished
the names OF parties who have signiied their in
teDtion of presenting pans, but Mr.. Harrison
could not be found. The reporters danced attend
ance upon the Mayors olce uaEl late la the after
moan, and nnally one OF them got Harrison TO
leave mis- desk long enough to say ne was too Dusy
TO give tnem tue names OF the parties.
The Commissioners resolved TO hold sessions
every day this week excepting Saturday. begin
ing az noon and continuing until about three
z. al.
DESCRIPTIONS OF DESIGNS
Three models were yesterday exhibited before
the commissioners. b1 the inventors were not
Afforded al opportunity 10 give any explanation
chen h HATFIELD an elevated, double track railway.
the system comprising continuous bridge rest
ing upon iron posts the whole built Of iron In the
strongest manner. Tue sides OF the bridge would
1t Is claimed, screen passing trains from horses
In the street, and by means OF the length OF the
tue posts more frequently than one In stxty-1ve
feet, or three posts 10 block, on each side or the
the outside OF eacn rail, firmly secured, would
prevent tue wheels from leaving the track. The
distance between the columns on ether side
would be nineteen feet from the sidewalk. TIE
average height or the bridge would be eighteen
st wo1ld % ro IaHe ,be acORs eighteen tn months to
cost OF $35o000 mile. 1t IS said that this is the
same plan the Third Avenue Railroad Company
resolved upon adop ting some five years ago.
Another model presented was thai Of J. H. Han
Ran. The special CLAIM OF this plan-doube
tracE, elevated--ls That the cars would run inside
the girders, ard thele elore could not get of the
track The plan includes supports either by
Another model exhibited was tnat or Edwin
Gomez This plan Is lour-track elevated road
way one OF the specialties being that the tracks
would be OF iron and wood, the latter being in
sections which could be removed at any time for
y. hlr a IN
the work. The roadway would run from curb TO
curb and serve as protection from the weather
for the horse railroads on the street The pillars
would be OF cast or wrought iron, hollow with
jackets fast TO astringpiece or glrder The tracks
several inches above them Tae cost would be
$3.50, 900 q mile.
THE FOLLOWING NOVEL PLAN
was submitted by J. william Kohler He would |
erect in the centre Ot the road at given distances,
serted in the ground to depth sufici.ni to
secure perfect stability, three sets OF cast iron
columns at suaiclent distances from one another
these columns to be decorated as might be de- |
sired On the inner side OF the Two outer columns
and firmly bolted to the centre one, he would
place two cast iron Rirders to prevent outward |
lateral movement Of the columns ana also 10 pre-
vent oscillation generally. On the capitals OF |
each set OF columns he would place a wrought |
iron girder on the lattice principle thus giving !
space for two tracks, an up and down line, |
ise dimensions Of which, as Of the supporting
Inc over nanses OF these girders ami |
would bo placed continuous suitably |
shaped irons TO support small wrought iron gird.
ers upon which would be laid for eacn track three |
balks Of timber, two Of which would carry the !
chairs IN wnicl would be inserted double headed |
steel rails, on which TO ruu the locomotive and !
cars. A safety rail OF wrought iron would also be !
placed 10 act as a guard rail- The cars would be |
prevented rom leaving the track By fixing be- |
meath each track couple OF strong wrought iron |
crutches with steel Iolers, which, without touch. !
ing the centre ran, would be bent under the |
upper nange, leaving three-qusrters OF an inch |
play on the under side, and also either side OF
the rail-. IL is claimed that If the cars Jumped or |
met WITH an obstacle on the rails the ends o the
cruiches, by ths ARRANGEMENT, would come III /
contact with the under side Of tie upper hange or |
the rail-, and thus prevent the cars being elevated
any higher OF the rails
On the ceptre glrder rack Tor insulators Would
be placed, carrying all tue city telegraph lines !
el0ng the route. The noor OF the passenger cars
would be on q level with the top OF the two out
sde giroers. A continuous platform, I0ur feet |
wide, would run the whole length OF the road on
harc a nf n a Nj