The New York herald., 1875-07-13
THE PROBLEM AS VIEWED BY PRACTICAL EN-
GINEERs

THE PROBLEM AS VIEWED BY PRACTICAL EN-
At the beginning Of this year a committee Of I've
from the American Society OF OWL Engineers re
ported to the body the subject OF rapid transit
This committee consisted OF the following civil
engineers TO- Chauute, NJ. NJ Forney, Ashbal
welch, Charles K. Graham and Francis Colling-
WOOD. The report was read AZ meeting OF the
society February 9, 1875. II was very remark
able document and It's salient points are we'll
worth reproduction az this particular time. They
dlsapprove OF underground experiments. They
favor ne elevated idea and they oner suggestions
go Lull Of practical thought that their report must
rank among the very highest ex positions
on the subject OF rapid transit that the New York
public have ever had. The society recognized the
report OF It's committee as " admirable" and cer-
talny the perusa or the document. which Is vo-
luminous without being tedious, will convince any
one tnat there Is nothing left to be SAID upon the
subject OF rapid transit that this engineers report
does not cover. The repoltis is very long, and by
reason or its length the general public have been
deprived of reading 1t, Yet every paragraph it
contains is worth taking into serious considera-
ton, and as q rule the suggestions are based
on sound common sense and educated experence.
the committee named above was requested to
report r. 49,.
S956nd-The best and cheapest methods OF dc.
In aud about the city OF New YORK. '-~ ~
They were instructed to examine plans ana TO
receive suggestions such as parties interested in
the matter might choose TO ofrer. The labots OF
the committee were great and varied AccordnQ
TO the report they read ali the public ions they
could md upon the subject OF rapld transit Tney
advertised by circular for communications in
wrinny ana they hell fvs pubic meet
9ys ags ss 9s 20 aSS roS%s Of the society to
Bought interviews with all persons ana Organized
bodies which were likely to possess information
a. ma RofI I'm nI r.,
cnange and Grocers' Board OF Trade ia rat6ering
Statistics. They addressed circulars to the prop
erty owners and tenants along tho line OF the
Greenwich Street Elevated Railroad, inquirinS
into the eject OF the opera lions OF that real upon
business and property along the line. They held
with tho aid OF the Secretary OF the so.
ciety, the large mass OF materials thus accu.
were separately discussed.
THE RESULTS
or this discussion may be thus eptomzed. In the
nrSt place the ieres on the rapid transit lines
should be as low or nearly as low as upon the
street railroads Nothing else could enable the
which they must have to be profitable The traina
should run at high speed. Low fares cannot be
charged II an extensive business is not secured,
or II the cost OF operation and construction be
GENEROUSLY expensive. Then the report proceeds
10 lay the blame OF the failure OF rapid transit on
the people ofNeW YORK, who wanted impossible re-
suits. The committee, next considering with care
lu CALCULATION the cost or transportation, arrived
AT PHE CONCLUSION
that while IL Is quite possible, by the adoption of
cheaper motive power sucn as steam and by az
RreRating passengers In train loads, instead OF
single cars, to convey even at high speed some
what cheaper than Is now done at low speed II
the fares be limited by existing circumstances, II
viii wholly depend on the volume OF business ana
the amount OF capitai invested whether rapid
transit road Will pay. CondensIng the entire re-
port, which II priated IN ertenSo would take up
many columns OF the HERALD, the conc usions or
THIS admirable report go to show that the ele-
vated plan OF rapid transit properly constructed
ana properly administered, would solve the entire
problem OF quick ana cheap TRANSMISSION OF per-
SONS and property In the metropolis.