New-York tribune., 1875-02-11
QUICK TRANSIT ARGUMENTS.
MORE SPEECHES BEFORE TIE ALDERMANIC
COMMITTEE. '' ' r'

-sPEHCuEs by HORACE III. DAY, JOHN B.
cHyRcu. JOHN p. HAsKrN, II. y. PETERSON, AND
OTHERS. .......
The Committee of the Board of Aldermen,
uosSrs Pnrrov BningS Cole. Rowland, and shandley,
beld another meeting and the last Of their public meet
nT yesterday TO the view Of practical
busineEs rapid transit The first TO address
them Horace III. Day, who. after alludug to the
general Idea that rapid and cheap transit could be Sc
by introducing trains OF steam like those for
Instance running between the Jersey City ferries and
Newark. said;
I am before you to declare after years OF study and
nvrstgaton, that this cannot be successfully DONE
mainly because such trains, TO he sent out every two
res four or I'VE minutes & eSud % neyeG pay
gers to m such trains. and pout. apprehend has
always overlooked am free 10 assert, II New;
rapid transit in this direction and by this means she
will commit the same blunder that London did in IT'S
Alter many years Of study, think have completed
nSS o. aSs s S Se vac could be- built and
could be run, such road could not be sustained
II The price @ mean 5O0 sh Sn as aso Pake the
great aggregate necessary TO SWELL the receipts
a S aT outlay Necessary to construct and operate
it Battery Harlem forbids that It should
should make no expenditure in this direction which
three minutes; TO do this with steam locomotive or
much cost This would make high fares necessary, say
10 cents, which would drive of most OF the poor
that the Ordinary steam locomotive or dummy system
would here as u has where n this country
say boldly that it cannot succeed in taking the place
Of the horse care and the reasons are various Out
mainly for those nave stated.
BY ny plan is used substantially the ron-column
Greenwichst elevated road, or modiheatou 81 ~ as
tue roadway There should always be TWO tracks,
for MP town, tie other icr downtown travel upon
street Ny cars are hight, designed
only passengers 30 seat from 90 60 70 persons ana 10
drawn by compressed air slowed under tIe noor ana
Seats 70 follow another at intervals OF two.
three, ioUr and, at mOs i've minutes and arranged
stop every LOO feet OF at the thIrd or fourth DOCK
mann points or success in picking mp all the passen
gers wAoh tram OF cars at intervals of 10 MINUTES
Woudnot mttt. Uuder my system thele Is, IoT @ tne
who'll road, Ony two skile0 engineers whose business
attend stationary engines placed at each end OF
ihe ,old where each car full charge for the
whole leung OF the road. This charge of
fU''i iH ess than half "a" a minute to each car,
uciug always ready OF sd in reserye all the carurver
has to puA push handle 10 open or close
It's state OF rest with from Is to Is power and when
speed Is attained, il can be reduced even 10
power il sucA would give 1t the necessary speed
the OF the Dcxey patent brake. which make 10
part OF tins prOpeng engine on the front truck OF
each Car, the momentum III stopping to pump
ana thus while running al 20 miles an hour we can
stop within 100 feet and save all the power OF mat mo
nentum. 1ne cars' by my pan are Nentated III sum
bY Tie exhaust arr which is cold ana III Winter tne
b ev,g engine ana cutters the car as heated air to
scIVotAe pIrpOse OF stove. From careful estimates
es m stopfine every 100 feet at cost not exceeding
Onequar;er Of one cent for each passenger Ins now
and vel not reach half a cent. Ada TO this the
drivers say So day for careful 1rsi-class men
ana the economy of running expenses will be
sVlOent Al desirable, passengers can be elevated
5y automatic machinery iron the sidewalk to levei
Eh the step of the car simultaneously, and by the
ame operation Others lowered from the elevated plat
the sidewalk, without the otherwise necessary
sa the whole accomplished by tGe force OI compressed
Alderman Billings here made a motion that the Com
mittee excu1e everything on the subject of particular
routes or kinds OF rCa and conhne speakers TO the
most desirable legislation necessary ana the question
Of whether ought done by the city by private
capital This carried.
John D. Church next addressed the Committee. Re-
ferrng TO Mr. Peckham's doubt that tho city had the
power rs Section II OF the Constitution prohibited "a
cty corporations from ncurring any Indebtedness ex
ccpt for city purposes" he said that "If the building Of
railroads came within the range Of city purposes the
city already possessed the power and could now build
and could heretofore at any time have built any re-
qured number OF railroads, without any further legs-
laon II it dld possess the power the Constitution
stands in the way and il never hereafter be given
20 any city corporation. The fact that not single rail
has ever been d in streets without special act
Of the Legislature would appear TO settle this point
Mr.. Church said further:
ments Of the Constitution were intended TO arrest an
bn throughout the State Tue farmers citizens Of
the interior have for years peltioed ior rSei dney
schemes 10 which thoy were opposed ana most o. %en
iham ali combined brought the vote IN favor of
amending thr Constitution. ii, therefore, such gen
lral law WAS constitutional aud the citizens OF New
York City should give i their support, IL would be
crushed 10y the almost unanimous vote OF lhe country
members. II would encounter also the united Opposl
Uon OF the wealthy and influential corporations, to
whom illusions have so often been made Ihe cOnstruc
sIon aud Inanageme0t OF railroads involving sgch end
protect life and safety OF the passenger should not
oe committed 10 the care OF public corporation IRE
ponsble and liable TO change from every cob and How
n politics Such delegation of power has never yet
been given in this country and trust never VIII be-
IfyOu aim at success there Is obviously Only one
fOurse 10 pursue aud that is 10 prepare l Tor gen
era law, granting TO eDy private corporation assOcla
lou or Individual right TO build rapid transit rail-
ROADS through our cities In order 10 lns ire success
suc bill should be so framed as TO c0neate all clash
ing inierees would invite every Individual ana every
association OF individuals ana every private corporation
40 take part. would 40 further womb allow any or
companies chartered ior the purposes O Iapu tsah
sit alter their mode OF structure IN other words
would allow Commodore Vanderbilt II ne Is on the alert
and should put in an appearance ln lime 10 commune
lis steam railway trains from the Central Depot down
through the tunnel aud thJnce on an elevated Vdduct
to The City Hall Park
ExAssemblyrnan Charles Crary spoke length
TIE subject OF having proper bill passed. beng himself
IN favor OF having a built by private capital, like
other railroads He thought there would be no dill
Guilty in engrafnG upon that law certain amendments
H. cover rapid road in the different cities OF
this State lie proposed TO avoid abuses from the Or
ranlzation of companies, which mgdt never have an
actual existence, by an enlargement OF 0oha
MI. stock which must be first subscribed
For instance elevated road TO fOru-sec-
oud-st would cost about 100000 mile. In the
amendments TO General Railroad law, 1t should be
made necessary provision that half that capital shall
No. subscribed and so per cent OF that half paid in, in
.ash beforc the corporation should have existence.
TINS law should also provide for the obtaining OF the
ronsen Of the authorities Of the city as to the construc
non Of the road upon any str ct III shouid also pro
vide for competing corporations. and commission
should be created TO provide certain routes lie