The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-05
RAPID TRANSIT.
The Greenwich Street Railway Company
Before the Commission.
DESCRIPTION OF TWO PLANS.
The commissioners Programme
for the Future.


Greenwich Street Elevated Railway for extension
10 the South ferry and to the Grand Central depot
also from the South ferry on the east side TO con
acct with The Grand Central depot Qhus betting
The city between the Battery and Forty-secoDC
street, and up TO the Harlem River The oflcer
OF the company, Mr.. Courtright. the president
Mr.. Cowen, the secretary, and their counsel
Messrs. Charles Tracy, Smith NJ. Weed and Will
lam c. Whitney, as well as several o.
the principal stockholders, David Dows
william L. Scott and John II. Hail.
AMENDED this session, which was in the nature OF
m informal conference. The Commissioners sim
ply made numerous inquiries with regard TO
the means and legal rights OF the company TO
build these additions 10 the road and the repre-
Dentatives ofth company gave them the inior-
nation required. The company took the ground
that under their special charter they mad right
TO build all these extensions n the Commissioners
gave them the routes for which they asked.
THE RESULT OF THE CONFERENCE.
In the course OF the conversation IT was stated
BIZ the company's counsel that they could build
'.one-Iegged" road on the east side Tor as low as
kl40O 600 per mile. The Commissioners said that
before giving them route for an east side road
shey must know what other plans the company
would fix upon, so TO prevent any conflict be-
tween various enterprises. The question OF
cars was then preached, the Commissioners say
Ing they would grant no route II they were not
convinced beforehand that the company had the
means to build the road in conformity with its
proposals. The stockholders OF the company then
gave the Commissioners the positive assurance
mat the requisite capital was provided and
mat there was nothing on that score to prevent a
rapid completion OF the road The guarantees
which they gave to the Commissioners III this re-
gard were necessarily OF private nature, but
from conversation with those gentlemen 1t was
off ha 6nan obi 0f
the company 10 carry out the work proposed were
entirely satisfactory to them. They expressed
themselves as perfectly willing TO grant the COM
pany every facility in their power, and concluded
to give the company another hearing some day
next week. Meanwhile the latter will hate an
opportunity to determine upon route for lis
east size road and TO perfect other details OF its
plans
Mr. Cowen, the secretary, when questioned by
the writer, said that 1t was the company's in1en-
t1on to build at first one-legged road on the east
side, and, by and by TO build the other track. II
the Commissioners were unable to give them the
route they asked for then they would take some
other which those gentlemen would see tit TO
designate. The extension TO the Park on the
west side was TO have been finished by the LIST or
October, but the contractors have obtained a
prolongation Of time Till the 25th OF October.
As regards the other works proposed, the COM
soon as the Commissioners OF Rapid Transit have
granted the routes.
The following Is lull description OF the Houston
and Derrick plan Tor an elevated railroad or
either or TOUR tracks. 1t l. claimed that
large number OF reputable engineers OF this city
have examined 1t ana approved OF all its prnci-
pal features. The design Is for continuous bridge
on the truss principle, supported on piers placed
IN the centre 81 the street or avenue through
which the line may run, built either OF stone aud
brick or stone base with iron pillars, erna-
mental or plain. The spans in the drawing are
represented at 90 feet, but they may be OF any
length. The viaduct Itself rs to be not less than
Is feet clear above the street. The supports
Will occupy a space OF about IA feet OF the centre
Of the street at its surface, leaving ample room
for line OF horse car rails on each side In the
nues aud wide streets. Ine truss may be OF any
Of the well known designs. strong enough to carry
double track railway both through II ana on
top OF It.. For present purposes perhaps tine
double track through the truss might answer all
purposes but the capacity OF the road could be at
any time doubled by simply laying two additional
lines OF rails on the top. The width ana height
OF the truss, shown on the pians such as
10 accommodate the cars and locomotives OF any
railway now running outside OF the city. The
truss alone capable OF carrying four tracks of the
size ana dimensions shown on the plans. and TO
sustain weight OF 200 pounds per llnea foot on
each track, with factor OF safety 5l. erected
and completed ready Tor the superstructure OF
timber rails, VIII cost, u is estimated, $40 per
iineal foot, or $500, 600 per mile. As the super
tl50oOO more a rough estimate would make inc
price OF entire structure foot up 1919 500 per
nile. This siInate Is Tor a road OF four tracks,
with curves OF not less tuan 500 feet radius ana
grades not to exceed / in l0O and the structure
to nave strength and capacity Tor carrying the
largest cars and locomotives now In nse
X. II. GREGG'S PNEUMATIC PLAN
for elevated railroad has also been urged by
some well known engineers. The following is a
description OF It's most important features Upon
Rn elevated road bed and track. constructed IN
every way similar 10 locomotive ROAD, except OF
lighter materIal Is TO be erected the folio wing
structHre:-Strlngers OF timber, ten or twelve
lncnes square. are placed and fastened IN con-
tinuous line upon the ends OF the ties, just out
side the rails, and lar enough from them 10 allow
the car wheels 20 barely clear the said s;rlngers.
Inc strlngers serve two very important pur-
poses-vlz., forming the base OF the tube and
Standing guard 10 prevent trains ever getting OF
the TRACK. From the outer sde OF these stringers
springs a tube or tunnel (made OF thick
plank or very hight irony about twelve
feet IN diameter, or large enough for iuli-
sized passenger cars TO run IN II, and
leave two TO three feet all around between the
cars and inner wall Of the tube. The space be-
tween the ties to be flied WITH plank or iron and
made tight. "drat carr OF entirely new
design is constructed TO draw trains through this
tube, ana is mace OF a system Of valves so ar
ranged that the engineer open or close them
~ WILL giving MIN as lul control OF the tram as
as loosely fitting piston, carried upon the plat
form OF the car ana extending out frem it all
around to wtnln iew Inches OF the inner wall OF
the tube, but nowhere touching that to cause
the protector claims that the road, with tube.
ran be built and equipped with motive power and
rolling stock cheaper than can any locomotive
THE PROGRAMME FOR TIE FUTURE
To-day the Commissioners Will hold no session,
but tneir room is 10 be occupied Tor some hours
81 their request to act as an advisory board OF
experts. Inc Commissioners are naturally suffer-
ing from perfect surielt OF plans ana models,
and these engineers are 10 slfi tnem reject those
that are entirely worthless and classify the
Inc room LOOKS Ike perfect BATTLE field In m1nia-
ture. Iron AMI wooden models OF all sizes, draw
ings OF plans on the most gigantic scale and a
pile OF communications litter the room, ana the
innocent spectator's head fairly aches with this
picture Of confusion. The engineers above
alluded 70 are 70 bring order out OF this chaos.
On Friday the Commissioners Will mold their great
meeting and give hearing to Mr.. Cornell, VINO
nas submitted some Important plans and is said
10 be backed by large capital.
THE NECESSITY OF A FOUR TRACK Road.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD