The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-27
Projects for n Rapid Transit Road
Some Interesting Plans.

nhooioheIS WHO uhNe tne suDJeCt III cudISe
shall have plentiful supply of plans of con-
struction from which to make their selection.
An examination of the projects already be-
fore the Commission will occupy many
weeks, and we are told that others are in
! process of preparation, which, if the opin-
ions of their originators are to be accepted as
| good authority, will surpass all that have
| heretofore been received. 1t is evident
therefore. that we shall not be destined to
lose the great boon of rapid transit through
any lack of ingenuity on the part OF lnVen-
tors, and it will be singular if among the
multiplicity of projects many of them origi-
mating with accomplished engineers, expert
mechanics and experienced railroad construc-
tors, the Commissioners of Rapid Transit
should fail to discover one which combines
the qualities necessary in such work
namely, strength, capacity and economy
The question of the practicability OF
operating an iron elevated railroad IN the
streets of the city is already affrmatlvely
decided. 1t would be an easy matter TO con-
struct such q road and to make it answer the
requirements of strength and capacity. But
the essential consideration of economy of
cost must also be borne in mind, and this is
the point to which the attention of the Com
missioners will be directed in reaching their
final determination. Rapid transit at high
rate of fare would be worse than no rapid
transit at all. Ii would not only fail TO accom-
modate the great bulk of our overcrowded
population, but would augment the evils under
which we at present suffer by Gripping and
decreasing the horse car service. We want
an elevated road that can be built at a cost
low enough to insure FIVE and six cent fares,
and such road will no doubt be found
among the many plans for which we are in
debted to our energetic projectors.
The main difficulty in the way of rapid
transit probably we may say the sole diff
culty-is the financial one. If road is TO be
built it is necessary to obtain the money with
which to build it. The law provides tor the
removal of all other obstacles if the fact that
the road is required for the public good can
be established Should the requisite number
of property owners along the selected route
fail to consent to the construction of the road
the courts are empowered to intervene and
the consent is dispensed with. 1t is there
fore the duty of the Commissioners, if they
desire to successfully accomplish the work
they have undertaken, to satisfy capital that
the investment will prove remunerative
This can be done by giving the road the route
through the city which commands the great
est amount of travel and by adopting q plan
of construction that will commend itself to
the popular approval by its practicability,
It's safety and its reasonable cost The
law takes care of all the rest If
capitalists understand that tho chosen
route pays enormous profits to the
existing lines of travel, and that the proposed
road can be easily built at moderate cost,
and made entirely secure, they will put their
money into the enterprise without hesitation.
The profitable character of rapid transit road
has not been questioned. The statistics of city
travel show that there will be enough business
for such road, on a popular route, to pay
dividends as large as those realized by some
of the horse car companies. This is a matter
of simple calculation and can be made clear
to every man of ordinary intelligence. The
difficulty with charters heretofore granted by
the Legislature has been that they have been
hampered with impracticable conditions and
saddled with a heavy burden at starting by
the issue of 'paid-up" stock to legislators and
lobbyists, who have only ''paid up" in SER
vices at Albany. A road thus licensed has
had to start with an amount of bogus debt
Z 1
its cost, and has presented no attraction to
capital seeking profitable investment. The
present Commission takes up the business
with untramelled hands, and by their action
can secure the confidence of capitalists. They
are Independent of the influence of those who
imagine that their interests will be adversely
affected by rapid transit They owe no ale
\ glance TO Mr.. Vanderbilt, as many legislators
do. They do not want the assistance, either
material or political, of wealthy city railroad
corporations stage lines or ferry companies.
They represent the people, who are eager that
rapid transit shall be secured, and they can
do their work with view to the accomplish
ment of that result alone. Other interests
must take care of themselves. 1t is the duty
of the Commission to take care that the road
they offer to capitalists shall command conf
dence as remunerative investment, and that
when completed it shall afford full accommo-
dation to the people of New York at a rate of
fare that will open its trains to the laboring
classes. We are inclined to believe that the
route, about which there can scarcely be two
opinions among disinterested persons should
be decided upon by the Commissioners at
once, as it would be calculated to give encour-
agement to the friends Of rapid transit, and
would be accepted as welcome guarantee of
\ the honesty and capacity Of the Commission
1 The delay necessary for the proper considera-
ton Of the numerous plans of construction
would then be more patiently endured.
/ Some Of the illustrations we publish to-day
I mill no examined with in4aragt IT, VIII