The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-21
THE FOURTH AVENUE IMPROVE
MENT.

THE FIRST TRAIN THROUGH COMMODORE VAN
DERBnTs oREAT TASK NEARLY COMPLETE
An ACTIVE SUNDAYS WORK.
The FIRST train which went safely over the new
roruon o. me Harlem line. len the Grand Central
Depot last night a. six O'Clock, AM arrived at
Motthayen quarter or an hour later. me road.
IL may be remembered. Il used BY the following
nnes:-New YORK Cen raj ana Hudson River New
YORK, New haven aad Hartford and New YORK
and Harlem Railroads. The portion OF the road
which was travelled over Tor the nrst time yester-
cay, was Between NiEety-sfxth and 131st street
which includes tae yladuct irom lO0th street to
10th street.
About a couple Or months ago the trains CON.
menced running On the new track be ween Forty
ninth and Nlnety-slxth streets. The cost Of sink
lng the track mas been ABOUT $4,000 100, o. when
amount hall ~ 10 be paid ~ the city.
me pioneer train, which was the "First Pacific
Express,u had SIX coaches, one postal car, one
baggage car, two special horse cars, the latter
hned with thirteen of Colonel McDanies' racing
stock bound tor saratoga consisting Of the follow
ing Administrators r., sprng0ok, Tubman,
WIZ Burke, 70 Germs, Maige, Matte A., Matte
W.. brosher 10 Basset; My By bennington out
Of Lexneton; fly by bennington out Of
Arlington; colt Virmuins 81 virgil out OF Luke !
colt br4dlone, oy haywood, out 81 La&-thirteen
In all SDrnGb0k had been rather lame on
account OF a string having been malciousy tied
around MS leg, but ia now in excellent condition.
Wfllam Bard, one Of the Oldest engineers on
the road, IN charge OF the locomotive mo. 81,
which took the tram. III was net until seven
minutes a. six O'Clock that the news was received
az me Grand Central Depot signal ONCE to start
the train. The dlspatcn vas from Motthayen
junction, and ran as iOHOWs.-
s,Both tracks In use. send trains out regularlyn
few minutes after tie nrst train south arrived
coming from Nnifs Plans. Inc track Is, there.
fore, now formally opened IL Is expected mat
the new route, w giving trains facility to run az
greater speed tnan they Formerly did on the open
avenue, WA enable them 10 MAKE the run TO
rottnaven in seven instead Of afteen minutes.
Quick running wil no. be commenced, however,
uutl the 28th Inst Tie treste bridge, running
parallel 20 the new vaduct, VIII re taken down
The general character OF the work is as fol-
l0ws:-trOm F0rty -ulntn 70 Fny-siXtn street IL
an open cut with side walls COPIED Win granite,
Oh when is IRON fencing From FIfty-nEh 70 sixty
sixth street IA an iron-beamed tunnel, sustained
BY walls oI stone and brick, and ventilated be-
sweeu each street. From Sixty-sixth - seventy
second street. are BRICK arCnes. From seventy
second 70 seventy -nnth street ~ another
r0n.beamed tunnel supported ~ stone and
BRICK vans. From SeVenty-niuth to Eighty
elghgn street. BRICK arches, supported
~ stone abuimeuts and piers From
Eighty -eixhfh 70 lC0th street Is tunnel through
rock. The rest " the road 70 1l6tn street may be
described NJ a viaduct, which crosses the now
famous "Harlem natsn or scen.-Deda, built
with substantial sidc wall Of New York
rneiss rock, WITH parapets ~ coping ana granite.
Ffom Heh street - harlem Bridge "A 80 oDeD