The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-22

Public meetings were called and Advertisements
were published One or the earlier meetings was
attended by residents in the Kensngton, Barnes,
Hammersmlth, Norland. LadDrooke and Vest
bourne districts, who were very eagerly IN favor
OF the proposed line. IL came out In the course or
thar meeting that there we're lever than $50
empty houses IN hammersmith. Welding IN all
was entirely due TO the difficulty OF getting to
Hammersmith rom the city. In point or tact the
existence OF railway accommodation in the one
case and its absence in the other made the jour
ney RON London TO Hammersmlth more difficult
VINO were very willing to recognize the personal
trouble 10 which they were put by The absence oil
railway conveniences were sun very uhwing W
put their hands INTO their own pockets, and 80 10
came about that bill was actually prepared Tor
the abandonment OF the line and Tor The recovery
of the deposit made with the Accountant General
on the ground that the promoters had Jailed tn
raise the necessary iunds through no iault OF
their own. But IN the meantime things were
generally looking up Prices both OF material and
OF labor had fallen. Mi. jay under these clTcums
stances expressed his Willingness to proceed 10
on the 18th OF March the directors made sort or
coup de main and took the BRUSH puonc by the
horns, announcing that III there should not be
suifclent applications ON or before saturday the 80
OF April TO Insure the reissue OF at least $4,000 OF the
SHARES no allotment would DE made, but an act iol
the abandonment OF the Undertaking would at once
be proceeded with.n The strict letter oil this am
nOupcement was not adhered to.
the public did not respond to the somewhat
truculent proclamation OF the directing body, but
that revivIng nope oil which mentlon mas Already
been made, led TO the withdrawal OF the threat
ened abandonment. The resumption or work
was announced, out IL was Qeclueu not W run
Tar as was 1rs: Intended, and the temporary
curtalment of the line was expected TO save
nearly 100000. In this revived condition OF
Things Mr.. Pearson again came for ward The Great
Western directors were now more cordial than
before. The CITY Solicitor laid before, the city
authorities a plan Tor city terminal line upon
which the metropolitan should nave running
powers on :alr terms
MONEY
at this time was sufficiently cheap, but railways
were everywhere paying bad dividends and specu-
lstors fought shy OF Investments. But with the
d.
the Metropolitan directors had reduced tneir
share list TO fS5o.o0O and Mr.. Pearson Ut last sue.
ceeded in inducing the Corporation TO invest
f20o 000, on condition that within certain ln-
tied period the ntire. amount should be bona Gds
taken up and paid upon These conditions, is
should here be SAID, were fulfilled early In the
year 1850.
cannot veil be better Illustrated than by follow
OF the time Eli Toe company intend TO get an
amend nent act next session we strongly advise
them to OBTAIN powers to construct the line above
instead OF under ground Tor We feel very sure
That people are not inclined to take tue eartn'
ike loXes; and II an extensive metropolitan rail.
way Is made, the wSeSt policy Is TO make SO thae
the greatest number OF people will travel on It."
The revu!slon III favor oil the scheme which
resulted upon It's successful accomplishment may
also be illustrated by q quotation from The coz
umns OF tue same journal TWO years later:-"It5
underground character may prove an advantage,
not only Ia capital cost put WORKING trarlc, Tor
the objections TO q tunnel 90 not appear TO apply
to 1t, while lG leaves our service unencumbered
ana the street traluc uninterrupted by rail-.
way"
IMMEDIATE DIFFICULTIES.
While the work was IN progress Mr. Jay louno
himself embarrassed by the heavy charges to
wnlcn he was put in che fuldiment OF mis- contract,
and 1t was at length iOund Impossible for MIN to
go on To the end without assistance. With con-
siderable difficulty another contractor was round,
jutOr with the company (Mr. KnighU Undertook
10 perform work to the value OF 1880. 0OO Wnilo
Mr. Jay entered INTO reduced contract 70 supply
material aud labor to the Value OF f270OO0.
further sum OF 100000 was set aside Tor the erec-
ton OF stations The work was not fairly got unneI
way under the new arrangement until the
earlier part OF 1850. One OF the first things
necessary ior tne successful carrying out VI tue
undertaking was the construction OF drainage
system for the railway anu tue sewers which con-
tlnually lntersected It, ana Mr.. Knights workmen.
10 pursuit OF this task broke into the famous old
conduit under Conduit street, which In old days
conveyed to London city the pure water winch
sprung rom the gravelly nats OF Paddington. Tne
LABOR OF excavation was now so earnestly prose.
cuted that III tue March OF 1861 Mr.. Fowler an:
nounced his belief tnat the line might be opened
IN the April OF 1852 When the work was thus lar
advanced both the company aud the pubic
took heart OF grace, aud iur'aer endeayors
gained lor IN st. Sepu.cnrs and Aldgate, and
the Corporation united with the company lor the
Farringaon was then projected. and one OF tie
new thoroughiares was intended to lead poth 10
It and to tie station OF the company: Tns iana
the directors ana that huge and gu0stly space
through which the traveller from Farringdon
street TO AlderRste street now passes on the
Metropolitan Railway was excavated at the cos1
OF the company. The annual rental paid Tor this
Charges Incidental to the market and the chief
cost Of the ROOF are betrayed ny the corporation.
Mr.. Charles Pearson did not i've to see his Idea
arrive AZ TINS point, and mis- death deprived MIN Of
the triumph which finally befel toe scheme wnen
the Great Western and West Midland ran ays pro.
iessed their readiness to accept WORKING powers
on the Underground. But the troubles attendant
on the formation OF the railway were not yet al
encountered and overcome, and MI. Fowler'a
prophecy was set at naugnt by the bursting OF
the fleet sewer, near Ray street. an accident
wall OF the railway and delayed the work iOi
Il considerable time That forgottea stream, tue
sewer and the heavy rains wnlcn fell in the spring
OF 1so2 were mainly answerapie Tor tne misnap.
PROMPT ACTION
was taken and the breach was Inended as rapidly
as possible, and within four months from the
time speclted an experimental journey was made
cerned. Certain small and unforeseen delays stil
interposed, however, and Notwithstanding
the the Christina Christmas traaic, the railway was
not finally opened until the 10Th January.
1853 wnen $1,000 people avaed tor s
be among the rst patrons OF the line, blocked thd
stations all day with importunate crowds. One
source OF the delay alluded to yet remains TO DC
mentioned. The directors were twice obliged to
suspend operations In order to obtain Parliament.
route. Permission was refused TO their appiica
tlon Ior a right OF way under the prison az Colo.
bata fields ana rev. 9p. ss "a ne y
under BartholOmew's Hospital.
THE FINANCIAL RESULTS,
The degree OF financial success with which the
line has been rewarded may be ascertatnsd by
reference TO the following ngures:-
The first weekly statement OF results-includin2
passenger traffic on the Metropolitan line alone
and accounting for no suburban, long or goods
trafac-snowed total receipt OF f53, 900 from the
10th OF January to the 30th OF June inclusive. The
appended table gives synopsis OF the first three
weeks recelpts:-
Stations. passengers Honey
Earring ion street. .............. Isl, i01 EASES
=
tower street.................... 74H $50 IL
Portland road.....-........... 5342 500 &
Baker street. 45S4l b92 Is
Edoeware road. 49,. ............ 564N GA ~
nj 4 d