The New York herald., 1876-01-18
THE ELEVATED RAILWAY.
FROM THE BATTERY TO CENTRAL PARK IN
TwENTY-NISE MINUTES


TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES.
II used TO be popular cry with property holders
"From City Hall 20 Harlem in twenty minutes" For
years the people who have been cursed by horse car
monopolies have looked anxiousy for "the good time
coming" but until yesterday they looked in vain. As
announced in the HERALD Of yesterday the New York
Elevated Railway Company has completed It's road
from the Battery to Central Park, and II viii be
opened this morning for the running Of thrty-nne
trains each way daily. The company yesterday cele
brated the event by excursion making the from
the Battery TO Fifty-ninth street In twenty nine
minutes thus demonstrating that IL is possible with
double track, TO go from Harlem TO the City Hall in
twenty minutes BY invitation OF the officers about
hundred capitalists, stockholders and journalists
participated in the excursion
The party left the Battery at ten O'Clock, and in
cluded RAPID Transit Commissioners segman and
Mott, ex-Judge Fithian, State Commissioner Of the
road; A. g. Barnes Edward Cooper John Ross L. G
Delmonico, ex-Assembyman John Foley, Mr.. Forney,
OF the Society Of Civil Engineers Barney OF the
United States Express Company; Simeon K. Church,
Dwight H. Olmstead, Of the West Side Association /;
Colonel Carter OF North Carolina, and Marshal Parks,
President OF the Abermare and Chesapeake Canal Com
pany Notwithstanding the train stopped at nearly all
the way stations 10 take guests and at one siding re-
maned some minutes TO allow down train to pass,
rHR RUN TO PIFrY-NINrH STREET
was made In twenty. nine minutes and two seconds.
There the party disemba ked and examined the newly
constructed portion or the road commissioners SolB-
and Mott enthusiastic over the success Of the
and stated the that the New lork Elevated
Railway had demonstrated that rapid transit is feasible
They declared that their opinion the road is safe rom
any possibility OF dangerous accident unless II result
from backing trains down to the Battery. At present,
the up trips the engine is placed at the head OF the
train but there is turniable at the upper end OF
the route the trains backed all the way 10 the Bat
terry The engineer is consequently prevented from
seeing any obstruction on the track and can only learn
of IL by signal from the brakeman The Commission
fear that while the engines SO placed accidents
may
When the party had partaken OF the hospitatcs OF
the directory speeches were made by 5. f. Church:
Ar Murphy, acontractor the Union Pacific Railroad;
exJudge Hthian, Colonel Carter and others To facili
the movement OF passengers the line the COM
pany have increased the number Of their twenty
and their engines to ten. They have four addi-
tional cars and four seven-ton engines nearly ready
HEREAFTER THIRTYsIx TRAINS WILL BIZ Run
each Sunday. As an eviuence OF the Increased
travel the ne Secretary Cowing reports that they
carried for the first thirteen days OF this month IT, 496
passengers-40 344 over the corresponding period or
last year and in December hst l44, 005-an increase
OF 1881. One Of the difficulties tnat prevents the
company from going with the work the east side
lines is the hesitation Of the Park Commission to give
them the necessary authority 10 mako their conncc-
tons around the Battery. The Rapid Transit Commits
sioners were in doubt as TO their power TO authorize
the company TO 60 over the Battery; hence they
located the line along the curb of State and other
streets. The Park Commissioners referred the
matter 10 their landscape architect Frederick
Law 0lmstead, and he has recommended the location
OF the inside the curb the Park grounds IL
is believed that by planting trees along the line OF the
road IN the Park the artistic effect would be enhanced
whereas II the route be located on the curb OF the
Streets where IL placed by the Commissioners It
present unpleasant aspect Commissioner
Mott says the late commission has siGnhed Its approval
of the recommendations Of Mr. Olmstead II is be-
we'll and that ero long work will be commenced the
east side route