New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-21
RAPID TRANSIT PLANS.

LINE-MAYoR ELY ALSO A SUPPORTER OF THIS
rAN-wHAT THE REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE
ELEVATED ROADS THINK.
The rapid transit agitation will not be al
laycd by threats promises Considerable feeling is
exhibited when two citizens meet 10 talk ON the SUBJECT
The one is ind giant that the elevated road scheme
should be SO persistenty opposed by some property
owners on proposed routes and the other not only
indignant but violent at the thought OF having his
avenue used rapid transit purposes There is thrd
class which advocates some new plan as compromise
and within few days the discussion of an underground
railway which prevalent three or four years ago.
has been revived At that time Commodore Vanderbilt
or the Harlem Railway possessed charter I0r under
ground railway between CITY Hall and the Forysecond
Street Depot The plans of Commodore Vanderbilt were
abandoned for reason. 1t has been rum0rcd within
few DAYS that William II. Vanderbilt disposed to
carry to completion the project which his father had
dropped.
reporter of TIE TRIBUNE called on Mr. Vanderbilt to
learn He said he in favor of rapid
transit he had thought of undertaking the enter
prise himself is business affairs were already multi
tudinous enough TO consume his whole time He be-
Neyad that an underground railway feasible He took
voyage to England for the purpose OF examining the
underground railway London ard liked its practical
workings for metropolitan steam railway That eX-
perience with what he remembered Of the plans Of the
underground railway favored by his father led him TO
think very great obstacles would need to be over
come in constructing such rapid transit road ON Man
haitian Island He remembered that the railway as pro
posed presented an engineering difficulty at the Five
Points" where the rOad-bed would bo below de-water
mark making necessary waor-tight tunnel Tor some
distance. Allan Campbell, Commissioner OF Pubic
Works had called on him. with desire TO see the plans
which were prepared under his fathers directions and he
was hay ing the plans looked up. He had understood
that his fathers intention TO give the read Wheh
completed TO the city Either the apparent impossiDy
OF getting at cost Of the underalung-the estimates
running up Sc 100000 20 0000-or tie OppOSi-
ton which The scheme elected from citizens ana the
newspapers some calling il speculation and others OH
iectng 10 the of part Of the City Hall Park Tor
depot. caused the abandonment OF the enterprise MI
Vanderbilt said lie did not know whether OF not the
charter was still in force He did not believe that te
company building such railway would get return for
the outlay this generation. The public, he though
would expect to carried for about six cents TO Harlem
River, and higher fare would deprive the road or
large mass Of patronage. He did not believe dollar
could be made a siXcent fare. The surface hofst
railways did not derive any profit from long
fares. and lie thought these roads wOud moi
euGer from a rapid transit line, inasmuch as
the horse cars, being convenient and running
more frequently, would he preferred for short dis
tances Mr. Vanderbilt said that no great enterprise,
whether public private could he undertaken Without
conflicting with inuumelable interests. 1t might be
Necessary sustaining enhancing the value OF prop
elty generally to erect elevated railway On ono OF
the avenues lie not surprised that the property
owners the particular should fight lie road a,
measure calculated to UJure their property go0d
plan for steam road he thought, would he 20 purchase
right u way through the blocks between the avenues
and SINK the roadhed eight feet, bridging over
The road alter the manner Of the Harlem Improvement
where crossed the streets An uncovered gOed OF this
kid coui be easily drained and would allow the smoke
and steam to pass OF Mr. Vanderbilt reai.med his in
eution abstain from rapid Transit enterprises himself
COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL SUPPORTS THE UNDEE-
Allan Campbell, Commissioner o. PubHl Works, in
conversation with TgmCNL reporter yesterday s,id
that nc mad called William II. Vanderbilt relation
10 the underground :oad ut the request % Mayor LlT
The Common Council had requested the Mayor 10 exam
Inc tie subject, and report as to lis feaSIoy In tins
way il came abou, that tie Commissioner Of Public
Works has consulted n n hC merits Of the different
plans road and the route best adopted for the
purpose NJ Campbell sal That he had talked over
this enterprise with the late Commodore Vanderbilt, and
was familiar with Lis plans Mr. Bnchhout anC other
engineers had carefully examined thc streets ana ave
uues under which il proposed TO run tho road
had dg tue plans after careful surveys The ROAD
a. thus luid out came down BOw,iy to BayaIdst-
aud then turned of Though IA" Sixth Ward into Centre
ST. II was found that private property would Lave 10 bo
taken the Improvement, aud tic Commodore sent
persons L. the owners along the line, hy whom il
ssceraucd that the right Of way could ne obtained for
$lOO0OOO Al the market prices Of labor and materials
at time, estimates OF the probable cost Of cOnstruc
ton put the figures At $jOU000o, making total cx
penditurc OF S6,0O0,OOO. The Commodore was deter
mined 10 know beforehand The outside trly
it could estimated. and held the subject under con-
sideraton for a long time. The original plan inc udcd
tunnel under the present tunnel from TAriyIourth To
Forty-secoDdSt For reason the Commodore finally
abandoned the project aud the plans with the surveys
and accompanying papers laid aside. "When the
Mavor consulted me-" Mr.. Campbell said, 81 imne
diaely thought of these plans and asked W. H. Wander
bit to let me examine them. He has promised to do So
md much time and expense Will be saved by referring
TO them What Mr.. Vanderbilt will do III the matter
am not able say. That he will carefully consider
there can doubt. 1t is not question TO be decided
In a moment Mr. Vanderbilt is not likely to open his
mind freely on tins subject reporters and others until
he sees his way clear the end The underground ROAD
is the very best system Of rapid transit for this city II
is perfectly safe with danger from accidents and VIII
be in favor with the people The question of capital for
its construction of is the objective point 1t has
been suggested that the city the railroads Interested
the owners Of property to he benefited by the
Improvement, and outside capitalists should combine
TO build The Labor and materials are now at teii
lowest figures The work could done for very much
less than the estimated ~ few To be
sure we are cang with millions of dollars, but the adj
yantages OF the enterprise and the increase OF values
OF property up town and III the annexed dis
trct resulting from IL, must be computed also
at large figures. 1t would pay the city 10 aid this
work if we could feel able afford IT, We are bdened
by heavy city debt and there is strong dsncnation
on the part OF the city authorities 10 appropriate the
public moneys for any purpose not urgently demanded
by some public necessity. Yet might be wise 10 econ
omize something else and encourage tins long delayed
improvement. II is impossible to at present whether
the city should the money agree to bear onehird
or onehaf the Whatever plan may be agreed upon
by the city aud Mr.. Vanderbilt jointly would attract
capital and insure the success OF the road"
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