The New York herald., 1878-10-13
THE OLD ELEVATED ROAD.

TIE STRUCTURE ON GREENWICH STREET AND
NINTH AVENUE IN POOR CONDITION
snAKY COLUMNS AND YIELDING SUPER
sTRUCrUEE
II is TO be hoped that tho Now York Elevated road
will replace the old portion Of the double line
which runs along Greenwich street anu Ninth avenue
by ol the and much stronger pattern
which they nave used in turning the road into a
double track and which they have erect cd
the cast side OF the city. The sidngs which
were usod when tho track q single are oui
strong supports, but tho old single track, which
has been built many and has goot service
Is now In condition which 10 dangerous verg.
ing on II. Originally IL was calculated Tor the sup
port OF which drawn endloss steel
rope, and engines being substituted to furnish
motive power II was somewhat strengthened on tho
spans by slight rod braces running each side o
and under the longitudinal beams. which rost the
columns and support the tics, and by other braces
branching out from the column Sues.
In Its present condition this portion Of the track
safety, the increased load. The limit safety may
not have been reached during tho years IL has
been IN use bat iron tho quality OF resistance tho
passing load which 1t now presents, alter It's use
It's trial trip February g. 1862 IL may be
safely concluded that u may nov nj any moment be
passed.
When the columns and suporstructuro such
a condition as they are at present II would
DO bctter for tho company, IN tho interests
aud the safety Of the travelling puDic to replace
them by u more substantial structure IL Is mucn
better TO be the sale side than keep practically
experimenting on each DAY OF tra1c TO how
near they can run TO the limit Of safety, only to dad
some day Wy an accident that IL has been passed.
Wnen such an event happens, us it Is liable ut
any moment from various causes, u will De TOO late
TO say that the road had done good service
and that u was thought u would continue 10
furthsr Withstand the traic with It's weakening
powers OF resistance. As has already been stated
large number Of persons with no claims to engineer.
ips knowledge are dsterrsd from travelling over the
l0e on account Of The tran appearance OF the older
portion OF t. IL Will be seen by the following letter,
which has been sent 10 this 0lce, that the
men.-
To ruK EDITOR or rHK llERALD:-
Any one having opportunity observe the condition Of
tween the supports sinks three
,nan the other n different places hc Inference that
this charming will soon cause fearful destruction Of
life and limbs ana Tor the crouit Of quick
we'll Tor tue company 20 rebuild this naf Of hs line
THE ROAD KxAMlSgp.
The writer Of tue present article, alter careful
examination Of the od structure, has Iound tho
statemenss Of "knaineer" to be substantially cor
rect IL 10 In most rickoty condilion tho iongi-
tudinal beams supporting The track anu which run
IRON column TO column, sink along their whole length
as the engine aud cars o train pass along, 10 dis
lsncs In the centres oi spans OF iron inch to
thrco four In the wider spans across the inter-
seo,ing streets this sinking is especially notice.
aoe. aud tneso are the most dangerous
spots large majority OF the coldmns
snake and sway IN their foundation SOCKETS as
the trains pass over, ana the track 10 con tinualy
sinking al different points, presenting, ther eiore
very bad roadway level This is much the case
grades when tue writor examining ths road
he found ~ dinersnt points Ssrkmsn snEagsd n