The New York herald., 1878-09-23
WEST SIDE RAPID TRANSIT.

THE NEW YORK ELEVATED RAILROAD ExrEN-
sIoN-wHY IT DOES NOT GO TO THE HAIR
LEM RIvER-MR. coURTRIaHT's REPORT.
Perhaps In nothing has the policy OF delay, pro-
crastination and general incompetency which marks
the man agement OF the Now York Elevated Company
manifested itself in q more striking manner than in
the OF locating the route OF their west side
tension TO the Harlem River Everybody knows tnat
long before a steam railway can be built an I'M
OF preparatory work has to be done and
this particularly the regards this extension,
Tor which considerable private property will have
to be secured Months and years have now elapsed
during which the press and the public have clamored
for this extension ana even now the route has not
even been fixed upon Millions worth OF property be
tween The Park aud 222d street on tho west side s
y wing ide and only waiting for this long-promised
road and the circumlocution Office of tho New York
Elevated road alter having poltered away tor years
tho subject has still not even succeeded in locating
route. 1t VIII be remembered that The plans ap.
proved by the Rapid Transit Commissioners contem-
plate TWO west side lines to the river. The Metro.
politan limo runs along Ninth avenue to 10th
avenue to High Bridge. and following the river
side 10 Klngsbridge. This road, while most vau-
able in many respects, will afford only partial re-
lis to the residents Of Washington Heights and tho
lovely region around them nearer the Hudson River.
From Fort Washington 10 the High Bridge station OF
the Metropolitan railway will still be half hours
walk IRON ten to fifteen minutes drive. II is the
extension of the New York Elevated line 10 which the
residents OF Washington Heights ana Of the region
more contiguous to The Hudson River must look for
direct and absolute relief and 1t is that company
which they must hold responsible for the fact that
this lovely portion New York is stili in state Of
ruinous on from 10 hoart tho METROPOLIS.
THE NEW YORK ELEVATED LINE.
The RAPID Transit Commissioners intended that
whe the Metropolitan hns would run along Eighth
and open up all that portion oi the city lying
between Ninth and Fifth avenues tho New York Ele-
waited line should 90 up Tenth avenue and alongside
Morningsidc Park-a route already dotted by the
beautiful residences and going through tho very
Eldorado of Now York's most charming rildgietura
The company's excuse for not building this line
that the Third avenue road should first be
completed. They have 30 triasd with this
whole matter of their west side extension
that they have not even located the route
although commissions OF engineers have been sent
again and again on this tremendous undertaking,
and thus the preparatory work has been Indeh.
niely postponed. Tho terrible difficulty which the
company have always hold up as an apologetc expia-
nation is tho Manhattan Valley, which thcy say Will
have 10 be brdged. 10 Judge OF the scope or exeut
OF this obstacle by the magnitude which the COM
panys delay has given 1t 1t must be an engineering
difficulty SURPRISING the Hoosac Tunnel, He'll Gate,
the semmering. the Brenner or Mont Cents. The
Suez Canal according TO the best experts OF tho Now
York Elevated Company, was nothing compared TO
TINS irightiui Manhattan Valley. Perhaps the reader
does know even what the Manhattan Valley ID
avenue. extending from 1lsth to i4iss
length. 1t is this trightlul obstacle which
always figures rs the excuse tor not having as yet
fixed upon route. Alter having been promised at
least half dozen times the report Mr.. Courtright
their consulting engineer on the route TO DO selected
and after having been told every time tnat TINS vaua
at last Oh Saturday In obtaining u copy which had
just lott the printers hands II will be seen from
this report, extracts OF which suboned, that, in
perfect harmony with the policy OF endless procras
iinatiou adopted by the company, Mr. Cour.rigt,,
after taxing months 10 investigate the different
routes proposed ana to select the best one,
comes TO the conclusion that another "comm ss0n
OF scientific, prominent and experienced bridge
over the Manhattan Valley difficulty.
MIR. coUnrRIGnr's REPORT.
The following Is MIR. CourtrighLs report
To THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTORS OF THE NEW YORK
ELEVATED RAILROAD CoMPANY:-
ecatvs commltsesS july 49, co1ps Of snsinass were
Sy nv
TO- the proper location tor your road
same
street on Ninth avenue street Tenth avenue
At the junction Of knssordgs road making the latter the
point where owing TO the opogrphy OF the country aud
other circumstances the intervening lines are naturally
ifit is desired to get Tenth avenue and build
practicable Eighty street proper route
>nt ninth street, thence partly through private
ey Tenth avenue coming 60 tho surface st the east
avenue with the exception hereafter mentioned 10 l62d
depth as prsetie.oIs esosn Manhattan Valley an
iron este bridge The top Of the 0roton Aaueduct
valley. is considerably below tho surface AS there
jecou BIO made to snking the road at that point
s ns west es M 4 to ss
running through the edge OF the grounds OF the Blooming
point north OF tne summit as proper grade would take
H. Grading M down as SIT mstars would me ioAf ia
comparatively BY doing tn!s the bridge
south end considerably lessencd.
Alter discussing various other routes I'm many Of
The uptown avenues and streets, which. instead OF
developing properly, would In tho opinion OF all ex-
perts, be to XII It altogethe) he gives the ol.
lowing OF the cost OF the various routes to
162d street, mentioned IN tho report:-
coxPARAyIvs COST.
thence across to Tenth avenue, and a saancc
road from there to va street %
along Mornns sside Park. over and through pr-
road on fentn avenue ie1d srsot...;... I,ai4soo
Third Elevated road to 10th strce, thence
from there to ioad street 1874 $50
street. thence along Park &c, as before. to
I4ist street. and an elevated road on Tenth
5Ss"sH ,Si1 rssS sss'
crossing over 10 lenth avenue ~ Eighty-thiru
street, thence following Tenth avenue to 133ls
thence up Tenth avenue to ie2d street I.s75.e5o
Suh-- Elevated road, Eighty.iirst " l62d street.
crossing al Ei-Lty third street to Tenth ave-
sreet......... 1sss. 100
on To the UPPER END OF THE ISLAND.
Mr. Courtrignt continues as follows
Will present the division between I62d and 1sist
streets at its erseelon with kiugsordre road when
Is, think. properly the next objective point
thought best TO continue Tenth
162d surface be built that
with grades lUsth street. where preserve
IL Will be advisable to diyerse to ths
and through private property to lisa street at such
distance from the the right OF way
obtained and should in my dgment be depressed
under the cross streets as soon ss practicable
ME Courtright gives the company It's choice be-
tween ourleen iinsrsnt routes. with minute spscia-