The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-05-09
RAPID TRANSIT IN NEW YORK.
som. of the schemes for Rapid fraNeisnH
An Arcade Ranwas, uoNinG sidewalk
and Pneumatic Hailway.

aad Pneumatic Railway.
Rapil transit in New York has become
a certainty. one Of the two lines which
were started last winter being partially
completed. ApplotoH's Journal has an
article devoted 10 description of the
various schcmes proposed to solve the
vcxatious problem Of how tho people
living in the upper part Of the city could
ret down 10 their business places IN
quicker time than by the horse cars
Some Of these schemes for relief were
more ingenious than practicable: Among
the plans proposed at various times for
/ the expeditions conveyance of passcn-
gers, that Of the Arcade railway WAS the
most ambitious, the most attractive and
the least feasible. A new street was to
he constructed thirty feet below the pre-
sent level of broadway, forming new
fronts 60 all the Easements Of the build
ings. The sewers and gas-pipes Were -
I he sunk below the level Of the new road
way. and All artificial roadway WAS 10 be
constructed on the level OF the old street
the supports being hollow iron pillars,
which Were'also 10 serve as drains. There
were 90 be clean, dry, and spacious foot
paths al each side Of the arcade, and the
middle was TO be tillei by four railway
tracks, two for passengers and two for
/ freight. The upper sidewalk was 10 be
partly formed Of glass bulls eyes, which
would admit an abundance Of light into
+ the lower street, where umbrellas would
/ be unknown or superfuous III the ralnest
weather, and where the climate would
always be equahle and salubrious. Is il
necessary b state the advantages claim.
I cd for this fascinating plan by its audA-
cious projectors ? Ii would aid q new
story 20 the entire length uf Broadway:
/ double the walking capacity OF the street;
quadruple the carrying capacity; and
enable the trains of the Hudson River
railway 10 deliver passengers and freight
as far down town as the Battery Further
more, the rental Of seventeen hundred
stores would be increased az least two
( thousand dollars each, the aggregate of
which amount alone would pay ten per
cent. interest on a capital three times as
great "a the calculated cost OF the work,
which Was twenty million dollars. But
the Arcade Railway, like many other
schemes OF equal brilllancy. never secur-
al iirmer foundation than the spccih-
cations of It's ingenious inventor.
The Pneumatic railway gave more
substantial proof Of It's pActcabllity,
however, and tunnel three hundred
feet long was excavated under Broad
way, southwark from Warren street,
where the proposed car and the great
blower could be seen in operation. The
tunnel WAS eight feet II diameter, aud
built Of solid masonry, parts being lined
with iron plates; and the atmosphere
Was dry and pure.
IL was constructed without any dis
4 turbance OF the surface II the street, by
means OF a strong cylindrical shield,
open az both ends, which was propelled
by hydraulic rams, the loOsened sand
and stone falling through the rear of
the shield, and the tunnel being imme-
diAtely afterwari arched with masonry.
The car fitted the tunnel-had seats for
eighteen passengers, and was illuni-
mated and comfortably upholstered. Ii
WAS propelled like a sailboat before the
wind. by strong blast OF mir forced
against the rear by an immanse steam
blowing machine. Nothing more smooth
in the way Of locomotiun than the pnen-
matte plan could be imagined. You de
NNElAfAl rum AA2t tftA hAANN aAAAA may
Broadway into a cool and quiet recep-
tion. room some thirty feet below the
level Of the thoroughfare, and the car
which had the shape Of horseshoe-
was ready for You with sliding doors at
the ends, seats at each side, and lamp
overhead. Being seated, you heard a
noise like the approach Of IA squall at
sea, the doors were closed, and with
slight tremor the car moved ont Of the
station and was shot through the length
OF the tunnel, where il was stopped aud
drawn back again. There were 30 be an
up-tunnel and a down-tunnel, and II
was claimed that ten cars a minute could
be dispatched. It's inventor having
spent some sixty or seventy thousand
dollars. however, the Pneumatic railway
WAS practically abandoned, though It
was kept open for scme time as n public
exhibition and the tunnel is now used
as a shooting gallery.
A quite unique plan was proposed by
Mr.. Alfred Speer, Of New Jersey, which
consisted Of a perpetuAlly ly-moving ele-
waited train or belt Of platform moving
up one side Of the street aud down the
other. This was commonly known as
the " travelling sidewalk, which was a
good descriptive name for IL. The track
was TO be supported by fancy iron pill
lars, fourteen feet high, ranged along
the curbstone, and the platform was 10
project about four feet over the side
walk and the same distance over the
roadway. The structure was 10 be
reached by commodious and ornamental
stairways at the corners Of all intersect-
ing streets, where there would be gates
in the pretty iron railing surrounding
il.
Let MS suppose that the travelling
sidewalk is an accomplished thing not
merely the une1ecuted design that it IL
and that We wish 10 avail ourselves Of
its advantages in going from the City
Hall TO Union Square. Having assembled
the stairs at Chambers street corner, we
stand upon little platform and, looking
up Broadway, see an endless flooring,
raised on massive pillars, moving down
the west side of the thorougfnre and up
the east side. II resembles viaduct,
and il travelling at tho unvaring speed
OF ten miles an hour. Nearly as many
people are upon il as upon the sidewalk
below-some are walking southwark and
others northwRrd, and presuming that
their pace is four miles an hour, they
make, with the added speed OF the plat
form, fourteen miles an hour; some are
seated on benches and others III cabins,
like ordinary railway cars, erected on
the platform. The constant flow of the
uromenaders lends the surface of the
structure an animated appearance: IL is
surrounded by n stationary iron railing,
with gas-lamps. upheld 10y branches
from the pillars, and. while the passeu-
gers can shelter in the cabins during
inclement weather, they can enjoy the
fresh air and the briskness OF the street
below in fine weather. The greatest adj
vantage Of the plan ia that, az there are
no intervals, there is no waiting, and,
having signaled one Of the conductors,
we are almost Immediately admitted to
the platform train by one Of the trans
fer cars, the train never ceasing TO meve
mellihuously or 30 slacken its speed.
These transfer-cars seat eight persons,
and have four wheels with independent
axles so arranged that they can be
stopped at any Of the stations without
detention TO the main structure; before
our admittance to which, our fares are
collected The cabins, or drawing
rooms, contain toilet apartments, with
female attendants for ladies'. and smok-
ing and reading rooms are provided for
: gentlemen.
What dream of Mr.. Alfred Speer's