New-York tribune., 1879-04-03
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
RAILWAY SCHEMES.

ELEVATED RAILWAY SCHEMES.
iHE NEw-YORK COMPANY DECLARES IFS FIRST
pIvIDEND-NO MORE CROSSING OF TRACKS TO
RE PFRMIIrFD-wOKK oN THE METROPOLITAN
AND wEsTCHEsTER COUNTY EXTENSIONS.
TIE directors Of the Ncw-York Elevated Railroad
Company yesterday declared dividend of per
cent on the stock of the company, payable May l.
being the first dividend declared on this class
of stock The subject of permitting trains TO cross
the tracks on the roads was discussed. The Pres-
dent Cyrus W. Field, said he opposed to the
crossing of tracks by the New-loTk company, and
he stated that while he renamed at the head OF the
company he would not consent to any other com
pany doing So. For the directors to give consent to
such action. he argued, IN case of an accident with
loss of life would subject the officers and managers
70 criminal indictment ana prosecution with prob
able term IN the penitcntiaTy Mr.. Field stated that
be would withdraw from the company rather than
carry out any such action. In support of his posi-
tion be read several letters recently received by
him in answer to the following questions: Does any
system of switching and signals known 10 use Sc
cure perfect safety at crossngsf Does not absoint
safety depend upon the cmploYcS complying WIN
the signals even under the most improved system
Does the most perfect system do anything more
than to reduce the chances O1 danger, rs compared
with an inferior system!
F. Wolcott jackson answered that he knew OF no
system of signals that did not require positive
obedience TO the rules appended 10 IT, III ADDITION
effectiveness Of motive power and brakes was an
element that must necessarily be taken into con-
sdeTati0n.
Vice-PreSidcnt GuIlford, i'll his communication,
gave a detailed account OF an accident winch oC-
CURED on the PENNSYLVANIA Road at tIauktoTd
Junction, ON March 3 Here. he wrote, the most
improved system of ntcTlocKng was III operation
from q tower hy levers. clUtonarY signal was
DISPLAYED 400 feet from the crossing tOtEc north
bound tram IN question. warning II to stop at the
second signal, 500 feet further on. The engineer
could nOi or did not stop but ran hls engine over
quIf 2 a flf-ln
over an cubaullmcut. The engineer lost hls life,
and the wreck created delay OF several hours III
the moving of trans.
These facts Nh Field claimed, showed that no
system of switching Lad yet been invented that
would sanction the crossing Of trains. The board
took no action, except TO sustain the
position taken as far as the NcW-loTk
road Is concerned leaving all action III re-
gard 10 the Metropolitan road until some step
j. taken to make q crossing. Plans were received
Yesterday for the alterations and additions at
Chdtham->quarc and FJriN-scCOnd->t" work upon
which will be begun when the plans are approved
by the Purchasing Committee.
The promoters and OrguHIZers of the Rapid Tran
sit RAILWAY cXtcnjlOL n ihc elevated railroads from
Harlem River through Nc-tchoStcr County held
private meeting Yesterday afternoon at the Once
of :. r. Mclean, No. 80 Broadway, 1t was stated
afterWard that most Of the Committee on SuDSCIp-
tions and other friends of the enterprise had signed
The subscription list. The engineers of the company,
IN their report Yesterday. sad The report of the
Ncw-York and Ncv-Havcn Railroad showed an III
come Of about $4,000 a mile for passengers, and
- 900 mile for frCl GIT and estimating the re-
CClpts of the proposed road at only One-sXth OF the
first years income, and deductug per cent 1Or
operating expenses, would SHOW prOnt OF 10 per
cent upon abuut $4,000 a mile 1t was decided
TO hold semI-wcekly meetings until the final organ
lZation Of the company is completed
Mayor Cooper viii To-day appoint commissioners
to select rapid transit routes in the Twenty-thrd
and Twenty fourth Wards.