The New York herald., 1879-03-15
THE IL" ROADS.
How the Joint Track Prob
lem Can BE Solved.
OPENING THE CITY HALL BRANCH.
Proposed Erection of Cottage Homes
for the Middle Classes

Tor the Mldde OidSSeS.
The opening of the City Hall branch of the New
York ~ on Monday morning is an event of consid-
cradle interest in view of the fact that the compile
ton of that branch had been originally announced
for December 10 of last year. Trains will be started
at the following intervals from the Tryon row sta
tion:-From five TO six A. M, every five minutes;
from six to nine A. NJ, every four minutes; from
nine A. NJ to four p NJ. every five minutes; from
four to P. NJ. every four minutes. and from
seven 2. NJ. TO half-past twelve A. NJ every five
minutes Between five and seven p. NJ. extra trains
will probably have to be run. General Supernten-
dent Stewart said yesterday that he expected this
station to do business of 10000 passengers day.
The above schedule will also apply to the South
ferry east side station.
THE JOINT TRACK PROBLEM.
In reference to the joint track problem. Director
Heber II. Bishop. of the New York Il. was yester-
day asked whether it true, had been rum0red,
that Mr. Bradleys bill prohibiting IL" crossings had
been introduced at the request of the New York IL"
and with view of killing of the Second avenue IL.
THAT bill cannot pass" Mr.. Bishop replied with
great candor. THE only thing for us to do. and
which will certainly be DONE is to make some mu-
tual arrangement by which both roads can their
trains satisfactorily and without delay"
Vice President Navarro. of the Gilbert L." when
questioned on the subject said that the number OF
trains crossing at Chatham square had been greatly
exaggerated Instead of running trains every min
ute from South ferry and the City Hall, had been
assumed, the New York "L" would only trains
every four five minutes, and the Metropolitan IL"
would probably start trains only at the inter-
walls from Bowling Green and Chambers street.
Moreover large number of the Second avenue
trains would be switched of into pockets" above
Chatham square. thereby lessenng still further the
number of trains which would the crossings.
PROGRESS THE SECOND AVENUE "L.'
Great progress has already been made in the con-
struction OF the Second Avenue '.L." Over one
thousand men working, under the direction
OF Messrs Ambrose Mills, the contractors, on Di-
vision street. Allen street and First avenue. Tho
foundations the north side Of Division street and
the west side of Allen street have been finished.
that the other sides of these streets
ing opened. On First avenue the excavations are
open from Third street to nearly Seventh street on
the east side OF the avenue and the work has pro-
gressed exceedingly fast the soil being sandy and the
digging proceeding with the utmost and SO
rapidly that the stone and brick contractors have
found it actually impossible to keep pace with it.
Much interest has been excited by the appearance on
Chambers street of quite force of engineers to
vey the street for the foundations of the Chambers
West Broadway and Chambers street and the juno.
tion of Chatham and Chambers streets
CHAMBERS STREET STATIONS.
The structure here will the street from curb
to curb, just like in other streets. The sidewalk Of
Chambers street being greatly encountered with
boxes, &C., and tho engineers being followed by
big crowds of curiosity seekers, so that active
work almost impossible. they were determined
to take time by the forelock and do their survey
ing before any crowds could possibly accumulate.
and thus they made their temperance yesterday
morning before daybreak. and on their work
undisturbed under the first rays of the morn
ing sun. Business men in and around Cham
bers street have been very much interested by
the HERALD's recent announcement that sta
tions of the Metropolitan IL" would probs-
bly, be established at the junction OF Broadway
thus enabling hundreds of people in the vicinity Of
this portion of Broadway and Chambers street to
reach their homes the east side with the greatest
convenience. The station at Chambers street and
Broadway. one of the most important Of the Second
avenue L." will also be decided convenience to
way for quite distance above Chambers street. who
would otherwise be compelled to walk all the way to
Chatham square.
PROGRESS ON THE WEST SIDE
Now that the strike is virtually over work is pro-
crossing also vigorously on the west side The iron
structure is entirely completed to Seventy ninth
street. which Is 'oint structure to be operated by
both IL" companies. New stations are being built
at fiftyninth street (where the old station of the
New York IL is to be entirely done away with. at
Seventy street and Eighty first street. and
as soon as these three Joint stations. which are
to be used for the traffic Of both ''L" CON-
panes. completed this section will be
opened to the public travel The ticket agents. gate
and other employees at these three 'sjoint sta
tions will be appointed by the concurrent action Of
the superintendents Of both companies II is ex-
pected that this section will be running early in
May. The Eighty first street station VIII be very
important one during the summer for 1t will afford
rapid and easy to the Museum of Natural
History ut Seventynlnth street, which visited by
30 many thousands every summer. Beyond Eighty
third street. where the road belongs exclusively to
the Gilbert "L. the iron work partially up a. far
Nnety-fourth street; and from Ninety-four street
up to 10th street. Ninth avenue and from 10th
to i25th street, Eighth 1.1O0 are now
AGAIN at work in digging holes and building the
covered with several feet Of snow were rae found
to be filed with water. and steam pumps have
been ceaselessly employed till ten and eleven
On the 10th street crossing. from Ninth to
Eighth avenue, men digging excavations fifty
feet Deep and the grade from Ninth to Eighth ave-
nue. is of such abrupt descent that the columns
will rest high. solid brick piers. to ne raised
above the level of the street The present working
force 200 men IL to DO increased TO 900 vith1
few days there being scarcity but rather an ex-
cess OF la6orers. who can be had ut the reduced
wages OF II 25 per day.
DANGER AT GATES.
1t has been noticed and complained that the gates
trains of the IL" roads and partic uariv of |
the side L. ;" often OPEN and that drunken
and reckless men exposed TO peril when all dan
ger could be avered by simply locking the gates or
by keeping them shut in such a manner that they |
cannot be easily opened. 1t is specially urged that
except az few ..ntertrack' stations Of the east
sids III. the gates the other aide |
should always be securely fastened. II has |
been pointed out by both companies as : |
wonderful feature OF the SUCCESS OF rapid |
transit that thus far tho Sixth avenue IT. had |
been running nine months and the Third ave-
nue IL nearly months and that there had not
been az yet single loss Of life serious in
Jury which had not been caused by the contributivs
negligence of the passengers as, for instance,
through jumping train while In motion. Dur.
Ing this time the Sixth ~ has been running
al ms rlprd law and buoh
running about two hundred and nfty days. tho trains
OF ths road alone have already made 1500O0 trips
The Third avenue "L" has hundred
trains per day. and it has been running about two
hundred days it's total of trips about hundred
and forty thousand! thus giving q total for both
IL roads OF nearly four hundred thousand trains.
Tor trips) without loss OF life injury! The officers
OF these roads Justly claim that this is q splendid
showing a. TO the safety of life and limb on the two
Rreatrapid transit lines, but Il is urged that oil the