New-York tribune., 1879-03-29


POIITAN ROAD. ,
"The nossibility of accidents on elevated
roads said Cyrus W. Field yesterday, " cannot De
Guarded against too carefully and safe transit Is oi
erea, er importance t,an mere rapid transit III gen
cra ersation Mr.. Field said that in February, u"
ing hi, absence from the city, the directors OF 'e Nc"
York Elevated Railroad Company held ihee'ns' "''
bv a vote of eight members. when Is ln'Joi'', "
cidcd to accent a proposition from the metropolitan
C,nnanv for a change OF route. The proposition was
that the New-York Road was TO give up It's fearl''.
ron,e NJ Uapoyer,duare and that in consideration Oh
Tins surrender the Metropolitan Company was 10 sece
the necessary legislation to allow the 'o"'' u,
OF an extension from the present CITY nan terminus
along ing-bOuse-square' Nassau ana 80
TO the South Ferry. IL was further agTeou ''a' VI"
Cbombers-,r connection Of the metropolitan Road w"s
TO he abandoned Mr.. Fields states that when nc IT,
turned 10 the city and was informed Of what hau oceh
done he was amazed aud he told his directors tha thcy
had surrendered a franchise worth S1OOOOoo ou'' III
asmuch as 1t had been agreed to- 1t should Dc caIe
out special committee consisting OF McSsrS b'in'H
Fiske Bshop ana another, was appOlhou 10 p''io'' "
agreement. When the committees OF 'hc t"o io'u'
met the METROPOLITAN Company, Mr.. Field SAID de-
manded as on additional privilege the riIht 10 ru" i'
trains from the South Ferry, instead OF connecting a.
Beoyer-st a. provided by charter. When the commit
tee rerored back this proposition and the alure 10
agree Mr.. Field gratifed, and he tod vi" po"r"
that the negotiations having been broken on IL was au
vsabe 10 withdraw from any further conferences 1t II
GAINED that the metropolitan company Pt cnn m"s
siruction Of the NcwYork line along IeaI,st hiiu y,
the New Bowery, wch Il 10 ne nsSu ri,on Ferry
Franx .quare and ChatEamsquare depots. st
Field states that the E'w York Company ls detsrHlu
that there SHAH br no cr"sslhS 3t lIdche V" and haf
either a Chambers, Beaver or DNiSiOnSts,' anu wa.
beneath or above lie NewYork structure The danger
from the Metropolitan trains crossing Tue n, "a
track Beaver and Prarlsts Mr. Flcd Polnttn on. W
Commodore Garrison. and remarked that an accident al
tuat point would cost the roads SjOOOO0O III ddinase
suits and business by withdrawal oi thc poic
confidence I'm addition 10 this Mr. Field said mat the
Grand Jury would mdict the officers 0i lhe coInpdnes
to aid any movement likely to land him Ill Tue pen"
tCHilaTy.
Mr. Field now suggests tnat the Metropolitan Com
pan a1andOn the BeaycI-St route, ana that INC hegi
lature be asked, commission he applied Ior' 10 eNo
the right TO build the routc from the South Ferry along
Front or Souh-ss and up other convenient street
to Diyson-st This he claims Will avoid any crossing
III front of each others trains and give the metropolitan
Road one-haf of all the Brooklyn and staten lsIand
travel. He also proposes that the Shalnotrs-st, Sh
eytrnsion of the METROPOLITAN Road instead OF crossing
the New.York track AZ the Cv Hall be carried along
Ccntrc-s and Of the narrow streets ana that at Oh
hams0uare the track should be carried chcf Deheah
or above the NrwYork rails, or that connection De
mace with the DivisIonst. track by covered bridge
Some arrangement OF this kind Mr. Field suggests must
he carried out as his company will use every effort To
prevent the crossing of tracks at points where accdes
are likely 10 occur. Mr Field believes that the
IRgialature the Courts and public opinion VIII sustain
the New-YOrk Company in this step To secure sae
the methods Of crossing uHcks AT Sccond,aYc. ana
Thirty fourIh-st aud the Metropolitan Road i TO Oe
run at a considerable distance above the newborn
rack A covered brdce is TO he built at Chatham
square and the intention il to run minute local trains
special trains are to be started from the latter station
morning aud evening to accommodate the 'l'y hdi'
travel
TALK WITH CHIFF-ENGINEER BAIRD.
ChefEnnneer Baird, Of the Metropolitan Road said
yesterday that in the conversation he had win MI
Barney in regard 20 the proposed extension along
Nassau.st he distinctly informed HIM that he was
speaking for himself, and not for the metropolitan
Company, and when the letter was sent accepting the
proposition none had been made. 1t was only an
Interchange of personal opinions rs lie under
stood it. Mr.. Bard states that lie regarded
the proposed change fayorably. In regard
10 tic Beayer-st structure. lie said that the Rapid
Transit Commission gave the Gilbert company 40 lut,
charter. The New-York Company was given the right
10 enter the MetrOpOaus IOute by the kipd transit
COmmiS and that company wanted 10 prevent
the Metropolitan from making connections on lts own
charter route In regard trains crossing me tracks Mt
other points the New-IOTk Road. II was OF daily
On the NcwYOTk Road the thing was by simple sWltn
and ndgmlu. On tnc metropolitan Kodd tie interiors;
system Of switching was III use ana IL was Iound 10 DO
at one time. When the switehman turned ihe lever lever
which GRnef ps IFasG Saans mi u'I all aST ne H e a
Of the tracks in use, and warning was
inns p1ycn 10 every engineer. To make the matter
douhy sure and prevent accidents arising from color
blindness Mr. Baird said thai he had also added color aS
pusltous winch would indicate whether track was
closed or opened The enginecrs aud other officers OF
the New York Road have stated that this system was
also TO be put force on the New YORK Road but MI
Baird judged that the proposed bridges Indicated that
the mtcTlOCk Syotcm had been abaudJued lie depit
Gated the idea OF dscussous between tic companies in
the newspapers for fear they might create unpleasant
and totally unnecessary antn8onlsms. He denied that
any negotiations fora change Of rouIe were now pend
he Indicated that at the proper time The Metropolitan
Company would complete Its entire route as granted III
It's charter.
ARESULT OF THE RECENT COLLISION
1HE NEw-YORK ELEVATED RAILROAD CEHsURED
FOR NEGLIGENCE BY THE GRAND JURY-NLCEs-
sARY PRECAUTIONS.
The General Sessions Grand Jury were dis
charged yesterday for the term. They brought into
court a number OF indictments in minor cases. and also
a prrscntmcnt with reference TO the dangers OF the
elevated roads from trains crossing switches The
prrsentmcnt was drawn before the announcement had
been made by the New York Elevated Railroad Company
with regard to their new methods the side branches
The following is the substance of the presentment:
"The recent collision which occurred the line OF
the New.York Elevated Railroad Company at Forty
seconc-st AMI Thhdave shows the part OF the New
York Elevated Railroad Company gross negligence and
ipeniciency in the management and operation OF the
road in not providing proper and sufficient safeguards
signals and attendance for the prevention OF collisions
There should be aud must be such precautionary
me lsures taken to prevent the possibility of
collision at every point where the main road
lnterscct s branches or ese the Drahch ne- must DE
discontinued The people desire rapid rausit. but not
AT the constant and Imminent risk Of life and limb
The Grand Jury feel confident that the evils complained
Of are unnecessary, aud and ought to be rcmedied
At once.
"The Grand Jury therefore. cenSurc the New-YOrk
Elevated Railroad Company for their inefiicency,
management and gross negligence, and call upon aud
rcuu5rc them Immediately to take measures To
prevent the possibility of Ike collision in The future
IHcy also eC 1t duty Ia call upon and require said
railroad company, and all other railroad companies
similarly situated, matter OF public welfare. take
sucn measures viii render IL impossible for collisions
to occur at points where tracks nttrscct
with those Of any other railroad company"
Tuis prcscnrment signed by Henry s. Oakly
foreman vi the Grand Jury.