The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-24
VOL. XLvI.--NO. 2O5.
THE DEVIL FISH RAILROAD.
hos rON CAPITALISTS GRAPHING THE
M4IN NTREE1S OF HROOKLYN
r1nn raIten Ferry AZ Arruna to the Sea

President Murphy, Judge Bond, and Others
on the observation-disclosures for Millions.
Brooklyn is in a great turmoil, growing
ont OF the Efforts of some worldly capitalists.
principally from Boston to fasten upon the
main thoroughiarcs leading to the earthly
homes Of nearly half million residents. the
majority of whom journey daily to and from
thcir places of business in New York.
4 careful investigation has developed the fact
that Mt least two-thirds Of the residents OF
Brooklyn are in favor OF rapid transit. many ot
them being so ea!gcr that a short time ago 22.OOO
signed their names. within week. to n petition
asking the Legislature not to inter fere with tho
working Of the Kings County Elevated Railway
Company. when said company was represented
to be- after one Of the most stupendous local
franchises ever granted. and this for less than
amess OF pottage.
Houscholders and property owners had be-
tts.e discouraged over previous abortive at
tcmpts TO provide quick an comfortable means
Of travel between the ferries and the suburbs.
from forty to sixty minutes. twice day in
heavy crowded cars. drawn by struggling
horses a great part Of the way up hill. had be-
come more than monotonous. Houses were
vacated in alarming numbers. New brown
stone dwellings that would lot for double tho
price in New York asked for them In Brooklyn
stood empty the year round. Builders and
owners could not afford to hold them and pay
the taxes. This spring many have been offered
for sale at a less price than it cost to buy the lot
and erect the houses And now more resi-
dences are unoccupied. in Brooklyn than
ever before Even on Brooklyn Heights
where for many years available houses have
been snapped uu quickly when thrown on
tho market. the familiar placards y" For sale"
and ITO let " are duplicated on nearly every
block. Real estate has struck bottom prices. In
the outer wards houses can be bought cheaper
than in SUBURBAN villages.
Before describing the Kings County Elevated
Railway Company and their aims, history OF
previous rapid transit schemes in Brooklyn, as
tley are linked together. il in order:
and a lew public spirited residents of wealth
procured the passage Of a bill Incorporating the
BROOKLYN Steam Transit Company. The law
Authorized them 10 construct an elevated or
an underground railroad from such points as
should b. selected by them. subject 10 certain
restrictions. The incorporutors and other resi-
dents ~ BROOKLYN subscribed $500 900. and paid
in $4,000 Of thnt amount, route was selected
from Fulton Ferry to Flathush and Atlantic
avenues. with branches To Flatbush aud East
N-w York. The road WAS TO be- underground.
Estim ties were made in the summer Of 1878
that th' road. with open cuts whore practical.
and shafts for ventilation and light in tunnels.
could be built for 81 500 600 per mile. En-
gineers say that II could be built now for
o. 600 per mile. At that time this
adopted as the best plan for protecting valuable
gowu-toNu property, and the work was 70 have
been pushed forward; but the financial panic
d the fail OF 1873 paralyzed the enterprise.
Subscriptions We're withdrawn. ana the com
yany was supposed 10 have collapsed. But
last summer Mr. II. ". Sage and others
Interested reorganized the corporation.
taxing preliminary stops toward construct.
ing an elevated road under the powers con-
ierred by the cid charter. The. route was To
BE- changed. making the main line extend up
Fulton street 10 De Kalb avenue, thence 70
Broadway and East New York. with a branch
from ID. KRlo avenue and Fulton street TO the
Coney Island horse railroad thorOughiare to
tue beach. One night az immense force was
secretly st 20 work, ans Mr.. John :. II oagland.
Superintendent of ~he Coney Island road. was
astonished the next morning to see miles OF
new track laid by the side OF his road. Litlga-
ton followed. and the case is still IN the courts.
NJ part Of the new road has been used;
In 1874 the Brooklyn Silent Safety Elevated
Leg stature. The route granted was from Full
ton Ferry through Water street. Hudson. Park
Grand. Willougnby. and Lexington avenues 10
Broadway and thence 10 East New York
Nothing was accomplished under tuat grant
but in 1875 the inrorporators implored the Leg
islature TO confer upon the Common Council OF
Brooklyn the right 10 change the route Of the
road. The Leglsature amended the law, and
the company petltiOned the Common Council 10
grant them the right Of way in either Washing
ton or Adams street 20 Myrtle avenue. and
route. The Common Council refused 10 do
this. The Silent Safety Company then asked
for right Of way through Pearl and Miloughby
streets and pekaib avenue to the point OF con-
ncctlOn with their or lginal route This Hppica-
ton was squeezed through tne Common Conn-
ell 10y Il small majority. certain Aldermen being
accused Of having weighty reasons Tor their
favorable action. II was also asserted that stock
dropped by an incOrpOratOr in Albany was
rentiIv nirE cd mn hV nersons who felt "A great
I, is oeoar+ad "a ~ 80
a. .. - ~ = II ft.,,s, ,t,'rrn.1
~ "p'l"'oI WIZ luSt SUN ~ h,oHu1 oit. VIII
Or-rrd 10 sell the lranch So IN van street. Inc
company sunk a stone post on the line OF the
PROPOSED route in order to comply with the
,ro,-i.for 80 tb.ir ,bart..r ,.onirtrS, tbnn, 10
agIiiii nee operations Nilnlh certain llhe.
This little monument is all that remains to re-
n. Ind the cOulding men who put up the money
thar M. .i.h h bnried Mayor Sch roeder
N,a,,at d.. ,,-,.f--r - -, Ai,i,r,rar - tha
ast,,'. " nCNVu "a tnc AiiV a.. pii ,. ~
kEouuN ulHi iu' ucheHl 'oHlcIIeu 10 the outer
wards would not compensate Tor dnmageS 10
Property lu tie lower business part OF the city.
After the kuO, kIoVn from MAYOR Schroeder
rnui1 trnusif sluTrh.r.i until March % 1919
W., NJ, :. - 4. =, - H.. I ,,,is'
f.n na}pi Ii4Wtli, uIu-L an ~ VI ", Lps'a-
1hluir, phssru Ju uue 10, 1910 ehtltlru An Act 70
Provide Tor the COn-truc ctlOu anu Operation OF
a Steam Railway on Railways ia the Counties OF
the state apt,oiflt.l five Commissiouers on
Karii' r rsn-.tt N, Er,clirn 1'hs Com nission-
s.rs w. r.i,ss q I'll ~ iuIin. Il A ia,'s
~ WI, 4,llN '"il p"-il N2{l' ullhs ~ Nu"nls'
thrni Il.ns,,,,'' Ttey 9r,,,,iI1i ~ Anil a
ami nuuoini.i Major Gen JoIn Newton A. con.
sutInl,.n,,nee On th@ 5tb oi Anril The Com
mission retorted 10 Mavor Howell that the
aim of rapld transit in BROOKLYN is To deliver
pusseu4.,'fs from The extrelne boundaries Of
our cify mo the business mart of the city OF
NV Yorl
TIN (.n,uission than advertised for plona