The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-16
MORE OF RAPID TRANSIT.
Mr.. TANDERBILTyS PROJECT or 4 ROAD
UNDER IND OTER GROUND.

routes for rapid transit ra. roads would provide
for the extension Of the existing lines in the
upper part Of the city. and for few minor
changes further down town. made desirable 10y
the consolidation OF the east and west side roads
into the Manhattan Company Their report.
filed with Mayor Cooper on Saturday. has lone
this. and further marked out an entirely new
line. passing through the district between the
roads now in operation. On the west side this
route begins whore the Hudson River Railroad
track crosses the northern boundary Of the
city. and passes south along the track to tho
junction OF the Hudson River rond with the
Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris road and then
over the track OF the latter road TO its junction
with the Harlem Tho northeastern terminus
Is the intersection Of the Harlem road with the
Bronx River. whence 1t passes south over the
Harems track TO the junction with the Spuyten
Duyvil and Port Morris road. and from there
both branches unite. following the Harlem track
to the Grand Central Depot. The line crosses
Forty-second street through tunnel under
ground. continues through or under the Park
avenue tunnel to Thirtyfo street. whore it
rises above the street and passes on an elevated
track down Fourth avenue to point between
Eighth and Ninth streets. Cutting through the
block It crosses Eighth street and Astor place.
continues down Lafayette place across Greet
Jones. Bond. and Bleecker streets. cutting
through the blocks there. to Crosby street:
thence down Crosby street TO Grand through
the block diagonally to Elm. across Howard and
through Elm to Pearl. through the block to
Duane, along Duane to and dong Centre street
to the City Hall.
| II will be seen that the Commissioners have
laid out route that. above Forty-sccond street,
| is coincident with existing railroads. APP
| the use OF these roads for any company that
shal see III TO organize In compliance with the
provisions OF the law providing for the forma-
| ton OF such companies ln fact the Commits.
slon"rs have no more right To assume control
| OF these roads than they would have 10 grant
company formed for the transfer Of freight the
| use OF the elevated railroads tracks. They
! nave grapted 10 no one the right To run trains
over the Hudson River and Harlem roads. even
II their report is accepted. for IL j. beyond their
| power. what they have done ie simply 10 name
| the Vanderbilt roads rapid transit roads and
| given the right I'm case no opposition Is made
| To- the route pro1oSedl Of eX!ending The line 10
| CITY Hall. Mr.. William II. Vanderbilt alone can
| take advantage OF the COmmss ioncrs' report.
| letter addressed TO the Commissioners and
| recommending that the route described above
| ha designated. WIS signed by Messrs. Edwards
| Plerrepont. Augustus Schell. and II. J. Jewctt.
| Mr.; Plerrepont was found In his residence at
| los Fifth avennc. yesterday. He spoke freely
| OF the enterprise. and expressed surprise that
| the public's tention had not been drawn be-
| lore 70 so important scheme, now almost fully
| developed. About three weeks ago he called
| upon the Commissioners in their Ofilce at "a
| Exchange place, and laid before them the plans
| for another rapid transit railroad. The main
features OF his plans were approved 10y the
Hoard, buisin some matters OF detail they dis
agreed. Ii was necessary Tor him L. meet and
! argue with them and their counsel "A number OF
times, until finally. "a few days ago. he sue
ceeded in having his scheme adopted At all
| and any one was at liberty 10 enter: but no
one. did. and the matter seemed TO have
| tirely escaped public notice. Now the company
II ready for organization. The iucorporators
are known and the capital is pledged. The
| projectors are only awaiting an acceptance OF
The COMMISSIONER report by the common
Council;
prominent New Workers. men OF wealth and
| Influence, but II would be inlddicious 20 give
their names 70 the public ut this time, II IL use
less 70 try to disguise the fact that Mr.. Wander
| bit Is the chief protector Of the scheme. His
| interests more than any one elso's are at stake
! In fact no other person could build and con
| duct the road without his consent. for the main
| part OF u will be over the tracks of his roads.
| The subject was well considered before Mr.
| Nanderbilts departure for Europe, and has been
matured during his absence. Estimates OF the
and will be submitted to. Mr., Vanderbilt.
| should he find any obstacles in the
| OF Forty, second street. other plans will be de-
| vised, But the completion OF the road is only a
question OF time; Thus far. everything has
| gone as We wished. There has been no opuo-
| sluon. and II none is made we shall before next
Christmas. be carrying passengers over rs fine
| u road as was ever built, from the City Hall to
| Forty-second street for five cents each. The
| fact is. the roads now running charge too much.
| Ten cents il an Unreasonable sum for a short
| ride. and We shall only Hsk half that amount.
| Then. another road is needed for the accom-
@9dS'9n 6e ciiY OF R1Gpi9 yiHg "i99s the centre ne
road; it is half a mile TO The nenrest station.
and when get there must climb a long flight
| OF stairs. The omnibus passes my door and
takes me 20 tho door Of my Office. take that.
| and my neighbors do the SANE.
| realize that powerful influence may be
| brought against us and II II Is we will be de-
| layed in the construction OF our road. The
Common Council may reject the report o! the
| Commls loners. and other reports will then be
| Hubmltttu unlll We get one Mllru meets with
| their appreciation. Then the property owners
! along the lines Of the proposed route NAV make
| trouble. III we cannot agree with the owners OF
| the property which is 10 be appropriated where
we cut through the blocks rs 10 the amount OF
money To be paid them. the question Will be
carried into the courts. causing a delay the
| Length OF which no one can conjecture. There
| fore when say that we shall run lruins over
the new road by early in t.e winter mean that
1t Will not he our fault II We do not, Powerful
| opposltlon VIII alone prevent II. Nolhlng VIII
be spared TO make the road attractive. durable,
| and convenient"
The cost on the road has been as carefully
| estimated as Is possible under the circum-
stances. but Mr. 'Pierrepont thought il mad
visnble to make tho figures known. As the
| Comm issiOners have the right to designate the
style OF structure IA well us the route OF the
! rOad the estimates are 10 a certain extent only
! coniectural. Should the Common Council pnss
! favoraby upon the report. the Incorporating
| company will Immediately organize. paying to
the Commissioners the percentage OF the esti-
| then take possession OF the subscription books
| which up TO thai time remain with the Commis-
| Slonefe. contracts lOr bullulng VIII be given
out and work will proceed at once.
| The only difficulty that engineers have en-
| countered in planning the construction Of the
road is to lower the track to the level necessary
| 10 pass under Forty-second street. and then
bring IL again TO the height required AZ Thirty
fourth sti ct, where II energies from the tunnel
and passes above the street Not much consld-
GRAFTON has been given 10 this part OF the work
yet. hut II is probable that the track OF the
| Harlem road Will be made to descend from Il
point half mile above the station until II passes
| under FOr.y-second street when II will rise at
sleeper grade and reach the desired level
| soon after lenving the tunnel. Should this use
| Of the tunnel make II necessary to abandon the
| Fourth avenue horse railroad tracks above
Thlrtyiourth street il Is pOss lille that the rlc-
waited road will be used to transport freight cars
| 10 and from the freight depot in Centre street
| but this Is not yet decided upon.
| Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew. the attorney for the
| Central and Hudson River road, was cautious
| in his utterances He said that Mr.. Vanderbilt
| knew nothing Of the proposed changes in his
roads. Certainly he had given the matter no
| consideration before going TO Europe. and MS
| he only returned on Saturday after the report
| OF the Commissioners WAS made. he could have
| done little since. In fact the line laid ont WRs
| nothing new. As long ago as 1871 the property
| owners In the Twenty-lhlrd and Twunty-fOurth
| Wards approached Commodore Vanderbilt on
| the subject and urged him to extend his roads
| to tho Battery. He thought over their pro-
posals. nscertained that the costs OF an elevated