New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-07
.VORK OF THE BRIDGE EXPERTS.
DELAY IN SUBMITTING THEIR REPoRT-A TALK
on TUNNELS.

The Board of Bridge Experts consisting Of Engineers
samuel Spencer. of DreXcl, Morgan q Co; Carl II.
Buchholz Of the Erie Railroad Company. and George
w. Plympton Of the Polytechnic Institute. appear 10
have patterned after the Bridge trustees Themselves In
exas perating delays in definite action Although the
trustees adopted plans more than Years for the
Improvement Of the terminal facilities by the con'uc
ton Of new stations and doubling the platforms and
tracks for the unloading and loading of trains. ana
plans for the new structures have been prepared,
nothing has been done 70 put them in execution A'cr
the talk last winter Of constituting commission 81
experts BY legislative authority TO consider plans Tor
owing TIE Br dee terminals, the trustees adopted the
same plan. and Mayor Grant. Mayor Chaplin ana PIc>i
dent Howell selected expert TO act in the MATER
These Commissioners speedily organized and advertised
for plan, number were presented before september
20 the date for their submission. Then it wa an
nouuccd that public hearings would be given 10 those
desirlus Of cXpounding the plans submitted Bni n
hearing has been given in public. although privately
Engineers Wellington. WOrhcn. Emery, Lcvcrich and
others have presented their views in explanation Of
the plans submitted. The experts have now closed
the hearings and engaged In dige,ng the mass Of
material before them and in arriving at the hest sou
ton Of the problem presented to them. IL was hoped
10 have the report ready for submission at the NoVc
lcr meeting Of the trustees. but II not prepared
and then IL said that special meeting would De
called before the end Of this month 10 receive ana con
Si0'r the report. NOW inc fNItTlH NtN tIht INV
not Doe ready 10 submit the report 10 the Committee on
Terminal Facilities OF the Trustees in tim" for con
sidcration and rcpor; at the December meeting. but
special meeting viii bc held later in the month for the
purpose - hearing the report.
Bridge Engineer Martin said recently a Tribune re-
porter: b" have nothing 10 alter my opinion that
presen; taiswitching system. the capacity o.
which De doubled ly The proposed new platforms
and tracks Is the best adapted TO requirements
The proposed changes will reduce the headway N
fortyfvc seconds. and that IS low is consistent
with safety. This talk about running trains safely
on twenty seconds Roadway looks well on paper and
NAV sound well when SCI forth IN theory. hut when
reduced practice IT bee ONES exceedingly dangerous
and unsafe. We have HANDLED many millions II pas
sengcrs by our present system without serious acd
dent More people ride the Bridge from one station
than from half dozen 81 The busiest stations on the
elevated roads in New York. While moro persons
ride on the elevated trains than tho Lrdsc they
distributed among many stations and over miles Of
road.
"There is no use trying to make TIE present Hrdr'
carry all the people who wish to eros, IL fpr quarter
Of a century 70 If The capacity is doubled 10"
il wall suffice for ten year.. and By the end Of that
time some method Of crossing the Eat River VIII
be supplied either another bridge 4 tunnel. /
inclined t, think that the next bridge viii De tunnel
IL the expression may be allowed several partie,
now considering The matter and estimates being pre-
psrod for tunnel al sOuth Ferry. II Is proposed b.
% straight down 10 the proper point beneath the
river bed and then have level tunnel. Passengers
would 60 up and down at the ends ia great elevator
which could carry them mp down 100 feet IN
minute"
"why could not the cars nrcd with passengers be
transferred TO elevators and be lowered into the
tunnel across. ard elevated on the other side t.
contnrc their cOursc the elevated tracks p
II believe We Shall something of tat sort" said
Mr. Martin. n /, entirely within the 4 prob
ability When electricity Is substituted for steam there
wDld De difficulty about motive power. when J
wa, in France. ! saw entire section Of a canal.
made Of iron, wh"p full Of water and carrying a
lo1dcd boat lifted up hftv nine feet ny hvdraulc
elevator and ~et new level where the end were
opened and the boat went II "a away with fouI
l,ck.. A, section went up another went down
and the weight c-uatcrbalauccd that the only
power needed 70 Ovcrcomc frictOn.1