New-York tribune., 1890-06-19
A PARTIAL ROUTE SELECTED
FROM THE BRIDGE TO FoRTY.SEcoND-sT
BAPIDTRANsIT COMMISSIONERS TO ASK THE
LEGISLATURE TO OPEN WAY
AT BOTH ENDS.

rapid-transit route and general system Of
construction have at last been decided upon by
the Rapid-Transit Commissioners. who were ap-
pointed by Mayor Grant for this purpose, and a
report will be made to him on Saturday morning.
The commissioners reached an agreement at the
meeting held yesterday afternoon in William Stein
ways Office, and the report which they are to
send to the Mayor was made ready for their Sig
natures by John g. Bowers, the lawyer, who was
called in for this purpose
The route which has been selected does not
differ materially from that previously published
in The Tribune. II is practically the same as
Mayor Hewitt advocated three years ago The
commissioners will not lay out route north Of
Forty -sccond-st., but will recommend that the
Legislature remove the restrictions now
preventing the use of this street. The
practical eject Of their report will be TO suggest
TO the Vanderbilt interests an extension OF the
tracks Of their system to the City Hail.
The line will begin near the Registers office
with an entrance just opposite the Brooklyn
Bridge. From there it will extend north under
ground through the eastern end of the block, be-
tween Chambers and Reade SITS, under Readc
and Dnnne SIS, coming to the surface on the high
ground in Elm-st., between Pearl and Worth SIS.
From there directly up Elm and Marion sts., to
will be built on a viaduct. There it will 90 un-
dcrground again. under buildings and under Jersey,
Houston, Bceckcr, Bond and Great Jones sts"
to and under Lafayette Place. to Astor Place,
where the line will emerge into Fourth-ave
Thence continuing up Fourth-ave. underground TO
Forty-Sccond-st.
As the Madison and Fourth Avenue street-car
line has control of Fourth-ave up TO the Grand
nd ha Ior
Hudson River Railroad Company controls the
avenue for tie rest of o. entire length, the road
must he an underground one up to Forty y-sccond-
St At the entrance 10 the Fourth-ave. surface
ear tunnel the tracks of the new route Will be
run in on either side Of the strcct-car tracks.
The widening OF Elm-st which VIII be CO.
incident with the construction Of the railroad
viii take away large number Of the rookereS
which line the street on both sides. The owners
of these bindings long ago decided not 10 make
anv Improvements. as they have for some time
been of the opinion that the Iaz.nS OF 'heir
buudings to increase the width Of the street was
only "A question Of time. between Prince ana
Bcec kcr SIS the blocks are cut mp with dark
alleys and consist mainly ot tunbc-doWh ch'
mcnt-hou,es From prnccst. to Lafayette race
the line Will 20 through PIRATE property. Inc
most expensive building 10 be affected i Inc
Puck 6nilding. at Houston and Mulberry SIS
Owing to the irregular formation OF the blocks
hcrr this building Is much wider IN lioust9n-st
thou IL i, al the rear Seven feet of thcWuldIh2
viii have 10 be- cut on on the front and &SQ- feet
al the rear The building Will gain, however,
another frontage on tnc new street to he created
through the blcce. l..
tween \,tor Pl1ce and Ninth-st Will have to he
torn down either IN part or entircN Vtner"lsc
the turn in the road as II swings lnto EaiaSeIre
nm Fourth-avc. the road, with the exception OF
slight deviation at Union square, viii run IN al
most direct line. - .,
upon the system Of transit 10 be adopted. lhat
will be subject for further consigeratlon; Inc
road through Fim-st. will be built OF soma ma
sonrv. From Woith-St. 10 Princc-st. Elm-st. Is
extremely low. and practically little excavation
will have 80 bc done AT any place to make WAY way
for the viaduct. The street will have 10 be tliri
in for mauy blocks. \ cut about 4 feet wide
viii allow the escape Of smoke and steam ana
tive plenty Of air The underground portions ol
the road are 10 bc lighted by electricity, ana
smoke and steam will he used. Whether the
Xcy-York Central and Hudson River Railroad
Company gives 1t permission or not. the r9l,e ~,
cannot be extended north Of Forty -secohdS''
mill the Legislature has amended the law
The shortness OF the route now chosen IS Thought
bv many 10 hc a direct barrier I" a disposition
q the fIHncnst r,csns,s 10 nnd any II has been
suggested by member OF me 'oIliuIsio" sis rood
the Vandcrbilts take hold OF TINS Toad
and build it. From Foriy-second-st to thc i.n i,aI
len, River the Ncw-Yorll Central tracks are avail
abie, and c6IT1ection with tracks south ot the
station wonld bc an easy task. The engineer OF
the commission has already prepared plans ,l wImcn
extend tho road to somewhere between fotN,
c;,,It and Fifty ninth Sis connecting with the
New-York Central tracks. l.. ,.
The law requires that there shall nor oe lrsS
,bon tycnty-Gvr subscribers to the stock OF the
a,,, comnonv bu, nothing is said in ii as To the
nmount which each may subscribe for, so long
as there is enough for twenty-five subscribers.
Like route north of forty-Scronu-S';' a i"mI, i,
.,',h f tho CITY Hall will he referred to, Only
,bromoh a recommendation 10 ask the Legislature
tn rcmoyc The restrictions from some of thr Gown
town streets, which are absolutely neeueu loI
continuation of the rout"