Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-16
BIG RAILROAD PLANS
Which May Have a Great Influence
Upon the Entire Country.
EITHER BY BRIDGE Or TUNNEL
Trains Are Now Certain to be Soon Taken
Direct to New York.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY MR.. DEEPEN

great projects which make decided change
in railroad matters in this vicinity, if not in
the whole country. They are the North
river bridge, the North river tunnel and
the East river tunnel. Projects so vast have
perhaps scarcely ever been presented to the
people of New York. So wide are the pos
sibilities suggested by the projectors that
the public mind OF even this most progress
sive end OF the nineteenth century is con-
fused and scarcely knows how to regard the
several enterprises.
The managers of the North River Bridge
scheme have at last chosen the site for the
New York terminal of their span, and made
public all their plans. They announce
further that by spring work will be begun
on their immense undertaking, and expect
that by that time the greater part of the
$50, 900, 600 required, not dollar OF which
has yet been raised, will be secured.
Meanwhile work upon the North River
tunnel goes on as though such thing as
bridge had never been thought OF. The mud
and debris from the excavation are every
few DAYS brought to the surface and depos-
tied on Jersey soil at a point midway be-
tween the Erie and Lackawanna railroads.
It looks as though the tunnel might be
finished before the bridge were half or even
oue-fourth done, though its managers are
Englishmen, while the projectors of the
bridge are undeniably Yankees.
The Views of Depew.
Chauncey M. Depew was asked by a re-
porter for his views regarding all these
schemes. Mr.. Depew said that he knew
very little about the North river bridge.
He added:
81 think the North river bridge was
scheme pushed through the Legislature to
sell. don't think it had anybody behind
it at the time, though it may have now.
Still, believe that the bridge will ultimate
ly be built. either this or some other"
Mr.. Depew continued that he did not
think that the bridge would make very great
changes in traffic, because the arrangements
of the roads terminating at Jersey City were
so perfect now. 1.-THE ferry boats are the
largest that can be built. and the floats for
carrying of cars are the best. The bridge
might be a good thing for passenger traffic,
but whether it will be available for freight
is very doubtful matter. 1t is a question
whether the roads can secure terminals in
New York city that would be of benefit to
them.
81 think the experience of the Erie is that
it is cheaper to float freight across the river
from Newburg than to use the Poughkeepsie
bridge, of course paying the arbitrary
charges there
Mr.. Depew said that tunnels were utpop-
ular. He doubted whether that under the
North river would ever be finished, and
thought that it could not receive the patron
age of passengers.
OF a Different Nature.
1.-THE East river tunnel" continued Mr..
Depew, sis very different thing. because
the distance is shorter. 1 think that tunnel
would be a great benefit to New York and
Long Island, and be available for passenger
traffic. 1t is the great distance Of the North
river tunnel that is against it."
Mr.. Andrew H. Green. who is the leader
in the bridge enterprise, said that he be-
lieved the North river bridge scheme to be
the most important measure every presented
to New York City. 1t would facilitate tine
commerce OF the whole country. AS things
now were everv car, with the exception of
those of single road, discharged its passen-
gers or its cargo to be put upon ferry boats
or other craft With the bridge an accom-
plished fact, the traffic of the whole continent
would be directly with New York. Mr..
Green said he knew very little about the
North river tunnel, but should be glad to see
it completed. Every bridge and every tunnel
was a grand thing for New York. The pro-
jected East river tunnel, Mr.. Green said,
was somewhat problematical, perhaps, but
sure to come, in his opinion. There was no
doubt that teams would be driven through
these tunnels, but whether the grades could
be arranged to accommodate trains was a
question vet unsettled. Mr.. Green referred
to his remarks upon the subject of bridges
and tunnels made before the park commits
sioners December 80, 1868, when he was
controller of parks. He then described
the bridges across the Thames at London
and the Seine at Paris, and said that if New
York and Long Island should hereafter be
connected by bridges the distance between
Wards Island and the Battery would re-
quire % OF them if they were to be as fire.
quent as in London, or so if built as near
together as in Paris. Mr.. Green also urged
the desirability of constructing tunnels
whenever practicable instead of bridges,
having special reference to the Harlem
river, however.
Some Difficulty in Securing Capital.
The difficulties in the way of the bridge
people in their efforts to secure the neces-
sary capital Tor their enterprise are likely to
amount to something. One of the most
prominent freight traffic men in the country
is known to have recently declined to take
any of the stock or have anything to do with
the enterprise, Some men fear the bridge, as
ali innovations are feared by those whose
interests seem likely to suffer by them, and
one view regarding the proposed structure
is that it will destroy the lighterage bust
ness between New York and Jersey City.
One prominent railroad man, who says
that he has not given the subject of bridge
| or tunnel sufficient consideration to warrant
| the use of his name, believes in encouraging
all three schemes, and as many more of a
| similar nature as may appear.
81 say, encourage them all. % he exclaimed,
sit people are willing to put their money
in them! This for two or three reasons.
| One Is that they will give work to a class ol
people who need it. Secondly, these enter
! prises are sure to result in the development
of certain sections, the establishment OF
new business. When a railroad company is
asked to put on an extra suburban train, for
| instance, the objection is sometimes made
that there is no business for that train. But
| if the train is run the company soon finds
that there is enough travel for that train.
| believe the bridge and the tunnels will make
populations larger in portions of New Jer-
sey and Brooklyn. There is no way for
New York to expand but into New Jersey.
| The East river tunnel will surely develop
part of Brooklyn not now touched by the
Brooklyn bridge. But the North river
bridge will, 1 think, overshadow the tunnel
under that river. People will not travel
below when they can go overhead. But, ]
think that all these things are to be consid.
cred in a wide sense, and that all will result
in great development"