New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-24
RAPID TRANSIT PLANS.
A TALK WITH COMMISSIONER sTEINwAY.
MANY DETAILS OF DEVELOPMENT YET TO BE
WORKED oUT-THE PUBLIC ASKED

MANY DETAILS OF DEVELOPMENT VEL ~ Do
WORKED oUT-THE PUBLIC ASKED
TO BE PATIENT.
Although the Rapid Transit Commission have agreed
up0n a trunk route for underground railway they
realize that many knoty problems yet TO be solved
before the practlcablty Of the proposed scheme Is
elry demonstrated It is conceded by men who talked
on the subject yesterday that the plan for main stem
from the Battery % Fourteenthst., with divergins
lines embracing the east and west sides OF the Island
above that point appears 10 be possible, particularly
in view Of the satisfactory results Of the borngs made
between the lower points Of the city and Thirty third
ST. But the fact IS also recognized that the construc-
ton OF such a transportation channel Is a GgaAtlc
task, and there are so many details TO be worked OUT
TO the satisfaction Of capitalists whose money Is relied
upon for the completion Of the undertaking. that even
the Commissioners are reluctant at TINS stage ol IN
vesgaton 10 express opinions concerning inc PVD'Oio
success Of the enterprise.
President William steinway courteously received
Tribune reporter Yesterday at his Office In Fourteenth
st. II has beenn said he, most labor0us TASK Tor
the Commission; but have all tried 10 do cur duty
with wise celebration. and have not allowed ourselves
TO be hurried into hasty action by the natural lmpa-
tience Of the public 1t would not be proper for me
10 say by Just what methods we arrived at our con-
illusions enough suppose. to know that we have
unanimously agreed upon route. The matter OF par
aIIe line suppose may say without impropnety' oc-
cupe1 our attention for weeks. After we laid OUT the
Broadway line II was question whether we should
adopt the old Belmont ldea-that IS. the line under
Fourth-ave, lafayette Place and Elm-st down 10 the
CITY Hal-but when consider that Broadway IS
feet wide from curb TO curb, and that IL
was without any trunk sewer. the conditions, taken
as whole, appeared to be exceedingly favorable.
II was myself favorable at first to the Belmont
route But il was necessary that should select
ronte that would not only be most convenient 70 the
public but one that would at the same time be at
tractve 10 capitalists. became satisfied that this
route extending three miles from the Battery 10
Fourteenth-st., and there diverging and going rght
and left striking the finest spots on the east ana
west sides of the city. the route that would In
vte capital and he Of the greatest utility TO the public
whereas II We had gore down Fourth-ave, the road
would have passed through an unattractve section
Of the city, and would have stopped at City Hau.
Under all the circumstances. think this VIII be by
far the most paying route
4And YOU have no doubt that adequate facilities
can be afforded for handling sufficiently large number
OF passengers to make the enterprise paying onef'
was asked.
well we propose to have fourtrack road, the
centre tracks being for express trains. We estimate
that we car move with the greatest ease 10000
people an hour, all seated and Onethrd more of per-
sons who may not be seated. l think 1t VIII De
generations before these four tracks will be found IN
sufficient for the movement Of the traffic Offering
as il the Judgment Of the Commission and of en-
cheering experts that the doubledeck system possesses
system providing for the four tracAs
on lcvell'
@The doubledcck system has some advantages and
some Disadvantages but we are now considering that
whole subject We are having two plans prepared
and I think we shall have them in hand within a
week or two. We shall go over them point by point
and accept the one which seems TO possess the gretest
advantages
:. Your plan contSmplates,' was suggested, four
tracks on the main STEM between the Battery and
Fourteenth-st Thence there will be two diverging
tunnels each provided with four trucks. making eight
tracis above Fourteenth-st, operating in conjunction
with only four tracks below VIII there not De danger
of congestion at that point, and possible Collisions
That Is a matter Of detail" replied Mr. Stein~ay
. which remains TO be svoried out There VIII be
local trains aud through express trains The move
ment OF these trains passing that junction point VIII
necessarily have TO be graduated on scale VI time
and Roadway of speed yet 10 be determined now
ever every train will be required TO come to dean
stop at Union square, so there never can Dc any
collision there
4. sbor,d there not be switching facilities and side
and storage tracks in that locality TO provide against
possible congestion and 90 admit of room for shftns
cars in case of bockades either the main stem or
the divergng branches
aPrecisey and that is advantage OF having
the diverug point located at Fourteenth-st You see
re have all Union SQUARE without any main sewer
thousand feet square-n which TO pro-
vide for all these facilities The Importance OF that
matter has been fully considered. but as say whlIe
IL Is a matter of detail remaining 10 be worked out,
there is no doubt that by regulating the time OF ex
pres. and local trains and providing for greater fro
ouencv OF all trains south from Fourteenth and move
ment above that point graduated 70 the capacity below,
safety will be Insured and congestion prevented We
shall probably also have switching facilities under City
Hall Square.
We have determined" said ,lr. steinway In con-
clusiou. TO have the road constructed the
surface as possible Of IN the of building
A road TO cost a. 100000 a mile great deal has to
be considered The law prevents US from laying out
a surface road within the city limits. You
difficulty in the matter Of dealing with all that
ion about seven miles above the Harlem River where
there is no road aud only small population. Natu
rally such a road could not be expected pay Tor
rerv long time. To he IL may be- said that the
population will 20 there when the facilities are pro
Vlded but capitA does not care 10 take such r1sks
samuel spencer, one OF the Commissioners. said he
preferred % talk upon the subject than 10
ay that the Commission had agreed upon the plan
which seemed 20 them most practicable There were
many details remaining IN connection with the devel-
derabe influence IN the OF the enterprise from
N investing and operating point Of view: u was
ubect requiring CAREFUL investigation and delbeiA atom,
le believed the Commission had advanced their WORK
efficiently rapidly 20 be consistent With ludlcous-
less OF action that would enttle their views 10 re-
pectfu consideration, and that a plan had been
rniulated details should be left for gradual unfolding.
,eot the Commissioners TO announce their indvidual
Jews before the full board prepared % speak ON
tally which they were doing as rapidly as the I'M
,ortance Of The questions involved would JUSTIFY