The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-18
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
Rapid Transit.

LETTERS EhOu THE PEOPLE-
-------
Rapid Transit.
10 THE EDITOR OF THE sUN-Sr. Having al
,,ady taken considerable part in the discus.
.;on MS to the best solution OF the rapid transit
,roblem beg to offor you aome remarks upon
tbe MANS of tho engineers and the reports Of
the experts.
There Is an evident desire Oh the part OF the
engineers to obtain, II possible. four tracks
nnder Broadway. and Mr.. Cooper recommends
aide tracks also. am not aware whether the
motive is financial or scientific. that Is to say.
wbether it proceeds from the view that rapid
transit company would require capacity for
handling both long and short haul in order to
make II pay. or whether it arises from the con-
clusion that Broadway alone Is the route
tor an exhaustive settlement OF the pres
ont difficulty on the west side OF the city.
A four.track road. whether on the single or
aouble deck system. would not only involve a
much greater outlay, but also much greater
dir,culty of construction than double track.
Tho work OF taking out the sub-surface OF the
street under the cable rond for its whole width
you'd be- assuredly attended with damages to
the track and possibly to adjacent houses. 1t
"a claimed that the Greathead system can be
carried out without any settlement. but after
looking at the unsightly cracks In the house
nnder which tho st. Clair tunnel was carried
AZ Port Huron. / am inclined to doubt
whether those claims would be sustained. A
double track could DO constructed by
the method which have suggested
N the Commissioners without touching the
cable road without interfering with the traffic.
and with or without provision for tho under
Ground pines. On surface or viaduct construc-
fion II is cheaper to build a four-track road
than two doublc-track roads. principally on ac-
count Of land and property damages. which
arc not much more for the four than for the
two but the case is different with an under
ground railway along comparatively speak
ing narrow avenue. IT, in accordance with the
views expressed In the Commissioners first re-
port, II is desirable to have the railway as near
the surface us possible. 1t would be cheaper to
build two track road under Broadway and
similar road under neighboring avenue than
to underpin the street and cable roads with
wide Orders. The material itself would be
more costly and tho difficulty Of construc-
ton very much greater under the latter plan.
A subway construction. carried on under
meath the protection OF a permanent iron roof
floor. would be moro rapidly and more cheaply
carried out than any other system Of tunnel
ling There is no avenue in the city in which
solid rock would be met with when working
Immediately below the surface except for G
very small proportion Of the whole distance
The difficult and expensive methods Of the
Broadway cable construction would not be
necessitated. because there would be no inter-
ference with the street traffic, all being done
with clear Roadway and plenty Of working
room. The roof itself would be furnished with
supports for the pipes instead Of singing
them from the surface on temporary transoms.
II the problem demands four tracks under
Broadway. the Commissioners plans must
stand or fall upon that basis but II the dim
Guilty would be equally we'll met by dividing it
up they might relieve thelproblem Of much Of
ib complexity. Isubmit the following views:
First-Four tracks on any thoroughfare Of
this city properly operated to suit the varying
class Of travel at different times Of the day
will amply suffice for all the traffic which
should naturally fall to that thoroughfare
alone. and sooner or later all the main thor
oughiares must have their own rapid transit.
,Second.-Broadway. when the cable cars are
short haul by those cars operated proba oily In
and it Is matter Of doubt how far short-hsIi
underground service would suit the public
woad g eaPabs nslse al
lifelong haul traffic south Of Harlem River;
the ea ~ t6ss ctT az DC
lines BY suitable transfer stations north of
Harlem River. better than by continuing the
Fourth-An occasional cressover road at a
Giles. such as breakdowns. and It would Be a
needless complication OF the problem to adopt
and SIDE traeRs such as NJ cooper proposes
in the heart Of the city. The place for mar
Te Pc
sss:ssssE sssas SnY ss the Stations and az they
Fifth.PIatforms under or adjacent to the
tween tween the tracks. easier to construct and
awaEs 9 9Sst the
character or amount from what was antici-
Rated BY the constructors. notably so ~ the
B b Stadtbahn or the elevated dr. railways
could be constructed on neighboring avenue
tsn ca SE bpem ~ t@
under Broadway. then Surprising i the travel
should exceed the capacity OF the Broadway
tracks. fresh construction would, at once be
commenced. with the advantage that the resi-
dents OF the neighboring avenue would have
their facilities close to hand. II. however; gil
not realize ali that is expected from them. It
may close up the capitalists pockets for some
The future Of metropolitan transit will prob
Are at present consistent with safety. and viii
Tor very short distances. Possibly some Of US
doned and nc 'e ourselses Carried undereroSnd.
even for couple OF blocks. at speed Of 100
miles per hour with as easy start and stop as
SAINT" For the present. however. the mechan.
ieally operated surface car will retain its hold
upon public patronage BY virtue OF its con
ate need in New York city is not for short haul
facilities so much as for transit analogous to
that furnished by suburban branches OF trunk
lines In European cities. In which the morning
t ana evening express trains STOP at about every
about every mile. II the first step In the sou-
ton Of the rapid transit problem exactly meets
this need. It will BIO in itself success and its re-
suits will yield more light upon the succeeding
ventures. 4. GRAHAM GRIBBLE.
New YORK. Oct. IA.