New-York tribune., 1891-05-23
RAPID TRANSIT PLANS.
PROGRESS OF THE COMMISSION.
WHAT WILLIAM sTEINwAY is REPORTED TO
HAVE.sAIp ABOUT IT.

WHAT WILLIAM sTEINwAY is REPORTED TO
HAvE.sAID ABOUT IT.
The thousands OF citizens Of New-York who have
been waiting anxiously for the decision oil the
Rapid Transit Commission will be able TO discuss
ts plans in detail in all probability next week.
The following report of it was published In Inc
Mail and Express" yesterday
Rapid transit is in sight, and before a;s.ther sa
week has passed the impatient public VIII hhVN All
the details Of the plan at which the Commissioners
have been at work the last four months. It eaa DC
side OF the city, far north Oneundred ana my
ffthst.. has been determined upon tbat II VIII oe
car be speeded fast forty miles hour. II VIII
probably b. undes ground road below Calalst ana
open-cut and elevated iUrthcf up towl, accOfunR "
the Typographical ana engineerng measures. i" t
steinwsy. president Of the Commission stated 70
of the new West side route substantially cofrect
and that II would be formally ratified at meeting
the Commissioners next Tuesday. IL Is true salu
MIR stenvay that the conclusion TO do this has been
partially brought about by the mpaiience OF tle
tng or,r plans before they are completed. our main
idea is IN give Ouc plans to the press ana ass aus .
eIaboration We viii wait three or four weeks % he1E
these suggestions from the people, ana tnen i0fhSS
adopt the plan as amended by public desire t.
THUS lar we have gone about our work in
thorough manner and have not been influenced py
rapid transit al once by adopting ana aeTe dSe
some system now in 1t Is our business to oecoe
determined 10 prepare for the undoubted growth -
II your plan Is adopted how hong viii II be De1oie
your system OF rapid transit may be expected 10 DC ID
operation ;" --,.... .-,,h,, e,,b,ssn
iary running within this time. These sections VIII
WHAT viii be the probable expense Of the road as
It dicult thing to estimate that but we think
II ought not 10 b. more than $50 100000 for me w.
side division The route viii be built on at east thre
diffcrent plans. II will embody stretches oi eeyatl "a
Tf5 fbe Intention % of following the plan through
out but soon found that this was not pracucao
see broadway Is not straight. and we have y rcgus
orr system with relation 10 that thorouehiarer Inc
people do not want TO leave the trans az d
r. We keen near broadway cannot go straight anu
bv going on curve we shall have to use space
seventy Ave feet wide in some places TO attack EI tne
imprartlcable Ii would require such a stupendous
outlay Of money that no capltaIst ~ouIo oIS ners ~
would delay the work for years by going INTO the co1s
and making appeal after appeal 30 we It1 20 ~
our plans, and have concluded to go part on lne
How many tracks will there be'7
structure two tracks for accommodation trains ana
two for expresses. For the greater pari OF the as
lance these tracks will be all four the same level
for we favor this Arrangement However. for Ger
tain distance above Fftyninth-st. We may be pter-
ripted in this arrangement and be Obliged 10 nave '"O
of the tracks above the other two -.
Where have the stations been located -
= iii tae tvo % engneers with five assistants several
weeks todecide this You see it has to be done very
thoroughly for before anything can be done IN the
matter of construction have TO secure the consent
Of the Common Council 10 our plans; We tleh nave
~ GET the consent Of more than One-ha Of the prop
ertv owners II We fail in this we shall apply 70 me
General Term for the appointment Of commission'
and that will settle II -, -. ~
Mr. Steinway said that soon as the route On
the West side was adopted the Commission wQhm olF
settle the matter for the East side me .ei>on @ Ia'
the more thickly populated Fast side to be con,
sdered last Is because they are now better supplied
with rapid transit by the elevated railroads on second
and Third aves. and the surface road on tourtneve
Mr. Steinway said this morning that much work has
already been done on the East side route Dut that
tho Commission has been embarrassed by legal dn-
culty Of some proportions. ,,
From Nj. Stoinway's remqrks II IS to nc inferred
that the Commission has dcinitely decided upon
electricity as the motive power m the new system
@rrtI recentlyr h said. "we have not been con
vinced tha electricity wOuld sustain the necessarily
heavy traffic and maintain the requirements and speed
We mean 10 have speed Of az least forty miles an
hour and are satisfied that thi5 can De
safely obtained by electricity ~
at Is also understood hOm the Interview with
wr Steinwav that te proposed route, below Canast'
at least, will be under ground