New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-07
MR.. DEPEW AND THE TUNNEL
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF LIGHTING
1T.
CHE INDICTED RAILWAY DIRECTORS WANT
THEIR CASES TRIED IN OYER AND
TERMJNER.


c.rous railroad matters with number of reporters,
-hen one OF them introduced the subject OF the
rourtbave tunnel He asked about the lighting trials
now being made, and Mr. Depew said that they
we're only experiments.
This tunnel question: added Mr.. Depew, has
,een obscured by much nonsense, skyrocketng,
teseong and sheet lightning that want TO get right
aown TO the trouble with the tunnel You go through
the tunnel now every signal will be as clear as 1t
q out on the street there and the middle tunnel
az light il is the street But on certain days
IN the year heavy fog settles on the city of New
York and it settles in that tunnel as 1t seeks, OF
course all places damp and underground. There never
YET has been light invented that will penetrate fog
The most brilliant fortune in this world is reserved for
the man who inventS that light, because 1t would
necessarily be adopted upon every ship that sails
the ocean or that sails any stream like our own
Hudson and Harlem.
ain London. where at times they cannot even drive
the cabs through the streets, light to penetrate fog
would be Of ncalculabe value to the inventor. II is
a mistake TO say that there is smoke In the
tunnel, but there is steam. You cannot avoid
that Now on foggy dag the steam
mixes with the fog and the dust that
inevitably rises from the whirl Of train comes up
aud mixes with the fog. No ventilation will lift that
fog because 1t heavier than the air. you should
have a fan the fan would suck in more fog than IL
would drive out, and the great problem Is how TO
penetrate that fog. have taken the very best ad-
vice that could be found the subject and II has
Invariably been that electric lights would make the
signals more obscure The engineers unanimously
prefer TO rely on the signals, rather than have them
nterfered with by the electric light requested the
state Railroad Commissioners to look INTO tne ques-
ton, and told them that if they would order the
electric light would put Ii in 1T once The suesesor
OF a plan for the tunnel assumes no responsibility
The railroad that does adopt the plan assumes
frghtful responsibility. There is nothing thaI couio
he suggested no matter what the cost might be- wnch
had been demonstrated TO be OF such character tha
n would benefit the condition OF our tunnel that Wo
would not adopt at once. To make this tunnel sale,
10 stop the clamor about it, to relieve ourselves OF
anxiety and to make IL popular ulero ID io o"u "a ~
money we would spend.
al was heartily glad TO see the Recommendation Oh
the Grand Jury advising the Legislature to empower
the Railroad Commissioners to compel such plans as
they might deem best for signals or VenuIauOn OF
light / have been in favor Of that legislation, am
in favor Of it, The only reason why we have not put
IN electric lights is that the expert testimony Of scen-
fife men and of the locomotive engineers running
through the tunnel is that would confuse the signals
In focgy weather We did not dare to put 1t In
Now we have put Il in as test In one tunnel and OF
course under the most rigid conditions with the engi
neers as 10 the manner in which they shall run, with
double guards and double precautions of every sort
Our Weehawken tunnel is clear on account OF "a
eurous atmospheric condition which does not exist In
New York. The temperature on the marshes behind
the hin differs so much from the temperature on
York Bay that there is constant draught through
the tunnel enough to drive everything out and always
In direction. THESE conuluoS ooho pioVa d' Ill
In the tunnel here.
alt is an extraordinary fact that Notwithstanding all
that is said about the Fourthave. tunnel 415 trains
day have run through it for nine years Without any
accident That is trains, on given tracks tnan
on any other given tracks in the country and IL is the
only tunnel in country Of which that statement can
he made The morning of the accident was the 1oS-
gest we have had in this city for years. You coulah
recognize a friend across the street.
"The main legal question in the case Of the New
Haven directors IS this Their Is Conllecucut
corporation and bound to obey the laws OF Its creator
It's creator through the railroad commissioners mas
recommended a car heater which Is the one used by
the New Haven road. failure to use that car heater
thus recommended. and the use of any other devlce
which resulted in an accident would inevitably lead
10 the most serious results to the managers OF the
road. because they dsobeyed the law of the state
which chartered it. Now they indicted in another
state for obeyng the of the State which created
tTestGg Gaeons Of interstate commerce The only
way in which the New-H Haven directors could nave
SSye BEEN to have an compelled their to
change cars on the New-York line which would Do
an interruption Of interstate commerce. -,
Counsel for the indicted directors OF the New York
& az and hsSd N EC yeSaT & thew
intended to to have the cases of their clients
@ i 10 me er court OF ser anu Of All
until the first motion is decided. The motion for a
STAY will probably be made to-day in the supreme
Court Mr.. NicOD had intended that the directors
should plead tomorrow.
MI NicoIl received copies of the afhdavits upon
which the motions are TO be made. The afhdavits
made by John NJ. Bowers the lawyer; Charles Clark
president of the road and Mr. Taft of Page & Taft
Counsel for the road. They say that the newspapers
have poisoned the mind Of the public against the dec
toes, and that fair trial could not therefore be OBJ
tained in General Sessions.
1t is further said in the papers that the defendants
are men of high standing, and list of the public
Offices and honors conferred on some Of the directors
is given. Chauncey VI. Depew is described as having
had his name presented to convention which nom
mated a candidate for the Presidency and as being
Worlds Fair Commissioner, and holding other Offices
The afdavits also declare that no conviction can be
secured only wentyslx miles Of the road lie In this
state.
Wilson G. Hunt one of the directors, gave bail in
5000 yesterday. His surety was Alexander i. Van
Nest hardware merchant. at No. so Warrenst. All
Of the twelve directors are now under bail.