New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-22
RAPID-TRANSIT PROSPECTS.
IDEAS WHICH ONCE SEEMED ABSURD AND
APE NOW FACTS

ARE NOW FACTS.
Austin Corbins scheme Of rapid transit is not new
idea If his lie talked fifteen year, ago Of tunncliihg
under the East River with view solely TO facilitating
travel to Manhattan Beach, which he had only re
Gently discovered and beauthcd His idea then was TO
make connection with the elevated railways at the
Battery Iii, idea has grown with his own great eN-
pansion a. a nanclcr and protector. His one tunnel
for local purposes has grown into three tunnels Tor
general purposes Of the metropolis two OF them uhdcr
the river beds, and one far down below the "hOie
length of the city. The enterprise seem, a stupcndos
one at first thought, though not any more daring
conception than the present elevated railway SyN-
TEN when DR.. Gilbert first projected it. The oblcc-
tons which will be urged against il are not hall 80
serious as those which were raised against the con
>truuiOn Of the elevated railways. People VIII not
ride under ground" will he said and when this Is said
all that can be urged against Mr.. COrbin's scheme Is
put. IT was said of DR.. GbcTt's scheme OF elevated
railways Vat people would not climb ,airways to FISK
their lives OH such elevated structures. But they do
and given an underground railway, by tunnelline
through solid rock welllG and mechanically vcnt
lated people will willingly descend by elevators any
reasonable distance obtain quick transit We are
a very impatient people and do not stop at incon
venences, risks either, to secure speed in any form
O'Bren & Clark the contractors. had at one time
a scheme similar to that OF Austin COrln. Indeed. II
IS surprising not to find them among the projectors
named in the Corbin bill Possibly they do not caro-
who projects railways provided they get Tie
contract 10 build them. Their scheme contemplated
going down by elevators $50 feet TO solid rock, which
their examinations and soundings showed was contln
uous at that depth from the Battery northward a. far
as the northern terminus of the Aqueduct. They
could get under Canal ST and the Harlem River with
equal facility. 1t is estimated by them that $3OOOoOOO
would complete tunnel for four tracks with branches
the various commercial districts Of the city to accom-
modae shippers Of freight 1t was said that tunneline
through solid rock is a. cheap tunnellinS through
earth, with this additional advantage-thc rock taken
out valuable. while the earth removed is an obstacle
to be gotten rid of. The mechanical appliance, fol-
drilling and blasting recently invented not only aci
tate but cheaper rock tunnelng but no similar nven-
tons have been practically applied to earth tunnelllng
How stupendous these big enterprises appear when
far-seeng like Corbn and Gilbert and Kingsley
first announce them KinCslcy's idea of the Eas'
River Bridge regarded 10y most men AZ the time
he first suggested a. idle dream which could never
be successfully carried out SO old and wise, or at
least successful. man Mayor /. W. IIavemeyer
openly expressed the opinion that the rsl big storm
would turn the bridge upside down and destroy IL.
The only person connected with the elevated railway
system who had an adequate idea Of the cltys needs
in the way Of rapid ran, the original protector
of them DR.. Rufus W. Gilbert. During the siege OF
Chattanooga in 1863 Dr. Gilbert and I were together
at General Thomas's headquarters. and he was then
engaged on his first rough drafts Of his plans HIS
original idea a rtrdck line; then douDe-uei
railway, with elevators at the stations. In his argu
ments he always insisted that provision must be made
I'm any rapid tansit scheme for the increase of popula
non along the line selected. which would be inevitably
developed by the construction Of the railways. Be
fore he could get Governor DIX, on whose staff he had
served to c0untenance his plan, he had To drop the
doubleer idea. His original plan contemplated a
much heavier structure, but he lad to consent to a
lighter and cheaper plan before he could get capital
TO consider the scheme at all DR.. Gilbert had even
plan to the scheme Of loop at the Battery ~
and practical and sensible His idea was +"
run the Sixth and Ninth aves. line around through
southst. TO COenties slip, and there connect
with the Third and second ayes lines. In MS con
versation years later he used Ia insist thai
the TWO roads would one day be connected al both end
Of the island and trains wOuld make contnu IL trip
around the circuit Of the city. This IS still good
idea TO carry out. The objections % a road along
the Harlem River from Third to Eighth ave-, and
along the East River front from south Ferry 10
Coentes slip, seem trivial compared t. those against
the loop in Battery Park. Austin COrbins work on
Long Island shows that he is no dreamer once
described hi, Manhattan enterprises in Tic Tribune and
saw him often IN those days. lie Lad not then com
Melted his purchase Of the Long Island Railroad but
he made no special secret If his plans lie sdid then
If get the road will make al Long Island coast
one continuous Watering place. like Manhattan Beach,
and all Long Island garden u feed and dec rate
New York. This sounded like poetry then: 1t Is
almost fact now.
Dr. Gilbert's idea of looking far ahead for tho
accommodation Of the increased population winch great
internal enterprises develop has more significance
for the inhabitants Of this little and long and narrow
island OF Manhattan than for those of any other
metropolis We can expand in Only two directions
nm i'm the air and nOrtnwar; unless. As Mr.. torbln
suggests VIC 60 down 10 rocked. The increase o.!
| ,',I..o q
River tunnel Will be very great The trdnsfc OF the
dcpots of the railways now terminating III Jersey CG
to Ncw.YCrk is certain to COngcst that part OF TIE
city above Canal. below Twenty thrlst and west OF
broadway. with the New-Jer,ey populace wihch VIII
necessarily follow the removal of dcpots 10 TINS
Vicinity The North River bridge, which Will doubt
less be built some day other. VIII similarly ane't
population at its terminus on the Island ANA the.e
are problems which will soon be presented 10 our
consideration
THE BOARD DID NOT MEET.