The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-04-25
THE new iron DEPOT.
1t Will Be Open for Traffic
a Week from Tomorrow.
Bow THE TRAINS WILL BE MOVED
When the Change Has Been Made
Work Will be Commenced
on the other Two Ele-
waited Tracks.

Alter months OF patlenb INDUSTRY anu
weeks of vexatious delay, the Pennsyl-
vania Railway Company is at last ready
TO put into operation the massive iron
train shed which it has been construct
ing in this city. Although the shed will
be open for traffic next Sunday, 1t is by
no means finished, and much remains to
be done before it will be entirely COM
pleted. The roof is not yet wholly on.
Much Of the glass remains 10 be put
In place. and the metal sheathing is yet
to go on the wooden covering. The large
glass curtain, as it is called, is yet to be
put IN place. This is massive affair OF
glass plates set in iron frames. which will
be constructed over the west end or en-
trance to the shed, aBd which VIII cover
the entire space enclosed in the arch OF
the depot, IL will protect the interior OF
the shed to q great extent from storms
and wind. Then, too, the platforms
which are now laid in the depot are OF
plank and will eventually be replaced
with stone.
Where the new shed is entirely flushed
work will be commenced on the waiting
room and ferry houses, but for some time
TO come the present buildings will be
used The present waiting room Is ample
and commodious, and will fulfil all the
requirements made upon IL.
THE FIRST TRAIN IN THE NEW SHED.
When the 1880 Southern express pulls
out of the temporary shed at the north of
the elevated structure next Monday morn
ing, surface tracks for passenger traffic in
Jersey City will be abandoned by the
Pennsylvania Railroad, and presentations
will be made tor using the elevated road.
The first train TO leave the great iron
depot will be the fast newspaper train
vii Ian hA ~ ofu lion NJ
2:30 O'Clock in the morning, ana carries
no passengers. It. however, Is loaded
down with heavy bundles OF newspapers
and these Will be raised to the cars by
means of one of the heavy elevators in
the new station, which will be used for
raising the baggage vans.
After the newsp paper train has left no
otaer train will arrive at or depart from
the new shed until 4:35 O'Clock in the
morning, when the midnight express
from Philadelphia is dus. When the
sleepy passengers tumble from the cars
they viii rub their eyes In astonishment
and doubt whether they are awake. They
will intuitively feel that they are above
the surface OF the street nd as they gaze
above them ut the huge iron girders, look
ing in the dim uncertain light OF early
morning like the ghostly arms Of some
spectre, they will wonder where they are.
Nor will they reallze the exact state of
! aif.-..--s ---Ltil they will have walked to the.
end of the wide platform and descended
the broad wooden stairway to the boat.
After shat things will waken up, aud as
the day advances the regular schedule
will be carried out and all the trains over
the road will be despatched from and re-
ceived at the new shed.
HOW THE TRAINS WILL BE MOVED.
There are twelve tracks in the elevated
depot, six of which will be used for ar
riving trains. and six for those departing.
In the centr . of the station. near the east
ern eud is a little box-like structure, In
which signal man will be seated. Be-
fore him there will be a dial having upon
it thirteen buttons, numbered from one
10 twelve, while the thirteenth bears the
word cancel" Wires from this dial
run to the signal tower at the western
end of the depot, and 1t is connected with
doors of the waiting room by speaking
tubes and signals, Speaking tubes also
run to Station Master Keiffer's office.
When train Is ready to receive pas
sengers the signal man will communica-
taie the fact 10 the men in charge of the
waiting room doors, who will call out the
train and allow the passengers to pass
out
Almost directly opposite the doors and
fenced in so that no one can possibly go
astray is a broad stairway leading TO the
elevated depot. After ascending this the
passengers will be directed TO the trains
D1 Tram AuCA tAS 4OW, duQ Wncu 10
ready the conductor viii inform the man
In the little signal house to that effect.
The signal mRu VIII signal the fact to the
attendant in the large tower just below
Washington street. who will in turn give
the engineer the sigual that the track is
clear ahead Should any mistake be made
IN the signal from the station the attend
ant will Immediately press his button
"canceI," and the man in the tower will
act accordingly.
For the first week express and mail cars
will be loaded on the surface as at pres
ent, and will be transferred to the ele-
waited tracks by means of inclined tracks,
which Will start from the present freight
yard at the north of the present shed and
join the elevated tracks at Washington
s rect These inclined tracks will also be
used for some freight traffic IN and out of
the present freight yard.
As soon as the elevated st ructure is in
running order, which will be in abouE
week, work will probab ly be COM
menced on the two elevated tracks This
will be begun at the Hill and worked
down toward Henderson street. In the
meantime a massive wall will be built on
TO that on the south side, and another
large portion of Middiesex and Union
counties will be dumped there to finis b
the embankment-
When the surface tracks on Railroad
avenue are abandoned the street will be
lowered to the established grade. put n
order and paved, hy which means II will
be transferred into thoroug hfare.