The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-04

in Austria and Northern Italy, I am of tho
opinion that a tunnel having Dimensions
only for q single track holds, ochoop. and
re-echocs the sounds produced by a passing
trim in a manner quite without it's parallel
in 4 double-tracked tunnel.
ut will be seen, FROM what has been naid.
that there are a number of serious defects
in the Greathead tunnel system. as it il OK
empliied in the London & Stookwell line.
question to consider is whether the
merits of the system could be taken and it's
defsots rejected in nn American adaptation.
IL would BIO necessary to continue the single
tunnel feature, for by means Of this the ex-
tolerably fair method Of ventilation is Sc
cured. The stations, the elevators and
made 50 as to be much moro
slightly and comfortable-one or both;
while if the tunnels could be run be-
tween stations in practically straight lines,
not a little Of the discomfort incident to
travel in the London tunnels could be
avoided. In other words the drsathead
system furnishes the suggestions, Mt least,
Of a method of urban rapid transit, which
might be wisely adopted in Boston, if it is
desirable to have q system Of rapid transit
entirely independent, though connecting
with existing syBtems OF transit. either OF
steam or street railway. w
The underground roads are not fnan-
cially successful, and it questionable
whether they can ever be made 80. Mr..
Powell, the general manager, assured me
that if it wero not Tor the suburban
branches his company has built it could
not have avoided BANKRUPTCY.
''In spite of the wide streets and boulo-
wards; the numerous omnibus and tram-
way lines in Paris, and the system OF cir
cult railroad maintained by the railroad
company of the west, the people Of that
city ars greatly dissstis fed with their local
methods of transportation. tt sxhausts
quite an hour and a half to go from one
side Of the city to the other.
THE plan which seems to have the best
chances Of ouccess, beoauae it has been pre-
pared by a distinguished engineer, NJ.
Eiffel, has the support of wealthy capital
ists, and is, TO soma extent, approved by the
Quit route through the central part OF
Paris. of about seven and one-half miles in
length. Nearly two-thirds Of this would
be by tunnel and one-third by viaduct.
The cost Of the work proposed in the last
plan was estimated at about 84,000.000
francs, or say $2,4oo,0oo per mile.
has deservedly the highest reputation is the
Stadtbahn, in Berlin. The cost OF tho
main line. which is 8.8 miles long, is stated
to haye been 65, 900, 600 marks, or, say, $l6.-
100000. The main viaduct ia a masonry
structure, except where q street crossing is
made, when iron bridges are employed.
rather than m iron viaduct ID that the
former, but not the latter, will permit OF
the REIMBURSEMENT of the tracks in any man
ner that may be desired.
Eat the present time the local trains arc
run at 4 Roadway of five minutes. These
trains run with from eight to ten cars, each
car carrying fifty passengers. Ga the local
trains thee are only two classes of cars
second and third. The rates of fare in the
third class ara 10 %pfennigs, or two and q
half csnts, for a distance represented by
five ntations, or less, and Is pfennigs, or
three and three quarter cents, for the same
in the ~aecond-olass cars.
Freight trains are not allowed upon the
line during the day. On the south and
north rings they are permitted, The main
serves to supply the central market of
7re- b.
"rhs new overhead railway now in pro-
cess of construction OF Liverpool is owned
and will be operated by "a private company.
1t in tho first elevated railroad, so-cnlled,
that has been built IN Great Britain. and
the estimated cost of construction and
is $500. 600 per mile.
The speed ct which it is proposed to run
she cars ON this line is at the rate Of twenty
five miles per hour. There are two projects
for elevated railways in Paris, which nre
AplOAA 80 ~ AZ
doubtful whether either Of them will ever
definite form. tn first is a masonry
plum. It's cost ID estimated ut more
$4,000, 900 per mile.
1T can be said that the supporters in
Of the zone system Of fares. when
applied to suburban districts, point out
thore is no better Investment that u
company can make than to build
up a suburban population on it's line from
to twenty miles out from its metrorol-
titan terminus. Thus enoh new settler
gives to the railroad company the
of a constant and possibly
increasing income. The present policy of
is to give special encouragement to
This form Of business. This il shown by the
to increase the number OF trains,
to systematically reduce the rates of fare,
to make special Inducements in the way of
tickets, and to freely spend
money in enlarginR terminal facilities.
ut is impossible to everestimate the in
of the congestions in travel that
would daily occur in Paris IL the avenues
and boulevards of relatively recent creation
did not exist, or in London il that city did
have the Thames Emhankment, Queen
Victoria street, Holborn Viaduct and other
important thoroughfares, made
during the last quarter Of a century. The
difficulty in tho way of entering upon
undertakings of this kind in Boston il
the great expense which has hitherto Mt
such enterprises. If, by the adop-
ton Of Il like method, substantially similar
results could be obtained in Boston, it
be we'll TO seriously consider whether
1t would not be advisable to out through the
city one or two broad avenues for travel"
The REQ Hive has n large stock Of sleds,
wagons, childron's desks. furniture. doll cabs,
,tc.
HNIVEpQTTV