Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-17

OF dollars, and a popularity OF their con-
Sruction is that they will be almost entire
~ under ground. The modern gun car
rage with its elevator attachment will
allow all the immense rifles with which tbe
fortress VIII be equipped to remain at rest
really In the bowels of the Garth until they
are ar neeueo- A system of tunnels * is said,
VIII connect with the various parts OF the
place and precautions will he taken that
Will make an attack upon Esu,linault or
Victoria impossible by land while the har-
pors OF both places will be protected by
submarine mines of the most deadly char
acter L suppose Esquimault will be the
rendezvous for the great feet which Eng
land proposes placing in the NORTH Paciflc
me OLD lady Is looking ahead and prepar-
ton" 41e9
"Our city is just now in great danger Of
losing the Missouri river" sail George
Henderson OF Atchison, Kan. at the st.
James today. And not only that, but the
iron bridge over the river and the railroads
reaching Atchison from the east are pretty
nearly sure to be cut off, 100 For several
years the river has been cutting away the
bank above the railroads on the Missouri
side to such an extent that two or three
thousand acres of land have been carried
away, as well as a good deal OF the site
of East Atchison. The government spent
$4,000 in protecting the bank, but the work
was improperly done, and last June a
provements out. Since then the river has
resumed its warfare and several valuable
farms have been washed away. This year
since the river began to rise the bank has
been caving in at an alarming rate Origi-
nally the shore line was over n mile from
the railroad tracks; now IL is less than a
hundred yards, and the railroad men are
ready to tear up the tracks at the shortest
possible notice. II the river cuts through
as it is feared IT will, it will throw the
Missouri river fully a mile from the east
bank of its present bed, leave the big iron
bridge spanning lake and cut of all rail
communication with the east Then also
every house of every Sort including a val
liable pork-packing plant in East Atchison
Will be swept away. Should the worst
happen, 81, 100000 would not cover the loss
Only Providence can prevent the river
cutting through, as the river is too high
now to admit of work being DONE even il
there was plenty of money 1T hand to do it.
The railroads spoke of as being in danger
are the Kansas City, st. Joe and Council
Bluffs. the Missouri Pacific, the Atchison.
Topeka and Sante Fe. the Hannibal and
st. Joe and the Rock Island. Each will
lose a mile of track at least. besides yards
and sidings."
New York may have un iergrouni rap!d
transit in the near future In spite of the
Manhattan Elevated railways efforts to
the contrary" said George r. Fitch Of
Gotham at the Shoreham last night. 1.-The
plan Of ex-Mayor Hewitt, which is embrac-
ed in a bill that will shortly be submitted
to the legislature, is very favorably regard
ed and has the hearty support Of the cham
Der of commerce and the board of trade, as
well as of most of the men VINO have made
the subject of rapid transit a study. The
bill in question provides for the creation OF
a new commission, TO consist of the mayor.
the controller of the city, the president of
the chamber of commerce, and four other
members, not yet selected, out VINO will be
specifically named in the bill. Stripped Of
its technical requirements, the measure pro-
vides that after plan is decided upon and
approved by the common council of the
city the commissioners are to make a con-
tract for the construction and the opera
ton of the road by one and the same re
sponsible party or corporation, who shall be
bound to equip and maintain It and to pay
as rental to the city an annual sum equal
to the interest on the municipal bonds is
sued to pay for the cost of the construction.
which interest will probably be per cent,
and to per cent of the amount of those
bonds. making per cent in all. The part
of the rental remaining after the interest
on the bonds is paid is to form a sinking
fund, that would in the course Of time
amount to sufficient to retire the bonds AMI
leave the city the owner of system OF
rapid transit free from all lncumbrance.
While the bill contemplates an underground
system, ii lays no restriction upon the en-
tire or partial use of other methods"