The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-04
THE BOSTON SUBWAY.
Measures of Relief for a City's
Congested Thoroughfares.
TRANSPORTATION BY TROLLEY CARS.

Puritan Bones and Puritan Feelings.
BOSTON, June 2.-It's a rather inter
estlng fact, when you come to think of
it, that, although Boston and Chicago
are as far removed in sympathy and
sentiment as they are geographically,
they of all large American cities are the
only ones now making extensive munic-
ipal improvements. Yet so it is, and in
each case the improvement under way is
Of great Importance not only to the city
in which it is being made, but also to
the world at large.
It is true that the drainage canal at
Chicago is the more important work Of
the two, as far as cost, magnitude and
relations with the whole country go, but
the subway at Boston is quite as pro-
nounced a step in the march of progress
and possibly the more significant Of the
two, for, while Chicago, out of regard
for the health Of her citizens, was forced
to do something in order to dispose of
her sewage and to purify the horrible
ditch known as the Chicago river, Bos-
toms move in building a subway for the
accommodation of her trolley cars was
the result of no greater congestion Of
street passenger traffic than exists in
several other large cities. In New York
and Brooklyn particularly, notwith-
standing the elevated railroads, there
are as loud cries for relief as there ever
have been here. In Brooklyn the first
preliminary steps for underground relief
have yet to be suggested, and in New
York, although there has been lot Of
talk, hundreds Of thousands of dollars
have been expended in surveys and
plans, and more than once the needed
legislation has been accomplished, moth
ing of real value has yet been done.
Boston, however, has actually set about
the construction of an underground line
of intramural travel, and to Boston
should be awarded due credit for this
evidence of the spirit of true progress.
Boston is not small city by any
means, but owing to it's compactness
there are no such enormous distances
within its borders as exist in New York,
Chicago, Brooklyn or Philadelphia, and
the chief need is not, therefore, exceed
ingly rapid transit over long lines, but
simply relief from overcrowding in the
town s unusually narrow, crooked thor
Oughfares. This contention is greatest
in the streets connecting two important
railroad terminal points, the Union de-
pot, on Causeway street, where trains
arrive from and depart for "down east, -
and the Old Colony depot, which acts as
the gateway for railroad travel to and
from New York and the south and west.
These points are not much more than a
mile apart.
The total cost of this subway, of suf-
fcient dimensions to accommodate four
trolley tracks where needed and two
elsewhere, has been estimated at SIS, OOO,-
600. large sum truly, but insignificant
beside the $50, 900, 900 authorized for
an underground railway on Manhattan
Island and still smaller compared with
the $65, 900, 900 that has been named as
the very smallest amount for which the
work can be accomplished. Boston was
long time getting ready to begin her
subway. But last year the needed legis-
lation for the construction of the sub
way was secured, and the actual work.
in charge of a commission duly appoint
ed for that purpose, was begun on March
26 of this year.
In the meantime there had been much
opposition to the whole scheme, and
various amendments had been made to
the enabling act. 1t was originally pro-
posed not to run the subway under any
portion of the Common or the Public
gardens; but, as at present contemplate
ed, the southern or southwestern ter
minus is located in Boylston street, near
the Public gardens, and for two or three
blocks the subway will pass beneath the
q 81, Of nj
Owing to the fact that the tracks are
to be comparatively near the surface,
the subway cannot be tunneled so as to
leave the trees and grass undisturbed,
but must be dug as an open ditch, and
this necessitates complete destruction of
the beauty of those parts of the gardens
and the Common traversed by the work.
Naturally there was some indignation
when this became known, but the feel
ing was greatly modified later when it
was explained that the grass and trees
and other adOrnments can and will be
restored eventually, and that the de-
stroyed beauty will again be established |
IN three or four years time. There was
a rather general revival of indignation.
however, when, along in the middle of |
April, the laborers who were at work |
on the excavation in the Common un- |
covered a number of tombs containing
human bones. These tombs were a part |
of the old Central burying ground, |
which dates from Puritan times, but no |
one appears to be now living who has a |
personal interest in the disturbed re- |
mains.
The subw3y rails will be 80 feet be- |
low the street surface in the deepest por-
tions, though much less in some places.
The top of the roof will be II feet above |
the rails. The distance from the street
to the station platforms will average |
about Is feet. Where two tracks are |
used the width Of the subway will be "a |
feet; where there are four tracks. AZ.
Instead of 1lsinz the m aso,,,-,- .,.cl, g.