New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-20
A SUGGESTION FOR RAPID TRANSIT.

ONE WHO THINKS sEvENTIi-AvE. WOULD BH
IMPROVED By AN OPEN CUT
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The writer OF this is fully aware that IN
advocating such scheme OF rapid transit he
has In mind he may be laying himself open to Q
charge OF mental alteration. worse He knows
absolutely nothing OF engineering and has not the
slightest idea whether or not his mental concep-
tons could be carried into practical execution.
The fact that such plans. however. seem never to
have occurred to any among our transit experts 10
in itself perhaps. sufficient proof OF their purely
visionary character. II the writer mistakes not.
there many problems difficult of solution in car
rying out the underground system prominent
among these being the ventilation and the enor-
nous cost OF the whole and for q further ex-
te lsion OF the elevated roads 1t should not for
moment be considered by any rational being
Now, would it be within the realm OF the pos
sble TO adopt open-cut system. a. least over
a portion of the route? or this Is not TO De
thought of in connection with Broadway, OUT III
connection with Seventh-aye. and the BouieVaro F"
would appear to Offer brilliant posso."ues. sew
enth-ave. from Its lower end at Elevcnth-st up 70
Forty -sixth-st. where II intersects Eroad"ay "ss
been given over almost entirely TO slums. ana con-
tains no buildings OF any special value or inn
portance save the monumental rears OF the Metro.
politan Opera House and the Broadway Theatrs
Yet this street lies well toward the very heart OF
the city, and had 1t been in any great European
wears ago The trouble with us NEWCOMERS 10
that we have always regarded questions OF beauty
as absolutely secondary to those OF utility, ana
have not yet learned that the two can be most
happily combined Almost every building In Sew
enth-ave. could be forthwith demolished and the
Greet lined with handsome apartment houses built
as In Europe around courts nrst-cass retail shops
theatres and hotels and-if one dare hint such .
thng-trees: thus opening an entirely new beau
tfu and accessible district for residence. trade ana
amusement.
Both Seventh-ave. and the Boulevard are quite
broad enough TO allow of such open-cut road and
still leave sufficient for the passage Of two
vehicles either side. The cut would be separated
from the roadway by handsome stone wall or
ornamental iron rail- and crossed at each street by
light graceful but strongly constructed iron bridges
Rapid transit could be thus made TO satisfy our
needs and our aesthetic sense at one and the same
time
This system would permit OF the construction Of
four tracks the two middle ones for local traffio
being alone uncovered. while the two express tracks,
either side. could be laid IN tunnels separated
from the others by stone arches. From the lower
end OF Seventh-ave southwark IL would probably be
necessary TO put the entire line underground. ana
might also be deemed advisable to carry the local
tracks Broadway and thence down to the
Battery while the express line might be continued
were under the middle Of the blocks) to the same
terminus. 49,.
These suggestions offered In all humility.
They may or may not be entitled to moments
consideration. II not they NAV at least supply FOOD
fun for the office cat. II The Tribune supporu
such an institution. sic TRANSIT"
New-York Jan. ii. 1880