New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-28
PREPARING THE PLANS.
ENGINEERS AT WORK ON THE PROPOSED
ELEVATED ROAD EXTENSIONS.


RUSSELL SAGE EXPLAINS THE CHANGES IN VIE"
TALK ABOUT BICYCLE PATH ON
THE DOUBLE DECKER
Mr.. Gould's Manhattan engineers are WORKING
on the plans for extending the elevated INES Ola
the plan suggested recently by Mayor o'fo"e'
On the Mayors return from Cleveland 'he pians
and maps are to be submitted to MIN. RUSSELL
Sage said yesterday, in speaking or the PROPOSE
ton to increase the facilities OF the elevated i"ii
wav system. NATURALLY there has been good
deal of extravagant talk about douoie-oeckihs
the elevated roads. 1t is not proposed 10 oouoie
deck the entire system. The idea Is f1rst 10 adu
another story to the Sixth-ave line from me Da'-
terry. and to the Ninth-ave. line from i's eoi-
nection with the Sixth-ave. line al fH'y-'""
IT. to Harlem. The upper story might nave wv
tracks up to Ninth-ave. and F1fth-'hira-s''' anu
tire tracks above that point. There is no room
for more tracks. There could not be eight 'racAS
"A has been stated The scheme is entirely prac"
t,cabls George Westinghouse. jr, says 1t Is ana
n. ,s corroborated by Colonel F. X Hahn, the gen
eral manager Of the elevated ROADS.
ro RE PLACED BEFORE THE MAYOR.
"Our engineers will submit plans Tor the oouo'e-
decking. with an estimate Of the cost 10 mayor
amending sos 900 900 in double decking and extend
An. the elevated system as II that were no great
sum. 1t is a vast amount of money. ana peopie
.,ov,a mt come forward with 1t until they were
satisfied that Its investment was WARRANTED anu
,,or,d h. safe Before the elevated ROADS are
doub,ed- decked or extended. the city authorities
must secure the company against damage SUNS
nv property owners. The company mas pa'u ou'
s7OO0 900 in these damage suits ana the emu "~
not been reached yet. The company couiu HUI
20 ahead and invite attack through damage sui's
The elevated roads have Increased piopeiS
values $50 900 O00 and yet. for all that Chains III
damages are made If the Sixth and upper Ninth
ave line are double decked. the tracks OH Tic
superstructure will be used for express tra'"s ~
be run by electricity. There will be only TWO or
three stops between the Battery ana har'e" i"e
trains will 90 fast enough to suit anybody Elec-
tric elevators will take passengers up ana oo""
at the stations and there will be transfers with
out extra cost from express TO local Trains anu
vice versa. The people CO not want an under
ground road. Do people want to go through
hole In the ground when they can travel IN the
e,ro They do not and they never Will. For an
other thing people who ride on the elevated 90
not stand in fear of a brewery wagon running
into their car at every cross street, ana they are
mt hold IN by street distractions and KINKS In
cables.
FACILITIES IN NETWORK
"NewYork to-day has the best transportation
+ac,,,ties of any city in the world. l do not
hesitate to affirm that. The assertion cannot
be disproved. The further improvement OF them
by extensions Of the elevated system ana the
double-decking of parts OF II depends on 'he
city authorities. We started in with fourteen
ton locomotives on the elevated. and now we
have got I'D to twenty-fve-ton engines. The
structure is strong enough. but 1t would be
strengthened by the addition of another story
es the supports or pillars would be fortihed.
I'VE might run engines on the lower part OF
,be double-deck structure while electricity was
used on the upper part. until an entireiv per-
foot electric system was perfected. We know
that the engines can be depended on, Out we
do NOT know as yet that electricity can In
lighting a building by electricity, II the current
Is interrupted every light In the puliolng eoes
out In operating the elevated oy eiectr,c. ~.
the current should be cut off from any cause
the whole line would be stopped Ihat is so"e
thing that we must be Insured against Al
present IL an engine should break down oniy
ono train would be affected and that one for
q very short time. 1t is wiser 10 SUCK 10 .ne
engines than to give them up Tor an eiectIie "a
system that is not absolutely perfect ana re.
liable at all times. In the end we shaI get
such a system. and it will be adopted
THIRD-sTORY STRUCTURE.
A separate sketch of a second plan Will also be
submitted exhibiting third-story structure, the
two lower stories being used by the elevated
trains, and the third or upper story Tor oicycie
path In the plan the third story is shown 10 De
about twenty-five feet wide over all. The struct-
,,re will be foored in Georgia pine to the width OF
about twenty feet and in the centre OF 1t Will De
placed a division rail- with openings at quarter
nile intervals where crossing may be made TO the
onposte track. The wheeling VIII be regulated
those going north taking the east track ana those
going south the west track
II is urged by those having the scheme IN nana
that with such track the elevated system woula
not be overcrowdtd, for 1t is estimated mat at
least 80 900 people would use the bicycle track
daily AS to the receipts. Lawson y. Fuller VINO
ds pushing the matter said that three-cent rare
A. the battery or a round trip for five cents. Mr.
FULLER explained that the cost OF construction OF
the third story to the elevated structure would De
ANAL as compared with the amount OF money II
would Weld inside of year. To either slde OF
The structure guards would be erected sunclentiy
Sieh 70 nrevent accidents to wheelmen At half
mile intervals 1t IL proposed that light elevators
shall be erected to carry wheelmen 10 ana from
the wheeling path. go,
ana Sage In skeleton form yesterday, and later
before Mayor Strong The former IT was said,
favor the scheme.
MAYOR Strong when the outline OF the plan
vas told to him, said he could not form an opinion
a. TO its merits on the spur OF the moment put
a. oresented he added, many novel features, ap-
Carentiv excellent, II the engineers Of the city
would indorse IT, -,
The adyisability OF the bicycle track will be
discussed at a public meeting to be held next
week.
MISS KATE CLAYTON IN COURT.