New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-22
RELIEVING THE BROADWAf hOiD'
PLANS OF THE METROPOLITAN I"AO
TION COMPANY-THE UNDERGROUND
TROLLEY SYSTEM

rbre oro fov, questions now Of greater Importance
TO realty owners and in general TO the t"'''''"S
public in great city, than that OF rap'u LANE
Within the last few years the Metropolitan ITlcuon
Cor,on,. of this CITY has made great Improvements
over the old horsecar and stage-ine system IN pro-
vjdng the public with quicker modes OF travel MN
in Importance to the elevated roads Is the Broanway
Gable Road. established by the Metropolitan HHeo'
Railway Company. which Is controlled by the Me'ro
potan Traction Company. This road runs 'hFous"
the main artery of the city's business ana uaNc'-
one of the largest, richest, and most DHSy '"o'
oughfares in the world. The traffic upon TINS ROAD
Is heavy ri all times of the day. and during the
morning and evening rush hours the oVercro"u-
ing is even worse than that upon the elevated
system.
II Frequently happens between the hours OF ana
at night that the inside OF the cars and the plat
forms crowded with standing passengers that
it requires main force to wedge ones way through IN
order to alight. Women form no small percentage
of these herded patrons OF the road, and are often
exposed to disagreeable weather for a distance Of
twenty or thirty blocks. II Is Impossible TO IN
crease the capacity Of this road, said prominent
railroad this great thoroughiare. Pans how
ever, about arranged for relieving the conseSted
condition OF travel Broadway by perfoctnS
parallel surface line from end Of the island 10
the other
H. H. Vreoland, president Of the Metropolitan
Traction Company, said to "A Tribune reporter yes
terday: I'VE have practically decided mot officially
to adopt the underground electric system as motive
power several OF lines now using horses. The
consensus of opinion OF directors favors this
change We have secured the consent OF property
the SiXthaVe. line, and ~ per cent OF the
30 per cent required of the property-OwneIs OF the
Eighth-ave. line have been obtained. As soon,
therefore, official action Is taken By directors.
| we expect that WORK VIII begin IN making TINS
change These plans. when In practical operation.
result IN great benefit TO the travelling public,
/ especially on the West Side OF the city The many
| broad avenues and streets which these lines Will
| traverse from Harlem to the Battery will AFFORD.
under the electric system, opportunities OF making
better speed than has eyer been attained by
face line using other kinds of power might add
that there are other lines in the city that VIII uii
mately be propelled by the underground trolley sys-
| TEN. | refer specially 10 the Tweniy-third ana
| Fifty-ninth-st. lines.
we have already secured the consent OF a sui-
fcient number Of property-owners to operate these
two lines either by the cable or underground trolley
| system As 10 the great noise made on the leXing-
ton-ave line when the cable first placed there
| We think this difficulty has been greatly modified
| The noise caused by the small wheels in the
| conduit. We have removed these small wheels ana
in their stead have placed larger wheels OF twenty
! eight inches. Since this change was made We have
| received complaints from property owners on the
| line.
| 'From the present tests made with the under
| ground trolley system find that when travel IS
| light operate II more economically than by
any other system of motive power We have thus far
! employed But the avenues and streets where
the travel Is very heavy. IL costs about g cents
| mile more for each propelled by the under
| ground electric system than by the cable.
| 1.-The style OF to be used with the new electric
| system will be Of the same pattern that IS now in
| use the Broadway Columbusave and Lexington
ave. lines"