New-York tribune., 1896-04-01

WEDNESDAY, !
APRIL 1. 1896. !
BRIDGE PLANS DISCUSSED.
HOW THE ELEVATED ROADS COULD
CONNECT WITH THE TRACKS.
THROUGH CARS COULD BE RUN FROM HAR-
LEM TO EAST NETWORK If THERE WERE
NO LEGAL opsTACrEs-A SAVING
TO PASSENGERS

NO LEGAL OBsTACLEs-A SAVING
TO PASSENGERS.
There were few new developments yesterday -
the scheme proposed by President Uhlmann, Of the
Brooklyn Elevated road, end his associates to run
their trains Brooklyn Bridge into New
York. President Uhlmann expects to have q
conference within the next few days with Mayor
Wurster In regard to the opposition Of the sur
face roads and other matters OF Importance In
connection with mis- project Should the ele-
waited roads proposals be finally accepted and
the Manhattan Elevated Railway make connec-
tions, trains could be run without change from
Harlem to Fort Hamilton. East New-York and
Ridgewood. In this case 1t Is contemplated to
continue to use the two central or island plat
forms in New-York for local Bridge travel and
shunt them as at present The through cars
would take the outer tracks, and instead Of stop
ping at the station platforms would continue
around a curve into Centre-st. to a station. prob
ably at Chambers-st. From Chambers-st, the
Il" tracks would continue to Canal-st. turn west
and connect with the Manhattan road by a curve
at West Broadway.
The Brooklyn IL" tracks are at present about
eighteen feet above the Bridge tracks. In order
to get an easy grade. the through tracks would be
run through the Bridge yard and curve into
AudrnS-St. Ut llidry or concord ST. making
necessary, OF course. the abandonment Of the
present expensive terminals at the new station.
Through Brooklyn trains would not stop at the
present Sands-st terminal, but a new station
might be erected nearer the City Hall. In his
reference to the subject President Uhlmann said:
1T is understood, CT course. that have
nothing to do with the Manhattan road, and do
not speak for them. but there is doubt that
II We succeed n getting trac<aQe on the Brook.
yn Bridge the Manhattan connections will soon
be made AS to whether connection with the
Third-ave. line in New-York would be feasible
I am not prepared TO say. That line Is already
congo sted and Its terminal being directly ut the
Bridge would make a connection not necessary
with the Sixth-ave line. We have proposed
what We think is an ideal scheme for the best
disposition Of Brooklyn and New-York traffic,
but II the surface roads succeed In killing II.
for the time the loss and inconvenience will more
properly fall upon the travelling public than upon
ourselves Without legal imped!ments could
make the entire change and have trains running
from Harlem to the outskirts of Brooklyn and
vice versa In ninety days"
HE THINKS THE TRUSTEES SHOULD BOSS
THE JOB.
The proposal Of President Uhmann has al
ready aroused more or less criticism on the part
Of several people Interested Chief Engineer
Martin, Of the Brooklyn Bridge. IS In favor Of
running through trains across tho Bridge. but
qualities his statement by saying that the trains
should be entirely under the supervision OF the
Bridge trustees. The Bridge people have all
along asserted that when the terminals are
completed traffic would be double. and with that
prospect IN view should they lease the tracks At
all to the Brooklyn elevated companies. they
would probably base the rate OF compensation
upon the prospective trafic. Speaking OF the
traffic itself. Mr.. Martin said
I'm the communications sent to the Mayors
1t was assumed that 45 per cent Of the Bridge
traffic comes from the elevated roads II so
it means that one-half Of the passengers Cross
ing the Bridge will remain In the elevated cars
that bring them to the Bridge. and would be
transported across the Bridge without change Of
cars or additional fare. To transport the same
number Of passengers We carry now. trains
would have TO be run on the same headway as
at present. which is ninety seconds. When the
full capacity Of the Bridge is reached with the
new terminals and double platforms. the trains
would be ninety seconds apart both for elevat-
ed and Bridge trains making trains on the
Bridge forty-ive seconds apart. which Is prob
ably the maximum capacity OF the Bridge
tracks II thi. system can be carried out the
crowdng at the stations at night and morning
will practically be away with, as only one
half the passengers VII be loaded on the trains
at either Of the stations
AN OUTSIDERS VIEW OF THE QUESTION.
well-informed citizen, who has given close
attention to the affairs of the Bridge from the
point Of view Of an outsider. spoke to this effect
on the question yesterday:
There is certainly one thing to be said in
favor Of the management Of the Bridge by the
representatives OF the cities of New York ard
Brooklyn. and It Is the only thing can think OF.
1t Is that there hac never been a strike OF tho
railroad hands. That the railroad has been
successfully handled who Is familiar
with it believe and there has been. so far
as have observed general satisfaction because
the men composing the commission that Is pre-
pairing to build the new bridge to New-fork
have determined not TO engage in the railroad
business on their own account. What they are
planning for is to build a sufficient number OF
tracks for both elevated and surface cars ana
then give all the companies running TO that part
Of the city the privilege Of using these tracks on
equal terms.
Now, It is not certain that at this stage tho
same thing can be done with the old Bridge.
The engineers assert that no provision can be
made for the surface cars 10 run across that
structure except on the present roadwayss
where cars would be certain to interfere with
teams or at any rate teams would interfere
With the cars. But there is no such objection
to the elevated trains crossing the Bridge on the
tracks now used by the Bridge cars. for, - T.
understand 1t. 1t is not proposed to run The
trains by locomotives. but by either cable o.
electricity. so that the Bridge will not be sub.
jected to any undue strain.
The simplicity of the proposal Of the COM
panies Is one Of its strong features They want
to lease the present railway and to pay nxedi
rental to the cities. That would be positive
definite source Of income. OF course the In
crease Of traffic on the Bridge should be taken
into consideration, and the amount Of receipts e.
ought to be paid =
That the running Of the railroad by the citie9
has been a costly affair is generally known
but II Is not generally known how costly Il has
been. In fact this is one Of the points on which
the public has not been taken into the conf: