New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-10
sO,1E PROBLEMS OF CITY LIFE
SUGGESTIONS REGARDING sUBWAYS AND
FREIGHT HANDLING.
OPINIONS OF ENGINEERS WHO HAVE CIV ~ -
rr>r1oN TO THESE oUEsTloNs-A FREi'ni
RAILROAD on THE WATERFRONT
sECoND-sToRY SIDEWALKS.

cFCONp-STORY SIDEWALKS.
rh. question Of how best 10 improve the CORFU
tions of city life is attracting serious a''''o''
many men Of thoughtful minds whose e"p', ,
qualities them 20 express AUTHORITATIVE 'f"e
-, ,bs subiec,. OF course. such matters as smooth
nsvemcnts clean streets and adequate nie"
o,a transit are locked az necessities ny rs"'-
,h,,Ling folk and they may be omitted from co"'
s,ds,ation AT present There are other supJo''
however of less importance In some points VI ''"
ncrhaps but still worthy o! attention OH ''.c r''
=, ali who wish to see the environment o. 'hoS'
co-nnelled 10 live in large cities maze more 'o''
able .. -
Take the salient fact Of noise. Would NJ ho' !"
rcckoned a great public benefactor VINO shou'l u'
wise some means Of reducing me Volnme anu ''
;ensity OF the noises tina; are al once com u9e ",'
Notwithstanding? Something Is beins zone III wv
use Of rubber tires for carriages ana iuoo'' "o
for horses hut the gain In this direction II ~ S'
90 email nc to bo unapprecahle. II IL obv'ous 'h"'
,hcra are many needless noises. but as thiisS "''
n: present Il must 1e admitted that IN d CIT! I'M
New-York large amount OF noise IL iho'spe,'""'
in the carving on Of the ordinary ac'Ni'''s VI IN
Yet every one must hope that the tim' VIII CUM
vhen some genus will bend his energies 10 the so'u
,i,r ~ this probem with as marked degree OF
srcceee ne an Edson and a Tes.a have achieved IN
another great department.
Easier OF solution would appear TO pe inc a"7
of doing away with the constant hccesh"! '"''
arises for tearing up street pavemeh's 10 'ep"''
mines and und ,rground conductors. That there
,nust be a better method OF dealing win uh"ei-
ground pipes and conduts Is obvious IN We" Oh te
established fact that in some parts OF some or the
nrincipaI streets Of NewYork there are already so
many of these that there actually Is no room LOT
any more to be put down. What viii be done II some
other company having secured the right TO DO so
by act of the Legislature or otherwise ehoea'ois
10 exercise the right only TO find Itself estopped Dy
The primary principle Of what used to he called
natura! phi osophy that two things cannot occupy
the same place at the same time? There are prac''-
c,lo methods OF solving this problem. In the opin-
ion of engineers who have studied II. ohe OF 'hese
expressed his ideas on 1t In ;hlS way IL" DAYS
ago
when the repavng Of Fifth-ave. was decided on
seemed TO me that the best thing WAS TO 20 about
II in . radical way. II would have been noVcI'E
for New-York. and it would have bccn cosby p"'
when cnce done The work world have been done Tor
all time Ny plan was 10 cxcavate The n ire roadway
from curb TO curb down TO the 10? CT the sewer,
and then bridge 1t over drniy TO support the
pavement and whatever weight might be carried
on o ~ fe e deco Tbs open space eft Would be for
wafer mains. gaspipes. electric connuis ano WIZ.
over else Il might be necessary to carry under
The advantages Of this arrangcment are eyiden;
For one thing, IL would do away with all necessary
for opening the pavement. and 1t IL NE ne.
Qrent iearins up of paveinens TO- get n' p ipes o.,
Csc 10 ruin them. And. Of course, as thlnss nov
are there is no way Of preventing them IRON being
IL must be go, and there Is only one way TO get
at it,, AS for the gas companies; they could wen
afford contribute to such an Improvement az
suggest. since in such an open way th.r pipes could
be maintained 80 rs to prevent 81 ekage wneItas
leaks In the earth Is large, and regular allowance
is ade for i by re- The G9mPnaies Of ,b, kind
is what we have go, to come 10 III Ne%- t1rk 10y
and S It S o fSe nss cost GO oo and
In the long run his will be greatly to the adyan-
Another scheme Of Improvement has been evolved
by another prominent engncer row empo, ed on
an elevated railroad for freight along the entire
waterfront OF the city and, IN ne business section
ism Tie idea may seem fantastic in par; at the
first mention. but II is put forth by man Of sagac-
ING nrcGl,m Of he h hsnalns of goods in Siy
and and mgS one have given some though, to
It. and It seems TO me that an elevated railroad
wharves Should be So CONSTRUCTED that freight cars
could be on II 10 the nearest point where goods
advisable to have spurs extending for some distance
nlonE streets running up from the waterfront FOR
a question Of course. az to who should build such
n roao 1t II my .hongnt ina; the city should con,
The ra lroads. somewhat in the way tina, the pro
operated. bu! regarding The details Of this part OF
TIE scheme ! am not prepared 20 do more than
"In connection with this scheme. 1t has seemed to
me that Il woud he well IN the strictly business
Darts OF the cry, 10 EIF" UP We "nCf" streets
they now are sidewalks ard all to the use OF trucks
and the IKE. and TO build sidewak9 the level OF
the second story With crossings AZ !requcn, Inter,
yas ON the present street Level there are crcsswaIKs
ut least every block. but ans one who chooses can
cross II street any point. Tho majority, how
ever mako ilfc 81 the crosswalks. ana IL wcud be
Il trfing inconvenlerco for people 10 DO the same
with no elevated WEEK suggested. TINS pan
would change the character Of many buildings.
since ne ground floor would become u place Tor Inc
receipt OF goods OF whatever kind. and the tusir
offices and 80 forth would be ols tho Sidewalk level.
ore n qht M Then wo should have no more book
AIDED Sidewalks such so often seen In tho dry
goods district and people would no longer be com
10 get around big trucks with skids projecting
across the sidewalk and barring IN. way
"As an engineer, IL secfns 10 me that this way OF
dealing with one Of the problems OF city life is
perfectly practicable II has nothing IN common
Win the travelling sidewalk proposed a few years
ago ~ ono solution 81 he rapid-transit problem.
RE rap id-irsnsit problem IL 10 he solved III an
other way--at least. ! hope so-bnt whcr that Is
Disposed Of there VIII be other ms:tcfs OF impor-
lance 10 take up The Notwithstanding problem Is