The sun., 1897-09-09
RAPID RAILROAD WORK.
ELECTRIC CARS ON FOURTH AVENUE
NEXT MONTH

six Thousand Mcn Employed In PuttinE In the
Underground Trolley - Engines to supply
the Power viii Ne Ready to start with
In Sic wsehs-Cost or tho Undertaking.
President II. II. vreeland OF the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company said yesterday that
there were now 5000 men Mt work on the Fourth
and Madison avenue limo and that by ncxt
month electric cars would be In operation from
Astor place to the Grand Central Station. He
said that this expedition wns due to the new
method OF putting In the tracks employed by
the company In order not to add to the present
torn.up condition OF tho streets for any longer
time than necessary. Instead OF laying tempo
rary tracks alongside tho old horse railroad
tracks the work has been much hastened by
simply closing the tracks entirely while tho
work of construction is going on.
Mr. Vreeland said that the underground work
from l35th street to Ninety second street, which
was begun on Aug. 1. was almost completed,
and that by tho first week in October it would
be ready for use. The section about tho Grand
Central Station has already been paved on 90
count OF the congestion OF traffic in that neigh-
borhood along the west side OF the station. and
the rest OF the streets about the building which
were torn up on account of the road will bo
entirely rerSired within a few days.
Some OF the particular difficulties which tho
seriously, Solid rock was found in the upper
Nlncty.sccond street, and In another part Of tho
same section tho water and gas pipes caused
great Inconvenience. From Il lSth TO l23d street
II was found necessary to move q twolve-inch
main. The serious obstacles OF this section have
been overcome. however, and the work of ro-
pairing Is practically all that romans to be douo.
Tho second section extends from Sncty-frst
street TO Great Jones street. Work on part Of
this could not be commenced owing to the con-
struction of now sewers between Fifty-ninth and
Seventy fourth streets. but IL was begun ycster-
day. Mr. Vreeland said that much of this WAS
almost completed and that other parts OF tho
line were waiting for the PAYERS to start to work.
MIR. Vreeland said, in concluding thetresume Of
the company's work:
$50 much work OF this kind has never before
been accomplished In so short time in this or
leve, now that the more serious obstacles have
been encountered and overcome. that the entire
Madison avenue line will be opened TO traffic next
month. The engines to supply the power
nearly installed in the Lexington avenue power
house and will be ready to supply the current
for electric cars on the completed portions of
the line within six weeks. On the sections
where the work is delayed by the sewer con-
structton. or for any other reason. horse cars
will DO utilized temporarily.
So far rs the closing of the street is con-
cerned, we have every reason to believe there
will be no openings OF consequence on Madison
or Fourth avenues after the middle OF October.
Tho samc method will be pursued on the west
side AS on Madison avenue and will be pros
ecuted with all possible vigor, with night gangs
wherever they can he made available.
when we have done the company will have
expended from $40 100000 to Sl5.OO0.000 In
improving the transit facilities of tho city and
at least 81 100000 in practically repaving fifty
miles Of streets"