The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-05
A Local Improvement.

The Harlem River is spanned by sundry
bridges, some erected at the public ex pense
and others at private cost. At the close Of
the present week or at the beginning of
next week, the exact time not having yet
been fixed, there will be opened for railroad
traffic the new Central Railroad bridge con-
structed under authority OF the United
States Wal Department as a substitute for
the present railroad bridge. and with n clear
height Of "a feet for the passage OF vessels.
This bridge has been in process Of cree
ton for several years, and it will be the only
four-track railway draw bridge in the world.
1t is built Of steel. has a total length Of 738
feet, and the draw, which is o feet long
and 81 feet wide, carries four tracks and
weighs 400 tons. The entire weight Of the
structure is $500 tons, and when the draw
Is open there will be two clear passages OF
100 feet each for ships. When the
draw is closed, there will be an open
way Of "a feet. Extra heavy rails, cleo
trically connected n insulated from
all contiguous iron by laminated cotton
fibre. will be used. The approach to the
bridge will be by a steel viaduct having
four tracks, upon which, south OF the Har-
lem River. all the trains entering the Grand
Central Station, the Central, the New
Haven, the Harlem. and those OF all afili-
ated roads, will run. North OF the Harlem
River and leading from the new bridge
there has been constructed a new road. bed
of steel and masonry which will carry the
trains Of these roads above grade, an i'm
portant local improvement in n district
which is to be the chief portion of the Bor-
ough OF the Bronx after the Ist of Janu-
airy, 1898.
The value OF this local improvement will
be better understood when it is known that
at the East l3Sth street crossing OF the rail
road trucks, as many rs 332 trains are run
each twenty-four hours, and that when to
these are added the special trains and the
single engines. the actual number OF cross
ings in a day is $50, at grade, to the con-
slant interruption OF passenger, truck, aud
trolley travel, and at considerable peril to
pedestrians. BY the building Of the new
bridge and the consequent raising OF the
grade for practically the whole railroad bust
ness coming into and going out Of New York,
except that by ferry connections, the most
dangerous crossings in the upper part OF the
town will be done way with, and the inter-
ruption to traffic and business prevented,
and the many delays caused by the opening
OF the drawbridge for the passage of sloops,
scows, and barges will be avoided.
This will add greatly to tho convenience
OF the travelling public, but there will be
another benefit of still more Importance.
The present drawbridge used by the rail-
road companies at Fourth avenue and 13Oth
street, is built at a low level. Besides the de-
lays incident to 1.-THE draw" this allows of
the running Of one train only each way, with
the result that the traffic OF the roads is con-
Rested at this point and the number OF the To-
cal trains is necessarily limited. With a four
track structure, admitting OF two tracks
for the use Of local trains exclusively, one
each way. a large increase in the transit
facilities to and from the large and rapidly