New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-11
PLAN FOR MR.. ROSSITER.

Mr. RossIter the president OF the brooklyn
Heights railroad Company, has been discussing
various plans for the improvement "f passenger
transit between the boroughs OF Manhattan ana
Rroo,lvn He realizes that present accommo-
dotions nre insufficient. The Bridge Is already
overcrowded with trolley-cars and other We
HOLES and the crowding OF passengers on tho
cors and at the Manhattan terminal Is not only
Indecent but unsafe. Something must he done,
and Mr.. Rossiter Is sincerely DESTROYS of doing
I, mr. his share of IT, in the best possible way.
So he makes two suggestions. One il to le' his
componv "havc n loop about n mile long in
Manhattan beyond the terminal OF the Bridge.
Tha, means to run Brooklyn cars around
through Centre and Chambers SITS. Broadway
and Park Row, thoroughfares already over
crowded with traffic Of all kinds; or else TO give
nm nort Of City Hall Park for cartrncks. But
Mr. Rossiter Judlciously says he does not OK
pect that schcmc to be fulfilled The other
plnn on which engineers are now working. Is
10 make two more loops Mt the Bridge terminal
Tint. il Is admitted. would interfere with the
working of the rest Of the Bridge Possibly II
might make the crowdng ut the terminal
trifIe less severe But the gain would be slight.
and the carrying capacity OF the Bridge ear
lines would not be Increased.
There Is another plan which Mr. Rossiter has
not mentioned but which surely should have
occurred to him az an experienced railrond man
OF broad and progressive ideas Let us suppose
the trolley and elevated cars to he removed
from the Bridge. and that structure TO be re-
stored TO It's original and appropriate uses,
which II served so well. and which were ample
TO tax It's proper capacity 10 the utmost Le'
us then suppose another bridge to he con-
structed ms near to II as convenient to he used
exclusively by transportation companies. I";
us suppose It to have n two-storied roadway
wide enough to carry not only two, but four or
six or eight elevated railroad tracks above and
ms many trolley tracks below. and strong
enough to support the weight Of as many loaded
cars ms could be put upon IT. Does not Mr.. Ros
sitter think such bridge would solve perfectly
the problem he is studying and the solution of
which the welfare Of the city demands?
Rut how is such bridge to he obtained?
Let us answer that question with 0nother Why
should Il not be built by the corporations for
whose profit It would be used? Mr. Rossiter
was formerly associated with the management
OF a great steam railroad. When that railroad
wants o bridge across river for the use or It's
trains It builds II. Why should not his electric
railroad do the samei Such n bridge would
cost $1OO0OOOO But Mr. Rossiters company
has a capital far larger than that and there are
two other big trolley companies and two ele-
waited railroad companies that would use the
bridge. Has Ii never occurred to any OF the
fivc that the building OF such n bridge would
probably prove to be good business venture!
That such system OF transit would conduce TO
an enormous increase Of travel between the two
boroughs, such as now is impossible, and to I
corresponding increase Of their business and
profits? And that q corporation working for