The record-union., 1899-11-26
THE SUBWAY SYSTEM.

II DeSlQS TO look dS IL New L VI .
subway scheme will soon be fully car
ried out, work upon it being now act
lively in progress. The project was start
ed many years ago. 1t met with bitter
opposition on three grounds: that 1t
would be dangerous to the public health
to tear up the streets as would be neces-
sary; second, that it would be impossible
to conduct it amidst the network Of
pipes, gas and power pipes. drains, sew
ers, electrical conduits, etc.; and third.
that the cost would not be met by the
income despite the gain in time over
surface means of transportation.
But these objections were all over
come some five years ago. 1t has been
proved that excavation, properly con-
health, but may tend to betterment Of
saturated soil by air exposure; that 1t is
not impossible to conduct drains gas
pipes, sewers, ETC., over and under and
parallel with the subway, while elec-
trical light and telegraph and
telephone conduits may run in
the subway; finally, that the aug
mented travel because of the time saved
will make the investment a safe one,
while the cost of operation will be
greatly less than on surface roads,
where snow, Ice and storms so often in
terrupt the passage of cars or suspend
their operation altogether for a consid-
cradle time. Above all it is proved that
the construction of subways will so re-
lieve street congestion as to greatly i'm
prove the conditions Of good living in
the city.
The surprise is that there ever should
have been any serious objection raised
to the srATay system since English
cities have SO long benefited by such
means of transportation and in the face
of the fact that several European con-
tinental cities have tried subways with
entire success. Boston started in to
have a main subway about the same
time with New York, and Boston's sys-
tenn is now complete and in operation.
Five years ago the people of New York
voted in favor Of the system, but 1t has
been hindered in one way and another
until this year, when 1t is about to be
undertaken.
At the recent election the people of
New York voted upon the subject again,
this time to separate the city and coun-
ty debt, so as to remove all doubts as
to the power of the city to issue sub
way bonds. and already the contractors
have filed a bond in the sum of $5,000,-
co., which has been approved by the
necessary judicial tribunal.
1t has now become evident that in
most modern large cities the subway
system will be introduced, even where
there is no great inconvenience because
of congestion Of street travel All new
modern cities will provide for subways
when they are laid out; streets will
be constructed with the subway in
view, and drains and sewers will be
laid with the idea that a subway may
be cut to parallel them or cross them.
The subway system of transportation
has these advantages, which really are
so strong as to justify its construction
in even smaller cities to a considerable
extent, namely, they afford the best
means for gaining access to under
ground pipes, to sewers and other sub
terranean construction, without digging
up the streets. They are the very best
means for placing underground conduits
for electrical wires, as these pipe lines
are simply swung upon the sides of
the subway. They afford, also, very
speedy transport, thus bringing suburb
and center nearer together without in
volvement of the risk of accident liable
in swift running on the surface.
In case of riots, troops may be moved
| by subway routes from one point in a
city to another with least exposure to
risk Of interruption on their way to
their destination. They insure trans
portation against interruption by
storms, snow. ice, and the glazing OF
tracks. The cost Of operation Of street