New-York tribune., 1900-05-25
RAPID TRANSIT POSSIBILITIES.

During the first jubation over the disposal
of the rapid transit contract and the consequent
assurance that after long and tedious delay
the people of Manhattan and The Bronx were
actually going to get what they voted for In
1894, ventured to predict that just about as
soon as the actual work OF building underground
roads began, bitter complaints Of the loss and
discomfort caused by the processes of cOnstruc-
ton would arise. 1t Is still rather too early for
such lamentations, but they will come in due
time. Moreover they will not be unnatural, and
perhaps they will not be wholly unreasonable
It is certain that many persons will be required
to submit to serious sacrifices for the benefit Of
the general public, including themselves, and
the most that can hope for is that the con-
tractor will do his best and that so long as he
does his best the various ills inseparable from
an operation of such magnitude will he gener
ally borne with creditable composure.
But while they making up their minds to
the inevitable the people will welcome every
official suggestion of possible relief. An en-
couragement of this sort is conveyed just now
in the announcement that ii may be arranged
TO build the tunnel through Forty -second-st
from Fourth-ave. westward at such a depth and
in such a manner not TO disturb the surface
and the pipes and conduits already existing be-
meath it. If this can be done, great inconven-
ience will be avoided along a busy thorough
fare which has been in a state of disruption
most of the time for several years. and is still
at one important point the scene of constant
annoyance. 1t is said that deep tunnel under
Forty-second-st would involve the somewhat
serious disadvantage of consdera BILE grade
and that it would probably cost more but the
latter calculation is uncertain and may be
wrong, in view of the difficult problems and
necessarily slow work which the contractor will
have to reckon with if he tears the street open
and it is conceivable that his private interests
may not be opposed to the public welfare.
At various stages in the long discussion of
rapid transit possibilities the feasibility of en-
ploying here the deep tunnel mode of construc-
ton, commonly known as the Greathead sys-
TEN, was urged upon the attention Of the Com
mission, and presumably received proper con-
sideration. AT all events, it was declared that
the sub-surface conditions prevailing here for
bade the adoption Of that method, and of course
persons lacking special knowledge could not
reasonably dispute that conclusion, though
they may have felt that it was not explained
and defended to the general satisfaction. The
Greathead system has been entirely successful
in London, and has saved an incalculable
amount of trouble there If it can be employed
to some extent in New-YOrk the gain to the
public will be proportionately great, and we are
not without some hope that close calculations in
respect to the Forty-second-st. section will
vince Mr.. Mcdonald and the Commission that
there are other points at which 1t can be ad-
vantageously applied The change of grade in
volved would not necessarily be an insuperable
objection, for underground roads have been
built with up grades at stations for the express
purpose of utilizing the force of gravity in stop
ping and starting trains.