New-York tribune., 1901-06-24
BELT AROUND MANHATTAN.
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD CREDITED
WITH GIGANTIC PLANS-TUNNEL
ONLY ONE LINK.

The announcement last week by President
Baldwin of the Long Island Railroad that
tunnel would be constructed under the East
River from Long Island City right into the
heart of Manhattan Island, terminating at
Thrty-fourth-st and Seventh-ave., aroused
keen interest and was considered by real estate
owners and traction experts an undertaking
of the greatest Importance; yet that tunnel is
said to be only link in great belt line Of
railway tracks which the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, controlling the Long Island, Is credited
with intending to throw around Manhattan
Island in the course of few years, at a cost Of
perhaps S20.O00,0O0.
Roughly described. the route of the proposed
belt line starts at Greenville, on the New-Jersey
shore of New-York Bay. where great piers ana
warehouses now building From Greenvihe
across the Bay to Boy Ridge, on the Brooklyn
shore. is about three miles. The will cross
the water on floats and upon being landed at
Bay Ridge will be upon the tracks of the
old New-York. Bay Ridge and Jamaica Rail
road. now part Of the Long Islands system
The spur Will carry the cars through East New
York to st. Jamss's Park. From ST. James's
Park 10 a point on the East River near Astoria
the cars will run over a line yet to be con-
structed under a charter granted years
ago TO the New-York Connecting Railroad. This
charter has been bought by the Pennsylvania
Railroad. and authorizes II is said. the laying OF
a railroad from st. James's Park to Astoria. the
construction Of n bridge from Astoria TO Wards
Island. the laying of tracks across Wards ISL
and, the construction of a second Bridge from
Wards Island 10 Randal's Island. the laying of
tracks across Randalrs Island the construction
of bridge from Randalls Island to Port Nor
rs. the formation there of direct connection
with the New York, New Haven and Hartford
line and the further laying of tracks In Bronx
borough from Port Morris to a point One
hundred and -sixteth-st, where direct connec-
ton can be made with the New-York Central
system.
The Pennsylvania will then have belt line
for freight and passenger traffic passing com
pletey around Manhattan Island on the south,
east and north. and when the tunnel from Long
Island City to Greeley Square is Joined with the
projected passenger bridge the North
River it will have direct means Of entrance
and exit for its passengers into the very heart
| of Manhattan.
Brooklyn will then be a way station a new
trunk line road from tho far West 10 the far
East. and its citizens confidently expect that
II will become great manufacturing centre.
Heretofore its ambitions in that direction have
always been thwarted by the heavy expense for
drayage and hoataFe under which its manu-
facturers had 10 struggle when competing with
y Il
city with fewer natural advantages IN the way
Of water front but more artificial in
the way OF trunk line railroads. The
only tangible thing which Brooklynites have 70
base this bright dream upon al present is the
fact that work is being pushed rapidly and
money is being spent freely by the Pennsyl-
vania upon its great freight terminal and pier
property at Greenvine. This will cost altogether
about SS000OO0 and will be completed II is
thought, in three years at the most. Connection
will be made with the Pennsylvania tracks by
a spur leaving the main line at Waveriy. near
Newark About two-thirds OF this is already
built A channel 30 feet deep 24OO feet wide
and one-quarter mile long must also be dredged
from the new bulkhead line to the main steam
ship channel But after this work is completed
the Pennsylvania's cars bound for New-England
points must still be carried on floats from
Greenville to Port Morris until the three bridges
already described built TO connect Astoria
with Port Morris across Wards and RandaIrs
islands. But when a Brooklyn real estate owner
sets out TO dream that his insular isolation is
TO be banshed and his property joined 10 the
mainland OF the continent. little thing like the
construction Of three East River bridges
is not going to stop him.
However distant the day when Brooklyn will
become a great manufacturing centre, there can
be little doubt that the construction Of the tun-
mel from Long Island City 10 Greeley Square
will give a great impetus TO the growth of
suburban homes on Long Island Whether the
late Austin Corbins project for swift trains to
Montauk Point and the construction there OF a
deep water harbor for ocean liners will be
carried out is still a for speculation. 1t
Is believed that IL will have to walt, anyway, for
the completion by the Pennsylvania Of the ex-
tensive plans already outlined for a belt line
around Manhattan. and that, involving an esti-
mated outlay Of about S20000000, will prove II
IS thought sufficiently large outlay to satisfy
the constructive appetite of the directors for
some years 10 come.