Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-09-12

| beilamys dream IbenS Realized IN mooern
Progress A Device That Will Solve the
Problem Of Rapid Transit Between Two
Great Cities-Bridse Commissioner Linden
thai Thinks He Has Solved the Problem.
Twelve years or more ago Arthur
Field, in his" Story of the Millennium"
a book of the character of Bellamy's
Looking Backward" first developed
the idea OF the moving platform. He
described in detail just how the future
city would be built and worked out
mathematically system Of moving
streets centering at the great town hall
and emporium, which was to be the
public meeting place for all business
purposes. The idea of movable plat.
forms was not new one, but had nev-
er been elaborated in this way before,
and extracts from the story with dia-
gram of the street plan were reprinted
in thousands of newspapers.
Subsequently at the Chicago Worlds
Fair movable platform scheme was
exhibited and also at the later Paris
International Exposition.
In New York one of the leading
mammoth dry goods stores has for two
years or more past been fitted with
wide mo yable staircase at one of the
elevated railroad stations. Both of
these appliances have been found in
the highest degree utilitarian and sat-
isfactory, and it is not surprising to
find that demand for an application
of the idea on wider scale has been
made, says New York correspondent.
For months past the Commissioner
of Bridges for Greater New York has
been puzzled to find plan to allevi-
ate the pressure caused by the enor-
nous passenger traffic across the
Brooklyn bridge. Numerous plans
have been proposed, all of which have
been found lacking in the power to
handle the enormous and constantly
growing crowds compelled to use the
the bridge until new facilities by
bridges and tunnels are provided.
Finally Bridge Commissioner Lin
denthal has hit upon what seems to
be plan capable of securing at least
temporary solution of this most i'm.
portant problem.
In fact the novelist's dream OF lit
tie over a decade ago is now the pet
investment of such practical capital
lists as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Stuyve-
SAINT Fish, s. S. Palmer, E. P. Ripley
and George w. Young.
The moving platform system as it
has been worked out for the big bridge
is simple enough. According to the
plans Of the company, passengers will
approach them from the floor up
through large holes or wells, around
which will run three platforms, NOV
ing at different rates of speed. Arriv-
ing from the entrance, the passengers
will step on to platform moving at
the rate OF five miles an hour. Next
they will pass on to another moving
at a speed of seven and half miles an
hour, from this finally reaching the
main platform which moves at the
rate OF 10 miles an hour.
The latter will be filled with seats
with ample room for four people sit
ting abreast and with liberal space be-
tween them. Outside of these seats
will be wide space left open for
those who do not care to be seated
and if these choose to walk of course
they will reach the other end much
quicker, accomplishing the trip across
the East river in about four minutes.
A fare OF one cent is to be the charge
for travel on these movable platforms
If they are installed.
The great point of advantage with
this arrangement will be its immense
capacity, which naturally depends
upon its speed and width. At 10
miles an hour 10000 persons can be
easily transported and if higher
, speed becomes necessary the demand
| can be met with the came ma.
chinery, 10 miles not being the limit,
but the mean figure.
Another great charm for the traveller,
in hurry or otherwise will be that a
seat on moving platform is accessible
the moment person reaches the sta
ton. The jostling crowd and the wait
ing will therefore both be dispensed
with, greatly to the increased comfort
of everybody.
The capacity Of one track OF NOV.
ing platform will be equal to that OF
four tracks for crowded trolley cars
and with this difference, that while on
the moving platform every passenger
may have seat there will be two
thirds of those OH the trolley cars
standing.
These cars will run in train form
ing a continuous line and moving, as
stated, at q proposed speed OF ten miles
an hour.
There will be an oval-shaped loop at
each terminal, access to the cars to be
obtainable from these platforms, each
three feet wide, circulating inside the
loops. Incoming and outgoing pas.
sengers will be kept separate, these