New-York tribune., 1902-07-01
BRIDGE RELIEF PLAN.
PARSONS FOR SUBTERRA-
MEAN TERMINAL.
ALSO UNDERGROUND CONNECTION
WITH THE BRIDGES NOW IN BUILD
ING-RAPID TRANSIT BOARD
MEETS TO-DAY.
photograph by Rockwood)

William Barclay Parsons, chief engineer of
the Rapid Transit Commission will this after
noon 1t is expected submit TO the commission
a plan for a subterranean terminal for the Man
rattan end of the Brooklyn Bridge. His plan
contemplates also the underground connection
OF the Brooklyn Bridge and the two bridges
building
Mr. Parsons and his colleagues in the Rapid
Transit Commission have guarded his plans with
the utmost secrecy. SO many schemes have
been offered and riddled by criticism that Mr..
Parsons apparently determined to present good
plan and have it complete before he took the
public into his confidence.
Mr. ratsGhss sfstioH II the piobem. which
viii be unfoIded the commission and public
this afternoon. accentuates his firm belief in
tunnels. Just how ne is going to get the surface
and elevated cars below the grade at Park Row
Is not clear 10 the layman. of course but If wen
grounded rumOrs true, the whole matter will
. be made clear when Mr.. Parsonss plans in 1e-
tail studied. 1t is understood that the
scheme 10 be submitted this afternoon will af-
ford adequate terminal facilities and a conpre-
hensive connection of the three bridges in Man
haitian at a comparatively small cost. The cost
heretofore has been the thing which has pre-
vented many Of the plans from being seriously
considered
der a special legislative act. appointed COM
mittee of engineers. consisting of Henry G.
Prout. Alfred p. Boiler and Samuel Winery,
who submitted a plan which involved the con-
struction of an elevated railroad across Park
Row and a section of the City Hall Park This
plan also connected the bridges by an elevated
railroad through Centre-st. c. 9. Martin. for
many years superintendent and then chief en-
gneer of the bridge, designed modification Of
the plans referred to. Bridge Commissioner Lin
denthal also submitted a plan which would
have taken the "Staats- -Zeitung' block All of
these were enormously expensive and were sub
ject to the criticism that they disfgured the
city. Engineers who have been taken into the
confidence OF Mr.. Parsons say that his plan is
far and away the most practicable and tina: it
is inexpensive when compared with the cost of
the others.
When Alexander E. Orr president of the
Rapid Transit Commission. was seen by Trib-
une reporter, he refused to discuss any of the
features of Mr.. Parsons's plan.
1T would be dscourteous to Mr.. Parsons and
to my colleagues on the commission to divulge
in any manner any of the salient features of
Mr.. Parsons's plan" said Mr. Orr From the
examination | have given it 1 am free to say
that | consider il comprehensive and hope that
it will meet the approval of the students of the
traffic problem l think it will create wide and
favora BILE comment. and il will constitute dis
tinct addition to the rapid transit facilities of
this city. | have long been of the opinion that
rapid transit in this city in its infancy.
The tunnel being constructed is only the
beginning of system of tunnels that the fast
increasing population will need within COM
para lively few years"
When il became known last night that Chief
Engineer Parsonss plan undoubtedly recon-
mended a Subterranean system for the present
bridge terminal. and for the two bridges
under way, there was vast amount of guessing
as TO how the elevated trains and trolley cars
,vould he handled in the neighbOrhoOd of Park
Row The theory that received the greatest
credence was that the bridge railway proper
would be carried nOrthwaTd to a point suf-
gentle and return track to the bridge
structure Whether the trolley cars will be dis
turbed for the present is question. With
the elevated traffic diverted from the bridge
terminal doubtless the strictly trolley traffic
could be easily accommodated where il
centres Those who have Mr. ParsOnsS
plans are enthusiastic over them.