The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-07
TRAVEL UNDER CITIES
PARIS AND LONDON PREPARING
FOR UNDERGROUND TRAFFIC
Noise and Foul odors Largely EIim-
mated = ScrupuIous Cleanliness and
Almost Perfect Method Of Running
the Partisan System-London Sta

Special Cable to The Globe.
LONDON, Sept. 6.-Both London
and Paris are for the time being in
advance Of New York in the matter Of
subterranean passenger traffic. In New
York you are feeling today much of
the unpleasantness due to the con-
struction of your great subway station
more perhaps than would have been
necessary had the methods employed
here been adopted-but that is an en-
cheering proposition which perhaps
the rocky foundations of New York are
responsible for. Once finished, how
ever, the smoothness with which every
thing will work and the vast conven-
fence obtained will doubtless compen-
safe for all these.
Having to frequently use the UNDER
ground routes both here and in Paris,
it occurred to me that brief descrip-
ton of them would be interesting to
your readers.
London will have two electric rail-
ways in operation shortly, and there
are at least dozen others planned.
Necessarily so, if according to the fig
ures of the statisticians, the popula-
ton of London is, thirty to forty years
hence, to aggregate 100000 of peo-
pie.
The most interesting Of the two cleo
trical underground lines Is that of the
Great Northern and City Railway COM
pany. The length Is three and half
miles, extending from Finsbury park,
North London. to Finsbury pavement,
which Is practically Moorgate street,
in the heart of the city. The line COM
prises two tunnels over the entireroute
with the exception Of the crossovers
at different points where the two are
merged In one large tunnel. The dan
ger Of collisions Is almost obliterated
as there is only one track in each tun-
mel, but these are larger than the pro-
visions of the Board of Trade demand,
the internal diameter being sixteen
feet, this being extended at wayside
stations to twenty-one feet and at ter
minals to twenty three. The advant-
age Of having these large sized tun-
nels is that, should necessity require
1t, they would accommodate the ord1-
nary steam railroad rolling stock
In the construction OF the tun-
mel, change from the ordi-
nary system Of building tubes
has been inaugurated. This has been
to a large extent done to counteract
the dangerous effects OF vibration. The
tunnel is not built entirely of iron,
the lower half being formed Of brick
work and concrete, while the upper
half is Of the usual iron segments.
Road-Beds Novelty.
The road-bed also Is of novel con-
struction. 1t is composed Of fat-bot-
toned rails, supported by chairs" car
ried on longitudinal sleepers. The
electrical equipment is Of the most up
to-date character. The cars are wider
and higher than any others in opera
ton in London. They are made up in
to trains of seven cars capable Of ac-
commodating 500 passengers. They are
Of the most comfortable and elegant
design, a smoker" being attached to
each train. The power house, situated
on the Regents canal, supplies the
force to operate the motive power and
lighting, and to run elevators, which
convey the passengers from the de-
pots on the street level to the trains
below. The equipment seems as nearly
perfect as it Is possible to produce at
the present time.
Although the underground system of
Paris is yet in its infancy, the branches
In operation enable one to see that it
Is destined to be an immense boon to
Paris. AS in London the work of con-
struction is being carried on with little
discomfort to the Parisians, all the
tunnels having been made by boring in
place of digging trenches, and covering
them over more or less temporarily.
Necessarily there have had to be ex-
cavations made for the purpose Of
sinking shafts, but the plans called for
the placing of these in public parks or
squares. These shafts were painted and
kept locked. watchmen being on hand
to attend to the reception Of material.
These openings have now in many
cases been transformed into railway
stations and they exemplify charm
ingly the exquisite taste which seems
to permeate all things in Paris. You
enter a charming little structure. which
resembles an enlarged edition OF a
kiosk. and descend a broad. handsome,
white stone double staircase to the ex-
tent Of some dozen or more stems.