New-York tribune., 1902-08-01


of the city. and advocates number OF improve
WANTS which he believes are necessary in large
way
Perhaps the most important of all his sus
gestions is the building Of an elevated ralIroao
on the North River waterfront as far nortn aS
Tairtieth-st, with spurs leading down to the
piers.
Another important matter is the announce
ment that he is authorized by the president OF
the New-York Central Railroad to say that the
Central is ready 10 enter into a stipulation to
substitute electricity for steam for their sub
urban and through traffic. and that they are
ready 10 sign a contract for the erection or
power houses Immediately after the approval
by the city Of their terminal plans. These plans
include the widening Of Park-ave. below Fifty
sixth-st and the closing of certain portions OF
the cross streets, to be wholly inclosed within
the yard Of the railroad company.
The Mayor believes the city should take the
Initiative in making these large improvements
He says the bridges should be regarded as thor
oughfares. and urges the rebuilding of the
Brooklyn Bridge soon practica bic. He is
against Commissioner LindenthaIs moving
platform scheme wants the New-York, New
Haven and Hartford Railroad well as the
Central to electricity, and suggests one or
more union stations north Of the Harlem for the
east and west side elevated railroads. When
the proposed tunnel is built from Union Square
TO Forty-second-st. he sufficient pipe gall
lery room to accommodate ali the pipes. After
preliminary remarks the Mayor says:
It is timely now 20 consider what the city Of
New-York wants, in the near future. in the way
Of the development of its transportation fecll-
ittes by rail 1 propose TO discuss this question.
as it relates 10 Manhattan Island under three
heads: % Interborough communication be-
tween Manhattan Island and Long Island; CD
communication with Manhattan Island from the
saE. @i~z
n1ercial facilities in connection with the devel
opment Of the waterfront Of Manhattan Island.
I am aware that this does not exhaust the SUBJ
1ect, but il is enough for the present
ADVOCATES REBUILDING OF BRIDGES.
First-Interborough communication between
Manhattan Island and Long Island
When the Brooklyn Bridge designed, 1t
was intended, from the railroad point Of view,
TO be bridge with shuttle trains passing to
and fro upon Il. In the process OF time ii has
become railroad thoroughfare wholly so as 10
trolley cars, partly SC TO the bridge railroad
proper. One need not be q prophet TO be able
to foresee that il is destined TO become, from
this point Of view, wholly z thoroughfare. Two
conclusions flow from this situation: ID That
the suspended structure Of the Brooklyn Bridge
shouId pe rebuilt as scon as possible, 10 adapt
It tc the largest possible use railroad thor
oughfare; Cd that al the other East River
orloges must be treated as railroad thorough
fares-that is 10 say, they must not only arrive
they must lead somewhere.
The towers Of the Brooklyn Bridge and the
cables and anchorages Of It are equal to any
demands that may De made upon them but the
suspended structure cannot do any more than it
Is doing now. Were this suspended structure to
be rebuilt 70 comply with modern conditions
six-car trains could be run instead OF four-car
e trains; in other words. the train capacity Of
the bridge would be increased 80 per cent. I
believe this work go forward without in
1erfering with the use of the bridge. It ought
TO. be planned for at once, and put under con-
is 100000
But, as I stated. a railroad thoroughfare not
O1ffh- m lea
where Now. where in Manhattan should these
East River bridges lead? The Brooklyn Bridge
inevits bly, ought to lead south to the financial
districts and across the city TO the Hudson
River ferries. and also north via Centre-st. and
other streets 10 the williamsburg Bridge.
The Manhattan Bridge runs from point near
the junction of Fulton-st and FIatbush-ave., in
Brooklyn TO the neghborhoed Of Canal-st. and
the Bowery. The railroad OF this bridge ought
10 be carried across the city in such z way
give contact with the West Side elevated
road as well as those upon the East Side
The Blackwells Island Bridge should be
brought into immediate communication with the
City Hall.
The connection between the Brooklyn Bridge
and the Williamsburg Bridge should be made
underground, if the detailed studies show il
practica bic, as proposed by Mr.. Parsons in his
recent report. The railroad outlet for the Man
haitian Bridge must be either underground
by elevated road. as further study may dictate;
for Canal-st. is broad thoroughfare. entirely
given up 10 business.
ELEVATED ROADS AS BRIDGE AGENTS.
So far as the Blackwelrs Island Bridge is con-
cerned. this bridge terminates at Second-ave, SO
that il could easily be connected with the
Second-ave. railroad, and the road should be
brought TO the City Hall 1t is clear that the
natural agent for using the BlackWels Island
Bridge a railroad thoroughfare is the Man
haitian Railway Company, and the natural agent
foi using, railroad thoroughfapes, the Brooklyn
Bridge. the Williamsburg Bridge and the Man
haitian Bridge is the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Conp pany- Sc, also, is this latter company the
natural agent for using the second Brooklyn
xFh IN he a
practicable. 10 meet its views; provided always
that those two companies will do their part in
developing this thoroughfare traffic They can
hardly be expected to pay full interest these
costly bridges. for the bridges serve other pur-
poses than that of railroad thoroughfares; but
II ought not TO be impossible TO reach equi-
IA bic adjustment Of the sum to be paid for the
Of the bridges and those companies ought
70 pay, as the subway company does, for the
cost Of connecting lnks-that is 10 say, the
travel that uses the bridges ought TO pay its
way practically as does the travel that uses the
subway
/ think il is true that moving platform would
carry double the number OF people that the pres
ent bridge railroad does but il would be reverting
TO the old idea OF the br1dge as thing complete
In itself instead Of railroad thoroughfare.
Neither do ! think il good judgment, If it can
be avoided, to abandon, even temporarily a
single fare between the boroughs. ] quite
confident that the moving platform should not
be resorted TO except in case OF necessity or
except in response TO a popular demand The
part of wisdom. am sure, is to go ahead with
plans for permanent relief soon as possible.
i
winter. when the dangerous and unseemly
crowding then appears, can only say that this
must be overcome, far practical, by suit
able regulation. unless still further study shall
show that additional trolley loops can be in
stalled without interfering with the bridge rail-
road platform.
NEw-YoRK CENTRAL WILL USE ELEC-
TRICITY.
second-Connection with Manhattan Island
from the north
key al this situation.