New-York tribune., 1903-03-15
MAYOR DRIVES SPIKE.
FIRST IN SUBW4T. TRACK
The Municipal dim True at Column
bus Circle Ceremony.

Mayor Low Yesterday added yet another role. to
Wit that Of spike driver TO the many he has as
suned since taking office The time was .
O'Clock in the afternoon the place the future
columbus Circle" subway station at Broadway
and West Sixtieth-st. and the occasion the
driving of the first spike for the first rail in the
track of the Intsrhorough Rapid Transit Com
pany With a track layers gided hammer
ornate with triColored ribbons. the Mayor drove
the solid silver spike, whose head was giided
too fairly and squareiy int" the tie of
yellow pine. for the future sout1hound express
track. The spike was then extracted by gold
plated clawhar. and after il has been suitably
inscribed will he presented 10 tho Mayor as a
souvenir.
The ceremony took place in the presence Of
large number Of those prominent in municipal
affairs. who attended guests of the president
and directors of the Interhorough company
The gathering included. besides the Mayor.
President Fornes of the Board of Aldermen
Borough President Cantor. President orr. Chief
Engineer William Barclay Parsons. George s
Rice deputy chief engineer: Corporation Toun-
sci Rives. Fire Commissioner Sturefs and Health
Commissioner Iederlo
The underground station AT the point where
the ceremony took place is Well under vav. and
the tunnel on that section of the subway cnnn
r'etad. The rails. each thirty three feet long
stretched for a hundred feet o. more the
concrere floor sl~a,ars Of ye1lou rins The
Mayor arrived last. hut tim" As he stepped
down tha little stairway tnd across thn rope
partition 10 thu TuAdrupla trlrks no VAS ush-
cred whera {; hand If gold marked certain
1ail and sleeper 'rntsIde the dan Mas warm
almost to discomfort. but down in The subway
the air was "oni 10 rh1lli1.aS&
President .,rr and ''"muis<io1 ars SIAM and
Tractor. We're there receive the Mayor No
time lost in fornna1ileS. Drawing from his
pocket a silver spike moulded in exact imIration
of the iron spike employed IN trar klaytng Mr.
Mcdonald said
Mr.. Mayor. this is the FIRST spike - he driven
for tracks on this railroad
Mayor Low tlen took from Mr. Evans. tho
secretary to the construction company the
trarklayer's hammer. Major =. W 5; Wilson.
chief engineer for Naughton & co. tho con
tractors for this section Of tho road inserted
the point of the spike in the hole lr. ia red for
it His right hand toying with the hammer,
Mayor Low lifted his left for silence
The first spike Of the Municipal Subway
Railway is to be driven" he said + mt
10 thank the contractor and the commission for
giving me the honor Of driving il if I can.
Especially l want to thank tho engineer who
contriyed the plans. the contractor who has
carried the work so successfully. and the
commission which has conducted the enterprise
so ably on a business side. | appreciate very
highly the work Of ali. The people Of this great
CITY will appreciate It for all time to come"
AS he finished speaking Mayor Low threw
back his shoulders. and. like golfer with his
bra raised the hammer al"ft and smote
upon the nail.
Thing, Thing. Thing Ting: Thing
Major Wilson looked nervous but the nunf'i-
nal aim fell true Not only did it hit the nail
| on the head. but with crushing force dr"v" 1t
home Five times In rapd succession the Mayor
smote needless that his silk hat was fitting Mt
all angles unaccustomed to such strenuous liv-
ing And the first nail in the first rail had been
driven home.
The Mayor had evidently warmed to his work.
! and would have struck again had not Mr.. Nc
| Donald interposed. The spike was then wrenched
| ont and the ceremony was over The Mayor
| said he should preserve the spike among his
| most cherished possessions.
With the departure of the Mayor the bulk Of
| tho yistors-sOme hundred and fifty in number.
| invited and uninvited. including those who by
| hook or by crook had ContriVed TO elude or out
! hla ndish the Gordon of police guarding the
| stairheads-climbed up into the sunlight. Some
| few remained however to explore the subway
! down as far as Fiftieth-st.
| Mr. Parsons took his mother with him 10
| share his triumph.