New-York tribune., 1903-01-01
RAPID TRANSIT FOR 1903.
PLANS INCLUDE 4 NEHv EAST SIDE And 4 BRofD
WAY TUNNEL AND H UNTFICATION OF LINES
FIRE Carry One 4nsrchere-Cy to Orn FRANCHISES
President Or Discusses the Bright Prospect.

hut because 1T will be TO their interest TO stirnu-
late passenger travel so that the financial re-
suits will be satisfactory.
Il apprehend that we have an inadequate con-
ception of the amount of traffic that VIII pe
handled on the four tracks of the underground
system already projected In the subway the
operating company viii not be bothered with
atmospheric changes There will be no ice on
the third rail, and delays from obstruction OF
accident will be al a minimum as soon IS the
road is in full operation. This VIII e1eco CO.
great saving in time To illustrate: Nheh tan
a Broadway car to go to the offices OF the fSaplu
Transit Commission, in the Central BANK buliu-
ing ar No 800 Broadway. I have to figure on
the maximum time that the journey Will con
sumo. If the track is comparatively clear can can
make it in ten or twelve minutes. buI .S ny
often is there a comparatively unobstructeo
tboro11ghfare in Broadway? A blockade is al
most certain at Fulton-st. and another at Char-
bers-st 1t takes half an hour to go the distance
as frequently ii takes fifteen minutes. 6y
the time / get TO Chambers-st am alll-ost ~
clined TO swear at the delay: On an uIoeL ez.
ground train there will be nothing OF lhls & Solo'
OF course. there will be accidents now ana theh:
but delays will not be caused by truck loaos OF
coal or girders on the rails
The growth of the city is so rapid that 1t VIII
not do to wait until the congestion drives the
city into action looking to relief we must plan
ahead 1 think that no matter how vivid our
inaginations we all fall short Of apprehending
the growth Of the city and its suburbs IN the
next fifteen or twenty years. When l came to
New-Yorz Union Square was the northern edge
of the city. To get to ManhattanVliie' no"
Harlem. we took a Broadway stage to the road
house the site of which is covered row by the
Fifth Avenue Hotel, and there we transferred
TO a stage leaving the roadhouse every half hour
and carrying twelve passengers. That met the
traffic demands at that time And all this is
within the lifetime of one man. The New-York
Central Railroad for many years thought that a
couple of sheds at Chambers-st. were ample
IN Th-ST
then to St. Johns Park, being overcroWded IN
turn Finally. it built large terminals at Forty-
second-st. and West Sixteth-st anu sun 1t II
needs more room, as is evidenced py lls pro
posed plans for enlarging the Forty-second-st-
terminal and running some OF the SUBURBAN
When requested to elaborate on his last state
ment Mr. Orr said:
SrThe Rapid Transit Commission worked for
long time with the Centrals engineers in plan
ming a connection between the CentraFs tracks
and the subway lines at Forty-second-st. Inc
Central people finally saw that 1t would be TO
their interest to have such connection Their
double tracks will pass under the man uachs
of the subway, at Forty -second-st- ana FaIh- .
ave coming up to grade further down the ave
nue. so as not to have any grade crossings IN
the tunnel. This connection viii permit the run run
ming of ranv Of the Centrars suburban trains
to the Postofice ana battery "itifeu' 0iie'ie %
cars
President Orr's observations relate almost
wholly 10 tunnel lines. The year 1908 Will see
,ronortant changes in other than along tunnel
lines The Long Island Railroads tracks VII VII
have been removed from AIldlIlc-d De.Ol
the close of 1903 This Improvement, nesloes
lessenfng the noise and smoke from steam opera
ton viii take away from Atlantic-aVe- the ola
fences and gates and allow unobstructed pas
sa ge to the Eastern Parkway section OF Brook
lyn. -, ,- 1o.,
The Manhattan elevated lines will have oeen
completely equipped with electricity pelore tne
end of the next twelve months. ana, Whlle the
third rail is not shining success in ice STORMS
the company is confident of surmountlns TINS
operating difficulty in short time
The METROPOLITAN Street Railway mas a
lengthy programme of better1nents for next
snring and summer, and doubtless before next
Thanksgiving the better patronlzed crossto"ii
lines will be equipped with electricity
In The Bronx two different companies are try
ing TO get franchise for crossing the Central
Bridge and the Union company IS piannlhS
largely to increase its trackage. -
IN Brooklyn the Rapid Transit Company VIII
Law many miles of new tracks in Flatbush ana
Flatlands. 1ooo
The PENNSYLVANIA Railroads plans for l9o5
were so recently printed in The Tribune as 10
need only q pa ssing reference nows Inc englh-
GERS of the company are working on the proJect
for the double track tunnel under the North ana
East rivers and across the city to Queens Win
q large terminal in the heart of the city WhIle
not exactly affecting the problem OF iocai rapl9
transit the Pennsvlvania's plans indirectly temo
to hasten the building of more adequate ldclll-
ties for handling local tafnc-