New-York tribune., 1903-01-23
NJ. S. R. TO SPEND $1,000, 900
WILL REDUCE CROWDING
Electric Crossto7cn Lines fad En-
tensions to Begin in March.

Following the hearing by the State Railroad
Commission on the congestion of traffic on the
Metropolitan company's surface lines at the
City Hall yesterday, President Vreeland and
Chief Engineer Milton @. Starrett of the COM
pany announced plans to cost S5,000O00 for the
better1nent of the system.
The improvements will facilitate the handling
Of traffic the crosstown lines particularly, as
half OF the programme of the years work is for
changing the crosstown horsecars into electric
lines.
expenditure OF about s, 100000 and the building
Of about thirty miles of single track
equipped with the underground electric system
that now are using on the main lines,'' said
Mr.. Starrett TO a Tribune reporter at his office
in the Gable Building. He outlined the i'm
provements contemplated follows:
A new crosstown line. equipped with cleo
tricity. through EightysiXth-st., between
Eighth-ave. and the Astoria ferry, to take the
place Of the present horsecar line. In connec-
ton with this there was incorporated at Albany
on Wednesday the West Eighty-siXth-st. rail-
way to build 2OO0-foot extension of the old
line between Eighth and Amsterdam aves,
Complete this line viii have three miles of
single track.
In Thirty-f6urth-st the present storage bat
terry system will be displaced by electric line,
with five miles of single track
The Fourteentn-st. line. from the North River
o the East River. viii have spur through
avenue \ to the Twenty-third-st ferry, and
IN run down Avenue A. through downtown
meets 10 the Grand-st ferry. over the route
row served by the yellow horsecars 1t will
have eight miles of single track.
The Grand-st line will extend from the North
River to the East River. comprising four miles
Of single track
line will go Harlem
T2Iver 10 Fourteenth-st., connecting with the
.-osstown lines and allowing especially for dis
.-5bution of traffic from the Fourteenth-st. line
-ast and west It will be eleven miles of single
rack.
This rebuilding work will begin in the middle
of March, said Mr.. Starrett, land will keep US
busy till cold weather comes again The cost
is figured at S150oo0 mile for single track
This large estimate is made necessary because
of the congestion in the downtown streets, the
removal Of gas and water mains. and the con-
slant Interruptions TO the workmen.
The steel for the lines mentioned, with the
execution of First-ave, is ordered, and some OF
Il is now on the ground We have just SUD
rlitted TO the directors plans for The rebuilding
If the Chambers and Duane sts. line We are
leaving that for the latter part Of the year, or
The beginning Of next year, on account OF there
being nothing definite about the terminals of the
Ser construction. These betterments VIII facll- !
tate the handling Of passengers greatly, as dur +.
ing the rush hours some of the crosstown lines /
are everburdeTed-"
All of the lines to be rebuilt at present are /
operated by horse power. The system Of trans /
fers now in operation Will be maintained.
The company to operate the Eighty-siXth-sr (
electric lire referred to by Mr.. Starrett consists
of Charles T. Warren. D. B. Hasbrouck, Oren /
Root ir and De Clifford Moorehead- It will /
extend from the beginning Of the present Eigh- (
t7-sixrh-st crosstown horsecar line, at Central /
Park West to Amsterdam-ave. All Of those In /
the conlpany.> including its counsel Harry D. /
Macdcra. are connected with the Metropolitan /
Street Railway Company
There has been for some time a line of horse
cars in Eighty-sixth-st., from Amsterdarn-aVe.
70 Pjverside Drive. If the company can obtain I
tie consent Of property owners, it will run this /
line TO the river and there will be a crosstoWn
line running from river to river. The Metro /
rolitan Street Railway Company has been try
ing unsuccessfully for four years or more TO /
obtain the necessary consent to run its cars IN 4
his section Of Eighty-siXth-st.