New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-21
NAY SEE THE SUBWAY
Public Inspection of Typical Sta
ton Planned.
COLOR TO MARK CITY SECTIONS

Chief Engineer Parsons of the Rapid Transit
Commission and the officials of the Interborough
company are considering plan to open for public
inspection Of the largest stations of the SUD-
way system before the road is in operation. The
most important station nearing completion is the
Columbus Circle station near the entrance to Cen
trail Park In less than two weeks all the work
will be completed and the debris removed. so that
the public will for the first time have an op-
portunty TO see what arrangements being
made for convenience and comfort in the subway
The Columbus Circle station is typical Of all the
underground stations They vary in lengths and
widths of platforms, but the conveniences for the
public about the same in all
The opinion generally hello that the underground
section of the rapid transit road is TO be of one
monotonous color from end to end is mistaken.
The engineers have spent much time classifying
the stations and arranging color schemes and other
devices. so that travellers in the subway will know
by glancng out of fast moving train whether
they approaching the station at which they
wst to alight The object has been 10 arrange
the coloring Of the thing and brick side walls in
such a manner that regular passengers can tell
the section of the city through which the train Is
travelling easily one tells by glance out OF
the window of elevated train
Assistant Engineer Turner. who has charge of
the station work the subway, said yesterday
that every effort being made 10 make the sub
way stations the best equipped and the most com
Portable in the city
PLATFORMS VARY IN WIDTH.
The Columbus Circle station has east and
platform. each 200 feet in length. They vary
in width from 43 feet ez feet. At each station
there are two entrances and two exits. arranged
so that passengers lea wing the tunnel will be sepa
rated from those taking train All the tunnel
stations are widest in the middle. so that when
the crowds going out of the tunnel there Will
be sufficient room for comfort near the stairways
The station platforms narrowed in many IN
stances to nine feet each end The color scheme
of the Columbus Circle station Is Of dark green
with faience and terra Gotta decorations most
artisticaliy combined The platform floor is Of
granothic, divided into squares measuring three
feet on the side. This pavement. when finished
will be nearly white in color Where the platform
connects with the side wall there will be sani-
tarv curve that there will be no corners or
crevices TO gather dust filth
The wainscot just above The sanitary curve
will be of Norman brick and one-half to three
feet in height and above this will be marble cap
of green veined white Vermont marble extending
the whole length of the station.
The side walls over the marble cap are made up
with glass art ceramic and mosaic work The
cornice in this station is designed in the famous
Gruby faIence. and set in place will be many art
terra Gotta plaques which be seen in dis
tant relief the caravels of Christopher Columbus
From the top Of the cornce there is sa nitary
curve Of cement into the ceiling which IS OF wire
laths. The ceiling is broken up into panels by
heavy moulding Conforming to the panels on the
side walls.
LIGHTS IN THE CEILING PANELS.
The ceiling panels will measure fifteen rect from
centre to centre and in each will be an electric
light except the portions of the station which can
be Illuminated from vault light overhead kach
ceiling panel is made up of ceramic-mosa1c Pllas-
ter supporting faIence platter, with decorative
design on each Near the centre of each platform
there will be a toilet room for men and another
for women. In each room there Will be one closet
fitted with a ceramic tile floor and side walls or
glass with partitions Of marble and red slate en-
trance TO which only be gained by dropping
nickel in the slot. Special care will be given 10
all these rooms. and patrons will be provided with
clean towels
The height of the Columbus Circle station varies
At one point the distance is nineteen feet from the
platform to the vault light on the level or the
street above. The average height Is 972 feet -,
The platform of each station In the SUBWAY VIII
he ''yaIeyed,' which means that the pavement VIII
be laid so that h'se can be used IN Wasnlng
down the platforms and the water Will run INTO
drains near the side walls The Columbus circle
station will be fitted with automatic pumps. SO
that that the sewage will be forced into the sewer
winch at this point is above the station Speclai
applia noes in the shape of fans will be put IN an
The sta tons ventilation of the laVatorles
Each stairway will be five and one-hdH 10 SIX Ieet
in width /. .,-o 49, r..
lions as artistic possible and TO have them as
attractive as they can be made In the centre OF
each station there will be two large panels IN
filing of decorative design, with the name or the
station in large letters.