The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-11-01

New York, Oct. 27.-|City Hall 20
Harlem in fifteen minutes" became a
reality today when the main artery OF
Manhattan's great subway system was
opened to the public. The formal open
ing exercises held in the city hall this
afternoon were attended by invited
guests. Mayor Mcclellan presided and
addresses were delivered by Chief
Engineer William Barclay Parsons,
Rapid Transit Commissioners A. E.
Orr and John n. Starin, Contractor
John B. Mcdonald, and August Bel
mont, president of the operating coIn-
pany.
Following the exercises a specia!
train left City Hall for the 145th street
terminus carrying invited guests. The
mayor turned on the current n the
trip was made without event.
The actual opening of the subway to
the travelling public too place tonight.
Long before Z o'clock, when the first
train was scheduled to leave City Hall,
the park surrounding the Hall was
damned with d good natured crowd.
Thousands of persons fought with one
another for the privilege of purchas-
ing the first ticket. Flying wedges.
center rushes, and almost every means
Of progress known to football tactics
were adopted by those ambitious to
ride upon the first train. Squads of po-
lice were stationed at the entrances
and they were compelled to meet the
onward brushes with similar forma-
tons.
Promptly at Z o'clock the first crowd
were admitted to the ststion, and Which,
the first train dashed in sight around
the loop. a hearty cheer wen up. As
soon as the five GERS had been filed
the cars were sent away At Brook
lyn bridge an enormous crowd had
gathered and the initial train vas CIV
en- a v~ociferc Us reception
The pee Die turned en- masse to chris
ten the new 11ed and it IS estimated
that neerlv 10000 rode during the
ever ing. The desire CT people to ride
on locals 1.tner than expresses cauS-
ed a gre, / crC yding in the stations in
the central part Of the city, but aside
from a / tie deviation from the sched-
~ LIN POA-14L vas
Hundreds of POLICEMEN had been sta
toned along the route bua the wd
was so orderly that many OF the re-
serves were sent back to their precinct
quarters.
The subway is the consummaticn o.
years of study of the transportation
problem on Manh1tten Island. ana
marks the completion of the first staee
of what will II ne most chem
sive System Of rapid transit ir the
world. Cons'del' ng The peculiar difficult
ties feed by its builders the subway
stands unique as q feat IF engineering
and construction. In the shape of an
irregular Y, wi h the stem resting at
the City Hall, the tunnel Iuns North
to And street where it bends sharply
west to Broadway, and out that thor
~oughfare to 103rd street. This portion
of the tunnel IS a four track system,
two racks tr * II ard two for eX-
press train sci vice. At 103rd street
two tracks diver ge j a generally
northeastern dr. ection, CT oSs under a
corner of Central Park and on to the
Harlem liver, Under which it Iasses by
means of a tunrel made famous by the
eng Ieering skill colled into Play 10
complete il. Afr passing md. the
river it con - to Third avenue aud
145th street, where the tunnel ends IT,
the line is contin led upor = viaduct
to Bronx Park. The West Side bre lch
of two tracks continues moth from
10Srd street to Hillside avenue and 11th
avenue. where it energies flo ma tuc-
mel and is continued upon a viaduct
TO its terminus at Spuyten Duyvil.
Nine miles, of this total OF about four
teen. were ready for traffic today. sui
it is expected that the East Side divls-
ion n the remainder Of the West
Side line will be ready in about three
months. The recently autho, lied line
from City Hal under the East river
to Prospect Fark Brooklyn, will not be
completed for atout three years. With
that n other lines under construc-
ton and authorized Greater New York
will have between twenty-five and
twenty-three miles Of subway and al
lied lines.
Ground was broken for the unael
on March 25. 1900. after years Of agi-
taticn and legislation out OF which the
present project grew. Tt had been de-
cidSd by a municipal ballot that tie
city Sho"ld own the system, put that
it should be constructed under private
contract on money loans by the city,
to be repaid by the contractor with in
terest. 1t required six years to lay out
the route and plan the size and char
acter Of the tunnel and the viaducts,
the work being under the supervision OF
q ccr mission OF which Alexander Orr
was president end William Barclay
Parsons chief engineer. This accom-
plished, bids for the gigantic work
were issued. There were but two res
ponses, that Of John B. Mcdonald, a
New York contractor, being the lowest,
of $685. 900. OO0: that he should have the
franchises involved the enormous dif-
ficulties of driving a great tunnel un-