New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20

In the guise of conduit for telegraph and tele-
phone wires its construction had been going on
under the principal streets of Chicago for
eraI years. The work had impeded the streets
little. and people apparently had taken as little
notice of what going on thirty or forty feet
below them NEWCOMERS did thirty-fve
years ago, when a short subway built
secretly under Broadway opposite the City Hall.
In striking respect the Chicago subway
will differ from the NeW-York underground
road Although at least twenty-four feet below
the street surface. the public of Chicago is not
worrying itself about the oxygen and carbonc
acid gas in the tube and a system of ventilation
for it. In the reason that they are not lies the
great difference between the two subway sys-
TENS. That in Chicago will carry no passengers
1t is intended solely for the transportation OF
freight. 1t is expected that after January l.
when the major part of the road will be COM
pIeted, fifty thousand tons will be carried
each day on the trains of small cars When
fully equipped the road will have three thou
sand cars. and they not to be provided
with electric motors one hundred and fifty SIM
pie electric locomotives will be supplied also
The trains will be operated between the half
dozen great freight stations of the thirty-eight
trunk and branch railroad lines which enter
Chicago.
The people of Chicago think that the road
which has been sprung upon them will event
ually be great boon. All the freight stations
are within a section less than two miles square
AS result the streets of that section. which is
also the shopping district constantly
choked with tangled lines of heavy trucks and
other vehicles working their way through them
The new subway runs under nearly every street
of the section Many of the merchants and
other business men have connected their build
ings with it. with the intention of doing away
with the old method OF transporting freight from
the railroad stations to their doors. Hereafter
their merchandise will be deposited in their
easements directly from the cars of the under
ground road. Their coal will be brought TO
them in cars provided with valves, that the
coal De dropped into the bins of the build
ing where it is to be used without coming to
the surface of the ground. AS about four mill
ion tons Of coal are used in the district covered
by this subway, It is expected that this
method of distributing it alone will remove L
large number of heavy vehicles from the
crowded streets Ashes can be taken away
from the heart of the city in the same way
Modern means of loading the cars, which
10 feet inches long and capable of carry
ing fifteen tons each will be used at the
minals. The will be lifted to the side CT
the larger elevators.
In connection with the railroad Will be a large
storage business Many merchants pre-
vented from buying merchandise at times when
prices especially favorable because they have
facilities for storing the goods until they are
seasonable wanted. The railroad company
has bought several large storage warehouses
and will store the goods, delivering them to any
merchant served by it at any time and in any
quantity wished by the owner While the road
will have gauge of only two feet. less than half
that of the standard gauge road. the cars have
been so constructed that they will accommodate
any article which will pass through the door
of ordinary freight
AS the tunnel small IT was impossible
to make the locomotives heavy enough to pull
the loads which they will be required to haul by
gripping the rails In the usual manner. so q
novel method of taking up the electric current
and giving the engine the necessary pullin1
power was devised In the centre of the track is
a rack partially covered. The electric current
passes along this. II is taken up through a cog
wheel. which, when I'm operation. pulls the tram
along This method Of taking up the current is
experimental. however. and 1t is probable that