The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-06
NEW YORK PLEASED WITH THE SUBWAY Dream of Underground Rapid
 Transit True A GREAT CRUSH TO RIDE But Even Now the Novelty Has Worn Off and Soon More Rapid Tran
 sit Facilities Will Be
 Needed.
BY JOHN MARTHoL.

l New York, Nov. 5.-New York's dream of underground rapid transit has at last become a reality and two hundred thou sand people are daily taking advantage of the new method of transportation. The opening day of the new tunnel was made a gala one for all New York and whistles screamed and crowds cheered as the first train bearing the mayor and a ! large number of invited guests sped from the City Hall to Harlan. For twenty four hours New York admitted the novel; ty of the sensation, but ere this the nov city has worn off and the crowds have ceased to stand about the entrance and exits of the stations. The opening night vast crowds stormed the terminal en- | frances and taxed the best efforts of New York police to control them. Every noise
 making instrument known to election night was in operation. It was a good natured crowd and there was little dis position to quarrel or kick. The city was decorated in honor of the occasion and especially around City Hall park was the display of flags and banners more than usually elaborate. The official trains were badly crowded owing to the fact that about fifteen thousand invitations had been sent out, and none of them apparently were misdirected or failed to reach their destination, and the unfor- tunate recipient who could not come him self sent an able-bodied representative to enjoy 1t for him.
 At the City Hall.
 Only about six hundred persons could be present at the official exercises in the aldermanic chamber at the city hall, as this number taxed the room to it's fullest capacity, but 1t was a distinguished as- semblage and consisted of many repre- sentative business men and citizens inter- ested in the welfare of New York City. Mayor Mcclellan presided over the ex- ercises here held and made as usual 8 timely and most appropriate speech in which he referred to the work that had been accomplished and the men who were responsible for it's successful ac- compishment.
 Ovations were rendered Chief Engineer Parsons, Contractor Mcdonald and Aug ust Belmont, for the efforts of these three men more than all others does New York give credit for the completion and perfection of it's magnificent sub way system. Alexander E. Orr president of the Rapid Transit commission in con cuding his speech, which followed that of Mayor Mcclellan, said: "The merit of the plan of construction and it's supervi- sion from beginning to end were MT. Par sons alone. and as long as this subway Is made to render service to the people of New York, the Chamber of Commerce, Abram s. Hewitt. John B. Mcdonald, August Belmont and William Barclay Parsons should be held in remembrance as household worlds Commissioner John Fl. Starin reviewed the history of the Commission and it's trials, com plmented the active officials In the work and recalled the struggle of 1891 and 1892 when the elevated interests attempted to prevent the construction of the tunnel. He declared that the inside history of that hot controversy would never he fully told.
 Mcdonald Modest.
 MT McDonald's speech was character ized by the modesty and almost tin1id- ity that frequently characserizes such at- tempts on the part of men who accom- plish great works of this kind. He admit ted that he had not approached the un- dertaking without his misglvings as to ferred to the assistance of MT. Belmont and his associates and their generous support and cooperation which he had in carrying out the important work. Mir. Belmont in his speech spoke more par.i- cularly of the financial difd ,ulties that he had encountered in undertaking the work and declared that the plan and execution of this work had set an exam pie which can fitly serve as an object les son and a standard for similar quasi municipal projects. The clergyman es-