The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-28
And Not a Serious Hitch Mars
the First Nights Travel.
THE MAYOR A MOT0RMAM.
Runs a Special Uptown With a
Silver Controller Bar. "

EVERY ou! Alau ana EVERY MAN, woman
and loungstcr In Town Anxious to
Ride-TraIns Tl,rGnEed TIL Late ~
Nisht-Tootins OF whistles Halls q
Great Event In the Development of
the City's Transit systcm-Speeches
at city IIali--jGhn n. Mcdonald, tire
Man Who Did the Work. Reads ore,
Bliisiling--"That's Not In the Contract
Says Re--First Ticket Downtown
Bought by a woman. And Folks Rosse
Josfuli., Though The. Had to Stand.
New Works. long and fervent prayer.
many times repeated in the last decade,
for rapid transit that is really rapid was
answered in a measure yesterday when the
main line OF the new underground railway
from the City Hall to l45ih street and Broad
way was formally opened to the public
amid the ringing Of bells and the footing
OF whistles ashore and afoa.. H.,
The Mayor started the first train with
silver controller bar. Invited guests OF the
Interborough company swarmed after a
brief interval into trains behind and rode
around seeirg the sights all afternoon.
After an interval OF five hours or 30 for
this special guest sightseeing, the public
was admitted at a nickel head. as II will
now be always; and this morning when
THE Sun went to press the first section OF
underground railway in the city OF New
York. and The most completely equipped
in all the world w as doing business as ratur-
ally as if it had been at work for years.
Nina miles OF steel framed tunnel, four
tracked for the greater part Of the way, and
equipped with every known device for
safety, comfort and speed. comprise the
open section Of the subway. Within 4
few weeks the East Side branch. diverging
from the main line at Ninety sixth street
and running under Central Park and up
Ienox avenue to Il5th street, will be ready
for business.
BY this time next year It IL confidently
exp ected that the road will be built to
Inwood on the West Side and Bronx Park
on the Fast, and the new tunnel from the
City Hall to Brooklyn will be In complete
working order.
Crowd There Fairly.
The opening ceremonies yesterday began
in tho City Hall at o'clock. Long before
tina. tire the crowd began to assemble
outside, but none was I'D nitted except those
who held invitations from the Rapid Tran
sit Commission.
The park swar ned with police Of high
and low degree, aad the paths were so roped
of. that it was impossible to get near the
building without card from the Rapid
Transit Board II ia true that few re-
porters slipped in on polics passes, but only
through he leniercy Of the good ratured
policemen on duty.
The City Hall railway station was slso
roped off. and the pubiia WIS not admitted
to the plaza until soine ii No after he official
train had departed. All trough The oerc-
mony in the Alierr e ! : CHAMBER tnccrewd
stood patiently benind The ropes waiting
for the invited gueats 70 come out. The
throng was packed in solid mass around
the fountain and on the Broadway side
near the entrance. The Park row side
also was lined with people.
The Guests.
The Rapid Transit Commissioners and
some of their distinguished guests assem-
bled In the Governors Room before the
ceremony bega". Promptly at | O'Clock
The march to the Aldermen's chamber
began. By that time n "a -ly everv Seat
in the room was filed, nd tie gallery con-
tanned q dozen or more women, including
Mrs W. B. Parsons. wife OF the chief
engineer; Miss Parsons, Mrs.. 4. Z. Orr,
wife OF the president OF the Rapid Transit
Commission. I'd Mira. G. V. Fornes. wife Of
tho President Of the Board OF Aldermen.
First in the procession came Mayor
Mcclellan. with Archbishop Farley; next
President Fornes OF tho Board Of Alder
men, with Bishop Greer. They were fol-
lowed by the Rapid Transit Commissioners.
Chief Engineer Parsons walked alone; but
August Belmont and John B. Mcdonald
came arm In arm. .'.
Among the men present were ex-Mayor
Van Wyck, the Row. Father Lavollc, rector
Of A.. Patrick's Cathedral Perry Belmont.
Edward NJ Shepard, Albert 3. Boardman
and George L. Rives, counsel for the COM
mission; John D. Crimmins, Cornelius
Vanderbilt. H. Fl. vreeland, president OF
the Metropolitan street railway system;
Charles NJ. Jacobs, who designed the PENN
sylvania tunnel; Howard Carroll, Paul
D. Cravath, ]. Edward Simmons, s. Uohida.
tho japanese Consul and Nicholas Murray
Butler.
GLORY thr Peoples. says the Mayer.
Bishop Greer offered q prayer. and Mr..
FORMS introduced the Mayor "a tn" chair
man of the meeting. Tho Mayor told OF
the progress Of rapid transit in New York.
He was heartily spplaudsd az hi mounted
tho rostrum.
Where all have done 40 much, he said
in his speech, 1T would be futile and in
vitiious to distinguish among those to
whom praise u due. But the greatest
honor and the greatest glory Is due to the
spirit OF the people themselves. without
which this work would not have Pssn un-
dertaken and without which h oe<s a never