The sun., 1904-12-30
NBWESTRApD TRANSIT PLANS
SUBWAY AROUND MANHATTAN,
TUNNEL UNDER rHE BAY.

Chief Engineer William Barclay Parsons
submitted to the Rapid Transit Commission
yesterday plans for additional lines In Man
haitian. The Bronx and Brooklyn, which,
II carried out. are calculated to 20 far
toward solving the transit problem. The
plans differ in several important respects
from any heretofore submitted. As MIR.
Parsons is about to retire from the office OF
chief engineer, they may be regarded as his
last say on a subject to which he has de-
vot ed many years Of study.
In general, the plans provide for a now
East Side line from the Bate y to East
i4sth street, In The Bronx. Will double
decker subway in Lexington avenue; new
West Side line from the Battery to Forty
second street, connecting near there with
the epresent subway; q orosstown connection
at Thirty-fourth street between Seventh
and Park avenues; diversion Of the pro-
posed Fourth avenue line TO Fort Hamilton
in Brooklyn to Hamilton avenue, thence
under Buttermilk Channel to Governors
Island and to the Battery, and thence by
tunnel under Greenwich street to connect
with low level loop of the new West Side
route at Barclay street.
In The Bronx Mr.. Parsons proposes an
extension OF the present West Side line from
Kingsbridge to Van Cortlandt Park. and an
extension OF tho present East Side line from
its terminus at 1sOth street under Bronx
Park to the city line.
Headvocates the eItensionof the elevated
railway from l6Sth street on the West Side
across the Harlem River and to Woodlawn;
the building of two additional tracks on
Second avenue for express trains; the ex-
tension Of the elevated lines in Brooklyn
The estimated cost of the proposed new
Lines in Manhattan is about $4,000, 900.
The extension OF the subway system in The
Bronx and Brooklyn will involve an expense
Of about 50 900 900.
The commission decided to hold public
hearing on the plans one week from next
Thursday. In the meantime 1000 copies
OF the report will be printed In his report
Mr.. Parsons said:
What the Engineer Recommends.
These new lines can be divided into three
classes First, those that would be open TO
competitive bidding; second, those that
would be extensions of the existing subway
system: third, those that would be extern
sions of the present elevated systems.
The two companies now operating the
transportation lines in the boroughs of
Manhattan and The Bronx have already
publicly signifed their intention Of bidding
upon any new contracts that the com
mission might offer. and TO this end these
companies submitted some time ago tenta-
tive plans of their own. These tentative
plans were subsequently considered and so
modified that one general plan could be
prepared. comprising the essential features
sented contain their salient features modi-
fed in certain details as after further
study seemed more desirable, and as the
experience with the existing subway would
seem to indicate as wise.
The general theory of the plan herewith
submitted provides for a through line from
The Bronx on the east side Of the city to
the Battery, and on the west side from the
Battery to Forty-second street. This would
hs an operative railroad in itself.
fourth street, and by making connections
with the subway at Battery Park, at Forty
second street and Park avenue, and in
the neighborhood Of Forty-second street
and Broadway, the Interborough company
u awarded the contract by building the
lines north from Forty second street on
the east side and south from Forty-second
street on the west side, could make, with the
present subway, complete east and west
side Twass fSn fra arEm tRe
with a connection passing beneath the
East River to Brooklyn.
Should the New York City Railway Com
pany be awarded the contract such COM
pany, by emitting the connecting link from
Park avenue to Lexington avenue and from
Thirty fourth to Forty-second streets on
Seventh avenue, and instead, by building
the line under Thirty-fourth street con.
necting the east and west side lines. could
be able to offer to the city through line
east side, and on the west side as far north
as Thirty-fourth street. which could be ex-
tended northerly as occasion might demand.
sUBwAYs IN MANHATTAN.
In Manhattan, the route extends on the
east side, beginning at the South Ferry,
thence along South street, across Coentes
Slip to Front street. thence along William
street under the Brooklyn Bridge, under
Park row to Chambers street, to Broad
way, and under Broadway to Union Square.
thence passing beneath the subway under
fifteenth street to lexington avenue and
under Lexington avenue and the Harlem
River and private property to terminal
loop under Third avenue TO East i42d street |
and Morris avenue with branch continuing !
under Morris avenue TO connect with the |
subway at Eaat 149th street.
The west side line commences at the |
beginning of the east side line at Battery |
Park, under Battery Park and Greenwich |
street, West Broadway, Fifth avenue. |
Broadway, Twenty-fourth and Twenty |
fifth streets to Seventh avenue, and under |
Seventh avenue to connection with the |
present subway between Forty second and |
Forty-ffth streets, together with a cross
town connection between Seventh and |
Lexington avenues at Thirty fourth street.
and connections with the present subway
AZ Park avenue south OF Forty-seoond /
street, under the intervening streets and
private property to Lexington avenue at
about Forty fourth street and at Battery
Park. ~,
On the east side line, on account Of the
narrowness Of the streets and other local
conditions, it would be possible to construct
but two tracks from South Ferry to Thirty
fourth street and Lexington avenue. but
from that point north and on the connecting
line between Park avenue and Lexington
avenue and under Lexington avenue to and
across the Harlem River to the terminal
loop at ll2d street 1t would be desirable to
four tracks, placing them in tiers,
the local tracks above and the express
tracks below.
On the west side line there should be four
tracks extending south from Forty-second
street to some point below Chambers street.
depending upon the available width OF the
streets, and thence with two tracks to con-
meet with the east side line Of the subway
At the Battery. This arrangement of tracks
has been worked out by making a loop
beginning at Murray street passing under
private property at Murray street, Green
yvich and Barclay streets and returning
thence to the four track system. This loop
could be 90 arranged that the local trains
could turn at this point and the express
Trains be run TO Battery Park, making ali