New-York tribune., 1905-12-17

|
| tracks from point between St Marks and
| Prospect Place to a point between Park Place
and Sterling Place, the depression of Park Place
in order to give the proper clearance under the
tracks and the building of a modern elevated
i station at Park Place. The expense which was
more than 100000, borne equally by the
/ Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and the city
The abolishment of the grade crossings at
| Park and Prospect places and the construction
! of the station have so enhanced the value
| Of property within a considerable radius that
much Of it has been built up, and probably four
! times as many people the Park Place sta
tion as a year ago. All of these people are proud
| of the new station, which is by far the finest
| elevated station In Brooklyn and are inclined
! to boast about it. 1t extends from Park Place
| nearly to Prospect Place, and is what is known
as an intertrack station, accommodating both
the inbound and the outbound trains, The plat
form is PSI feet long, and will accommodate
| seven car trains For 141 feet the platform Is
covered by a steel canopy. The ticket Office and
waiting room are directly over the street-Park
Place-and can be seen for some distance on
either side,
BUILT OF STEEL AND IRON.
The structure is built of steel and corrugated
iron and the roof, which rises into two
peaks, is covered with heavy terra Gotta tiles
which give the structure ornate appearance
It is really an attractive building and orna-
ment to the neighborhood. It well the
platform and the elevated structure at this
point is painted olive green which is In
marked contrast to the bright yellow and red
which has always been used property of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company. The interior
of the station is finished in stamped metal
The problem of elevating the tracks at Pros
clearance obtained without disturbing the
street; but as it was necessary to get the tracks
down so as to run under Sterling Place, between
the latter and Park Place, they could be raised
only four feet above the old street level at Park
Place. The result was that in order to get the
tWelve-foot clearance ar Park Pace Il was
necessary to lower the street eight feet Thls
depression begins at point 246 feet toward
Classon-ave. on the one side and IA feet low
! ard FrankIin-ave on the other. The sidewalks
either side were dropped only four feet, SO
that including the front yards of the dathouses.
there are three levels here The street is In
closed in retaining walls Of concrete, which have
been paneIled to look like stone. On the inner
side of the walks the yards, which are above
them, are also held in by concrete walls. These
are surmounted by low iron railing, while be-
tween the sidewalks and the street are iron
fences In front OF every house there is flight
of steps leading TO the street so that there Is no
Inconvenience in reaching any OF the houses
from carriages or delivery wagons. PafK race
is paved with asphalt, but as 1t would be TOO
slippery for the heavy grade under the tracks
the depressed part OF the street Is paved with
Belgian blocks.
bowling down through this depression at great
speed, and it is predicted that an accident VIII
occur here some day children coming down
the steps through the side walls cannot see the
street on either SIDE. 1t has proved a popular
place for children. The gray concrete walls
have appealed to the little folks as being bully"
ola ,eg on which TO exercise their abilities as
chalk artists Already some of the walls are
covered with writing and figures in various
colored crayons. ---
THE NEIGHBoRHOoD REJOICES,
For nearly year while the street was being
depressed Park Place was torn UP and closed at
In tha nHfO
hood were glad enough when it opened up
about two months ago. The finishing touches
on the iron ratings and sidewalks were not
completed until within short time; and. in
deed 1t cannot be said that it is entirely done,
because the freezing weather caught the con-
tractors just before they had got to the terracng
walls of the property on the southwest side OF
the station. Tenants of an apartment house at
this point viii have TO be satisfied with climbing
to their yard from the sidewalk by way or a
rickety pair of wooden steps for some time YET.
Between Prospect Place and Park Place the
elevated tracks are carried or what Is technl-
caliy known I'LL" earth embankment
over the streets themselves the tracks are car
ried on rock ballast. which is placid IN metal
troughs. This gives soiidity to the tracks
which prevents the noise which is often so op-
jectionable in elevated railroads
From Park Place the tracks dron into q cur
under Sterling Place, which is carried over II on
a steel bridge From that point the cut con-
tinues until Church-ave. is reached FROM
there on there are grade crossings at present.
but these win be abolished under the contract
which has already been let. From Church-aye
TO a point near Avenue ii the tracks VIII VIII Dc ns
placed I'm a cut From there 10 point near
shreepshead Bay they will be elevated. The en-
tire cost OF the improvement along the Brlgh-
ton Beach lire is estimated at SlVoooVo one
half of which viii be paid by the city and the
remainder by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
pany- .4 =,
The Brooklyn grade crossing commission IS
also working plans for the abohshment 9i
inc grade crossings on the Long Island Rail
rna1 lines within the limits of the borough, un-
tbclity given TO il by the legislature.