New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-05
TO IMPROVE SUBWAY AIR.
PLANS OF O.. @. GRIESI.
Suggests That impurities Be Dro50f'
Off by Electric Fans.

Fortunately for both DR. Darlington and the pup
lie Yesterday was so comfortable that only IL"
new coYrulsints of the foulness of the subway aA
were made Several patrons were WiilIie -
o,,eted and few of the subway GUARDS sei eeo
with them that the air wasn't what 1t ought 70 De
At esth-st the policeman IN charge OF the emu ~
volunteered the information that the alr was ~
yrr,rse thin tver" and the officer on duty a' inc
f,.-6 central station was glad the day was SO
nJeasant and that he had heard only one Ala. :,
complain of the air. and he was too iull u hno"
s woman from Boston rode down from hariehi
with tilted nose and took copious breaths a. "'A
destination the Grand Central station
1--WE have pure air in our subway was ~, 50
,nrt 70 the ticket chopper. she swept oy MIN III
her haste to reach the street. -. ~
Iondoner expressed surprise at the iach u
good air. notwithstanding the wiotn Oh INC
York subway. ,o
.aT o.r,o+ see he said why you should have
.bt. trouble when YOU have so much space. L
suppose 1t is caused by not being aple 70 ee'
the had afr You create breeze WITH your ma
passing trains, but do not 90 away Will '
trouble
u..Itb Officer Darlington reiterated his statement
that SO far eli chemical analyses had proved 'ia
the afr uras not bad. ''And so long as TINS Is 'io
cosa vby should we-how dare we city ornciaiS
.nen5 money and time in trying TO do away VIII
something that is not impure? we must pe push
Eve before We make a move" he said.
The doctor admitted however, that ms last cieii
,cs1 analysis was made over six weeks ago anu
that new experiments had been ordered lor 'He
present week . ,r
ont OF the subway he had planned to remove as Tar
as possibe all chance for the accumulation OF Ioui
cir in his new. subway
~Ans that viii be DONE" he said 'by building
the roof over the least from eighteen inches
to two feet higher. AS it is now there is bu iouf
inches space between the top of the cars ana the
roof This air that we breathe is forced down
from between the car and the roof ana must DC
br eathed over again. In the new tunnel there VIII
be room enough for the air TO be taken care OIL
fsutding broader tunnels will have effect what
ever II is the space above the car that is needed
A real relief was offered yesterday by George G.
Griest, the engineer who planned ana pulII lhe
pneumatic system in use in this city, which has
been adopted by the United States for the carrying
of mails between the City Hall and uptown points
Mr. Griest is an acknowledged authority on venti-
lation. He said:
The trouble with the subway is that there can be
no circulation Of air And where there f Is no oii
It is one of the simplest principles OF chemical
nyplene that lou AN ar e Omen window at
the bottom to permit the foul air to escape and at
same simple system at work in the subway and all
vii be well The n. most st. simple fe way 70 sre not
for dishguring the streets above the road should
about half a mile apart But an easier and less
disfguring plan would be to obtain number OF
road and. by means of fans draw into them and
thence into the street the foul air accumulated
These openings properly equipped with fan,
motor and connections would cost in the neigh6or-
hood Of g 600 each. Once put into practice they
would completely change the air every twelve
hours.
When told Of Mr. McDonald's plan for the new
subway Mr. Criest admitted that any larger open
ing would be better than none, but that IN time
It would be bad the present road, and ADDED
The present subway is twelve feet high Al
additional two feet will only add one-sixth to IT
height and one-siXth more air. The air that
about and breathed over again VIII netuI
aIly be purer at first, but the foul air descend
ii will not take long for it to become Objectionable
Several physicians civil engineers and ventilatin
experts were shown Mr.. Griests plan last nigh
and were unanimous in their praise of its smplicit
and efficiency.