Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-07-13

| SEdlo nave eNplTeug anu Ine CITY
needing the cry of the radicals for
municipal ownership, would not re-
new their corporate privileges Hence,
under these unstable circumstances,
the corporations could not see their
way clear to rehabilitate their rum
down lines
The problem of serving the popu-
lation of Chicago has always been an
aggraVating one, for the transpor-
tation system has been necessarily
laid out and developed on what is
termed the "radiating PLAN" since
the city embraces a territory having
on one side a water front. In this
respect 1t Is not unlike st. Louis,
Boston and Brooklyn. The shore
line of Chicago is, however, much
longer than that of the cities Just
cited, being about twenty-six miles,
while the limits extend inward for
distance of ten miles. This great
area is divided by the confluence of
the two branches of the Chicago Riv-
err into three portions, commonly
known as the north, south and west
sides, with the heart Of the business
district ON the extreme northern part
of the south side. To this centre all
] Tho .yss-I-s-- 49, --l-r.H -
regation of the city has resulted in
numerous lines operated by a num-
Der of companies; so that Chicago,
from its transportation viewpoint as
well as In some other things, is really
to be regarded as three cities instead
of one, and as a consequence a pas
senger often finds that he cannot be
carried over the most direct route be-
tween the two point within the city
limits for a single fare.
The traction question has been
| political football for many years; the
citizens and the companies here
looked askance at each other, and
municipal ownership seemed to many
to be the only hope; while the more
conservative believed there were
other and better solutions of the
problem.
This, in brief, was the status of
affairs when the City Council en-
ployed Bion ]. Arnold, the noted cleo
trical engineer, as the man best
suited for impartially investigating
the situation and recommending
measures for relief. Mr.. Arnold was
engaged to procure information and
to furnish estimates and opinions re-
lating to the cost Of operation and
the earnings of the companies, their
capitalization, their valuation and
cost, together with estimates of a
new system, and all other details of
a scientific and financial nature.
Among the most important recon-
mendations proposed by Mr.. Arnold
were the "one-city-one-fare" propo-
sal, with all divisional lines as far as
possible obliterated, so that a passen-
ger could be carried over the most
direct route between two points for
single fare. OF the three plans sub
mitted, the best one, though not the
easiest to execute, contemplated the
complete unifcation of ownership
and management. The through
route principle was strongly advo-
Gated, which means that routes
through the business district should
be substituted for downtown termin-
ais, wherever possible, while outside
the business district better results
would follow by connecting the de-
tached lines and operating cars over
such lines from end to end. The
scheme includes system of subways
to accommodate the street car traffic |
and relieve the street surface conges-
ton in the business district, with gal
leries for the accommodation of pres
emit and future underground utilities. |
The plan calls for three north-and-
south subways from Fourteenth
street on the south to Indiana street |
on the north. These are high-level |
subways throughout, with no dips.
In combination with the above sys-
tenn there will be three or more low
level subways from the west side,
passing under the north-and-south |
subways at right angles to them, and |
extending to Michigan avenue. Should |
future developments warrant 1t these |
may be extended under the lake front |
district, now known as Grant Park. |
These latter low-level subways would |
lators. Under this plan there will be |
a surface system and eventually a |
subway system connecting all the de- |
pots and the entire system designed |
to accommodate the short-haul traffic |
in the business district.
This plan for a new, reorganized |
and unified combined surface and
street railway system would COM
prise the lines of the City Railway
Company, the Union Traction Com
pany, the Chicago General Railway
Company and the Chicago Consoli-
dated Traction Company within the
city limits and new lines necessary
to properly connect the disconnected
parts Of the system.
The total single track mileage as
outlined above would be about 745
miles, and its estimated cost, II con-
structed new, with everything first
class throughout, but exclusive of the
subways, would be $4,000, 900, add
ing $20,00O,000 for the cost of the
subways would make the total cost
of the new system complete 100000
900. Under the low-level subways
will be the freight subway, while the
street surface will run elevated lines,
making, In all, FIVE lines super-im-
posed at various street intersections.
Altogether, 1t will form the most
comprehensive city railway system
In the world.
Mr.. Arnold's plans further pro-
vide for the utilization of the present
river tunnels as parts of the future
subway system. At the time these
plans were submitted cable power
was employed, but on his recommen-
dalton the cable systems were
changed to overhead electric systems
which are now in service. He stated
that the electric underground con-
duit system, such as is installed in