New-York tribune., 1908-09-07
LETTERS TOTHE EDITOR
A CENTRAL STATION.
One Suggested. Which Would BE
Entered by Al Railroads.
no the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir The city of New York should have Grand
Central Railroad station, not only in name, but
so in fact, one that will give ample accommodation
and be entered by all the railroads, viz
New York New Haven & Hartford Railroad.
I.ehigh valley Railroad.
Reading Railroad.
PennsyIvania Railroad etor use Of local trains be-
tween New York and Philadelphia
Delaware Lackawanna & Western Railroad
Long island Railroad North division and Bush
New four-track rapid transit subway from The Bronx
New subway from Broad street to Long Island City
and East New York.
This would leave the present stations OF the
Pennsylvania and the New York Central to be used
mainly for their through trains.
The station should be where IL would be to the
advantage of the greatest number of people and In
close proximity to all the elevated railroads and
rapid transit subways running through New York
There is such site bounded by Centre street,
Worth street. the Bowery and Brooklyn Bridge
The several above named railroads may be brought
into this station by the following routes:
/ In a tunnel from The Bronx under the Har-
lem River thence south in First avenue to sd
street thence west to Second avenue. thence south
to the New Bowery. thence to the depot This sub
way from the Harlem River south should be
double decker. the lower four tracks with local
depots along the line for the use of the New York
/, New Haven & Hartford Railroad and the Harlem
Railroad The upper four tracks for the local
subway The local subway tracks to enter the
depot and pass the railroad trains. Two OF
its tracks may be extended from the depot in
subway in Nassau street to the Battery.
2 For the use Of the Central Railroad Of New
Jersey Lehigh Valley Railroad Reading Railroad
Baltimore Ohio Railroad and a surface rapid
transit railroad Staten Island. an approach with
four tracks beginning in Johnson avenue at Jersey
avenue In Jersey City. thence in Johnson avenue
with descending grade of 1 II per cent to the
Hudson River thence in tunnel with four tracks
TO the Battery thence two Of these tracks. with a
local depot at Broadway, in Beaver street to VIII
lam street thence in William street 70 the depot
The other two tracks, with a local station at
Broadway, from the Battery into Pearl street,
thence in said street to the depot The two tracks
in William street to be at sufficient depth below
tn surface TO allow room for two-track local suo-
way be built over them
g. For the use of the Pennsylvania Rail-
roads local trains between New York and Pnila-
delphia the Erie Railroad. Delaware, Lackawanna
& Western Railroad and the West Shore Railroad
tunnel with eight tracks crossing under the Hud-
son River from the foot Of Chambers ana Jay
streets. the Manhattan side, to near Pavo1ia
and 9Th streets Jersey City. On the Jersey side
have four approaches. with two tracks in each ap-
proach running from the river tunnel with IL per
cent ascending grade to the surface, one approach
for the of each of said railroads On the Man
haitian side from the Hudson River tunnel to the
depot, have FOUR approaches III suO"dS9r wv
| tracks in each approach. using for that purpose
| Chambers street Reade street. Duane street and
| Thomas street.
4 The New York Central Railroad having de-
pressed their West Side tracks into a subway
| thew could then be extended In a subway in Hud-
son street TO Worth street thence east in Worth
street to the depot. thus giving to the West Side
| rapid transit
8 two-track local subway in William street.
| from Broad street to the depot then in East
/ HOTr- rraT
for railroad trains and four tracks for local sub
way trains to Grand street; thence east to an
eight track tunnel under the East River, between
Grand street Manhattan. and Broadway In
| Williamsburg: thence in a subway two of these
| local subway tracks through Greenpotnt and
Hunters Point to Long Island City, connecting
| with the Belmont tunnel. The other two local
tracks from the East River in a subway in Broad
| way to East New York The four railroad tracks
| from the East River in a subway in Broadway 10
Johnson and Montrose avenues, thence in two two
track subways one IN each of said avenues, one OF
| them TO connect with the Bushwick branch Of the
Long Island Railroad, the other to be built TO an
open approach reaching the surface in the vicinity
of Fifth avenue and Linden Hill; thence north In
Fifth avenue to junction with the north division
| of the Long Island Railroad, the New York Con-
| Meeting Railway and the Pennsylvania Railroad
| terminal
These subways and submarine tunnels be
built so that the air them may be kept nearly as
that at the surface through AdNiLIS TIC
surrounding walls not only waterproof but also
daulpproof. Otherwise the dampness causes fog
which though nperceptibe, prevents perfect ven
taton and the air becomes sour. Where cast iron
is depended upon for waterproofing It is imprac-
| tCab to make a dampproof submarine tunnel
To those VINO agree that it is essential to have
foundation under a submarine tunnel especially one
| built through soft mud, it is gratifying to kno"
that It is practicable and has been done where the
/ best practice for construction was used
The cost of building the work described above
| u,ouId not exceed S15OCO0O0O. This amount when
considered in comparison with the capitalization ana
authorized bonded indebtedness Of companies doing
such work. may appear inadequate, but When COM
pared with the cost of the present rapid transit
railway tunnels and subways it is liberal esti-
mate one hundred and fifty million dollars is
annie IL the best practice for construction Is
adopted
And if liberal franchises were granted to COM
panv TO build and own the structures and operate
trains through them the money necessary TO carry
out this project could be readily procured
New York. Sept. ., 1903 Ne" Aotthr4r~