New-York tribune., 1908-01-10
VAST ARMY RIDES
UNDER EAST RIVER.
ASSURED SUCCESS.
Memories of Bridge Crush -4dd to
WeIcOme Giren to First
Official Train.

lost much Of her exclusiveness yesterday with
the regular operation of electric trains through
the East River subway from Bowling Green in
Manhattan TO Borough Hail. All who made the
trip-and there were thousands, from all parts
OF the city-were of one mind-that for the first
time in the history of the borough it had been
brought into real communication with Manhat-
tan.
Anybody who has ever been caught in the
maelstrom of humanity surging toward the
entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge between . and
. o'clock at night. and has had to fight and push
and maui his way through angry horde of
homegoing Brooklynites. wouldn't have recog-
nized the place last night For the first time
since the subject of rapid transit for Brooklyn
was preached. it was actually possible last night
TO proceed with something approaching comfort
TO train and trolley. Also for the first time,
the question OF the relief of the bridge conges-
tion seemed to have passed beyond the joking
stage
In word if the new extension of the subway
under the river keeps up the good work it ac-
complished yesterday il is an assured success,
and there is reason Why's it should not for
despite the fact that there were legions of curl
ositv seekers and sghtseers to be handled
everything went along most smoothly.
1t was distinctly Brooklyn's great day of tri-
unph and true Brooklyntes did not hesitate TO
show it on every hand Long before midnight
on Thursday, though that was almost an hour
before the first regular train open TO the public
was scheduled TO arrive at Borough Hall. the
streets surrounding that building wore an un-
zxonted appearance from the unusual crowds
which strolIed about and halted as long as they
could in curious observation of the four brightly
lighted entrances in Joraemon street which led
down to the tracks that in real subway
from Brooklyn New York.
THE CHARM OF THOSE ENTRANCES.
The entrances are not at all dissmar from
those which mark the approach to most Of the
subway stations in Manhattan and The Bronx,
and there is nothing in their appearance so un-
familiar to warrant special attention from
notably inquiring community. The only diff
ference was that they were really in Brooklyn,
but that made all the difference in the world.
There were thousands cheer and shout their
pleasure at the arrival of the first train, and
many Brookynite violated all tradition by TAX
ing the first train back TO Manhattan and then
hack again so as to see all that 10 be seen
Not for a long time had downtown Brooklyn
seen such a gladsome crowd as wandered about
sTniingly all day yesterday in the neighhorhood
Of the Hall" Every old Brookynite who could
appeared some time in the day and walked
himself around through Fulton, Joralemon and
Court streets and took descent down the steps
10 one Of the three bridges crossing the tracks
10 effort TO conceal his rapture at the arrival
and departure of through trains TO Bowling
Green. Park Row and the Rialto- With many OF
his fellows. he paused TO exchange comments
on the wonderful thing. and fingered long before
tearing himself away to go home and add an
other TO the archives of wonderful things he had
witnessed in the history of Brooklyn
The number was greatest about the noon hour
Yesterday s,rhen official ceremonies were held
aF- -be nigh
rate the great event An extra force of police
men under the direction of Inspector Flood, was
detailed to handle the enormous crowd in Bor-
ough Hall Square awaiting the arrival OF the
special train which was to bring from Man
haitian some three hundred members of the
Brooklyn League, together with city officials
and officers of the marlborough Rapid Transit
Company. to mark officially the inauguration of
real rapid transit between Brooklyn and Man
haitian
THE OFFICIAL TRAINS TWO TRIPS
Decked in badges and jubant smiles. the
r.art,. gathered at City Hall in Manhattan at
71-30 Yesterday morning, and shortly before
noon went to the Brooklyn Bridge station of the
subway where the special train was boarded
Without making the regular stops at Fulton and
Wall streets the train proceeded down to Bowl
ing Green. whence the run TO Borough Hall was
made in less than four minutes. little less than
,ba 4;,,a committed for the regular run for the
stretch Of one and three-fft miles between
the two stations. Hundreds were on the plat
forms and bridges of the Borough Hall station,
I,l- ,he train after short wait, pulled out and
carried the passengers back to Bowling Green
and then back again to Borough Hail
The crowd was dense when the Official
Marty alighted that the policemen had to clear
2 way to the steps of the Borough Hail, facing
tho F9eecber statue where the formal eXer-
cises Of consratulation and celebration were
started with the playing of The star spahgleo
Banner" by the 23d Regiment Band Borough
President Coler introduced as the first speaker
Patrick F MCGOWAN. President of the BOARD OF
Aldermen who spoke for the city in the alb
sence of Mayor Mcclellan.
After expressing his pleasure at being able
n assist at such glorious occasion President
MCGOWAN said he hoped that Brooklyn would
retain its reputation for being the CITY OF
tson,es He got a rousing whoop when he said
ne would do ali in his power as city off1ciai
"a helm the extension of real rapid transit In
Fsr,okIvp and that he hoped to live TO see the
dax uben overhead trolley wires and elevated
roads were a thing Of the past
.REAL. BEGINNING OF UNIFICATIoN
St Clair McKeIway, who followed. SAID thaA
the opening of the tunnel was the real begin
-iEg OF the unification OF brooklyn aiio 'ie
- horouebs Though Brooklyn would pre-
rye her own characteristics, she wouiu pei'e"'
~ fne linking which stood for real coiiiihu'i'
'ies with the rest OF The Union
u, c parles cadman referred TO the Brook
lyn Bridge as 'the effective bridge 'he roh-
,5irions on which had been insult TO ciSiliza-
iaGlrl