New-York tribune., 1909-09-25
GROUTU OF URB.fN md
INTERURB-1N LINES.
Capital and Engineering Skill Pro
\ gliding Nc7c Tork 5cih Finest
System in the World.

Standing in front Of the new Custom House.
at Bowling Green. one is able to visualize in
the sweep OF single glance four important
stages in the development of New York's Won
derful and complex system Of urban and inter-
urban transportation during the last three
quarters of a century
First come the horse cars. jogging along Sc
dately They are relics Of the pioneer days OF
rapid transit, back in 1S32, when John Stepen-
sons boxes on wheels" as they were called
made their appearance in response TO the de-
mand of the people for a more expeditions
method Of travel from one point TO another than
was afforded by the oldtlme stages.
Rounding the Battery the elevated cars
which followed thirty five years after stephen
sons horse-drawn vehicles and brought pre-
mature prophecies OF the speedy passing of the
latter But these representations were only
partially fulfilled for there are still IN active
operation forty miles Of horse ear lines on Man
haitian Island.
Close TO whore the horse cars pass are tho en-
frances To the subway, whose trains bear one
far into The Bronx and through the East River
tunnel "hisk passengers beneath the water and
ON their way TO the remotcst sections Of Brook
lyn ana into Long Island
70 the north ana left orc may discern Tho
roof Of the skyscraper at Church and Cortlandt
streets which is the terminus Of the rec.ntIv
"pened McAdoo tunnels, bored in the mud. sand
and rock which undcrlie the North River. and
tapping the Pennsylvania. the Eric and the DeIa-
ware, Laekawanna & Western railway stations
IN jersey city ana Hobokcn.
From the waterfront comes Tho sound of ~.
whistles Of the ferryboats which have tor GEN
'rations Piled the North and the East rivers
These to-day because Of the tunnels existor,
ma projected from Manhattan to New .Jersov
ana Long Island are in the popular mind
"'oihed TO the same fate that was thought IN ha
ia store FOR the horse cars when the elevated
road came along
morse cars ana subways. elevated roads. fer
res and tunnels transport among tber, clos.
10 TWO million persons daily Vast as is their
carrying capacity they are none too cauaciore
l" more than cope with the congestion Of traffic
''dt comes twice a day, during the rush bours
al morning and afternoon, and in lesser vol,,r,c
Tor the remainder of the time
PLANS FOR VAST IMPROVEMENT
FIahs are IN existence involving the expond,-
ture Of millions Of dollars To increase the trans-
portation facilities of the metropoIis IN no
pther city Of the world is q higher yaInotion
placed upo- tmc than in New York. Tho Nor,t.
hNer tunnels are time savers They We're b,,iI,
Ior that purpose. Had time been eliminated
irom the proposition the ferries might vau
nave been depended upon for years to come to
transport people to and from New Jersey ana
Long Island. The ferriC5 would have served as
Well perhaps. But they fell into dsfayor with
hurryIng New Workers and eager outsiders COM
ing here on business OF pleasure, as well with
the great minds Of the railroad systems. who
saw attractive possibilities in the saving Of time
and money in being able to send freight and
passengers directly into New York and under
the city to Long Island without transferring or
transshipment.
Each step in the development of New yorls
transportation facilities when estimated in ad-
vance seems sufficient to care for the widest
margin IN Increase of patronage. But the traf
nc grows and grows by leaps and bounds.