New-York tribune., 1918-11-15
Subway Would Do AWAY
With Dangerous Tracks,
Says Controller
CT Gould Operate
Tube and Terminal.
Filling In 200-Foot Striu of
River North of ssth
Street Suggested

A subway, owned and operated bp ~.
city, Tor the transportation of freich.
on the West Side of Manhattan is ma
posed by Controller Charles l. cr,;.
in a letter to the Board of Es,;r.,.s
asking for permission so proceed with
the project and take up the matte,
with the railroads and Federal Officials
The proposed tube is to run frou
North Moore Street to Fifty.n;n,h
Street, and will result in the remove,
Of miles of dangerous surface railroad
tracks. 1t also will bring, according "a
.dr. Craig, relief from congestion. M.
only in street traffic along The North
River, but in shipping on the wess
Side.
If this plan is approved, the Con.
troller said he would proceed with sn
additional project which he has in
mind for improving conditions alopr
Riverside Drive. This includes the OK.
tending of the shore line about 200
feet into the river from Fifty-ninth
Street north. The material excavated
for the proposed underground freight
road could be used. he thinks, in re.
claiming this long stretch of land now
under water.
Wouid Sell Investment
THE subway plan" he said, "invovS
no serious physical or Transportation
difficulty, and it can be financed and
operated to the material advantage Of
the city. There is no practical reason
why an operating contract should no.
be made in advance with every railroad,
covering q sufficient period of time TO
write off the Investment.
The plan provides for six.track
underground freight railroad from
Fifty-ninth Street to point near Canal
Street, with unit terminals in con.
venient locations and transfer bridges
providing means Of access for the New
Jersey railroads, the underground rail.
road and its terminal facilities 10 pro-
vide for the business Of railroads hand.
ling merchandise traffic originating in
or consigned to the Borough of Man.
haitian"
Mr. Craig said that the proposed
plan would effect farreaching econ
omies and would give an impetus to
the Improvement Of private property
along the route which would increase
It's taxable value by at least 100000
900.
The route OF the proposed subway
is along Eleventh Avenue from Fifty
ninth Street to TwenIy-seventh Street;
thence partly through private property
between Twenty-siXth aud Twenty
seventh streets TO Jertii Avenue; along
/ Tenth Avenue to Fifteenth Street;
thence partly through private property
30 Ninth Avenue, ard thence to Hudson
Street, to North Moore Street.
Ten-story Freight Buildings
Union unit terminals, ten stories
in height. are proposed TO be located
at Fifty-tifth to Tifiy-seventh Stree:
east Of Eleventh Avenue; between
Twenty-sixth and Thirt eth Streets
east Of the same avenue; between Six.
1eentn anC Twentieth Streets east o.
Tenth Avenue; at S9r-ng Street cast o.
vest oe duason Street, and IN lm
territory bounded by La ght. Var,eL
Hudson and North Moore Streets. Inn
last would probably result IN the e.os, .
ing Of Beach Street between huas0A
and Varick Streets.
Access to the terminals from the u. %
deroro,,nd railroad Is 20 be had By the
extension OF spur tracks from tne me- o.
line into the basement level o. We
building. A Unit consisting OF s,:;
block will accommodate i5o reg.
cars at one time. III the nasea.a- s.n-
level Of each unit eight tracks. IN lOI'
pairs. are 10 be laid out. with uus1'
wav thirty feet vide along each e'aIa, .ls
These units are intended TO De sa'
most modern thing in freight ~.nI .I
mails. the street floor 10 be on q le.s'
with the fioo- Of an ordinary t'u.1 ~
10 permit easy handling OF frelght. a'
freight is 20 be raised from the DS's'
ment levels by elevators.
Inbound Business at Night
1t is further proposed that all n n
bound business consigned to Nanhss
tan shall be brought TO the variV.s a;.s
terminals at night and placed ID un.s
ready for unloading early IN the NV. :,
ing The day is to be given O'si =
The eight upper floors Of the tsFFr %,
nails are TO be used for storage Tss
periods not TO exceed thirty Gays. ' Sy
second floor is 10 be used as ofh'ss en-. =,
shippers. A union terminal at i.V,. ,.
Street and Twelfth Avenue to -. ~
care of the Harlem traffic IS also Pr
vided for, although not shown u r'. y,
plans submitted 70 the Board oI rsH