The evening world., 1919-02-21
STATEN ISLAND
DEMANDS DIRECT
MANHATTAN TUBE
Bay Ridge Route Rejected in
Favor of One Under Bay or
Through Jersey.


united in n demand for a subway
direct to Manhattan.
The direct-route plan, approved
unanimously at a meeting OF the
Staten Island Subway Committee last
night in the court room at the Bor-
ough Hall. 81. George, will be pressed
at once before the Board OF Estimate
and Apportionment by Borough Pres
ident Van Name, and Senator George
Cromwell. who attended the meeting,
will seek to hasten any legislative
action that may be needed in Al
bany. There is a bill now before
tho Legislature TO remove any bar
rier the City Charter may contain
against building a Staten Island sub
way.
The meeting was attended by more
than a hundred OF the leading citl-
zens OF the island. Several of the
committee advanced arguments in
favor OF a subway under the Narrows
to Brooklyn, there hooking up with
tho Fourth Avenue Subway. This
was part OF the original rapid transit
plan and has been agitated for years.
But when 1t came to n vote the COM
mittee unanimously ratified the fol-
lowing resolution submitted by its
Executive Committee:
: Resolved. that this committee rec
ommends to the Staten Island Sub
way Committee that urgent request
be made to the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment for a direct SUBJ
way from Manhattan to and through
Staten Island"
Ringing speeches showing the in
justice OF the present transporta-
! tion difficulties OF the island and the
need for q tube both for the con-
venicnce of the residents there and
| for the beneficial development OF the
whole city were made at the meet
| ing. Louis l.. Tribus. chairman of
the committee, presided.
One OF the principal pleas for a
direct-route subway was made by
Charles Roome Parmele, Chairman OF
the Cooperation Committee, and one
Of the leaders in the movement.
II was first in favor of the Bay
Ridge route" he declared, but after
an investigation | am convinced that
Il subway to Manhattan is what we
need. The Brooklyn route would be
longer, and would involve the in
convenience of transferring. Then,
too, IL would cause serious traffic
problems. In a few years the Brook
lyn line will hardly be able to ham
die it's own crowds. Whenever any
emergency arose, tho Broolllynites
would get first consideration, and the
Staten Island passengers would be
thought Of last"
Similar speeches were made by
other members OF the committee
George Nj. Avcnt, Chairman OF the
Slogan Committee, said that Staten
Island would stand for nothing other
than n direct-route line. Francis f..
Leman, Chairman OF the Committee
on Legislation, declared he would
see that the project was pushed at
Albany. Asscmblyman II. A. Seesel-
berg and William Writ Mills, secre-
enthusiasm In speeches showing the
vital need OF the project.
There are two routes under consld-
GRAFTON by which a direct subway
could be provided. The first would
60 from Manhattan to Ellis Island, a
distance Of 6,40O feet, thence under
the shadows OF the bay to Robin =
Reef, a distance Of $1,000 feet, thence
10 the ferrX terminal at 81. George.
distance 'of $500 feet This line
would bee a total OF 2s,2O0 feet in
length
on the first section Of this route
the distance between shafts would
be less than 500 feet, compared with
$3.50 feet on the Pennsylvania Rall-
road Hudson River tube. The greatest
, depth to the bottom ofthe tube would
bc so feet, compared with % feet In
the Pennsylvania tube. The average
depth to the bottom OF the tube be-
o, tween Ellis Island and Robbins Reef
; would be 81 feet and the greatest
depth under XIII Van Kull would be
15 feet. There would be openings a
Ellis Island, Bedloo's Island and Rob-
bins Reef and two intermediate
openings between the last two points
The second direct route would con-
tinuc from the Hudson River tube
, running within the hulkhcad line oI
, the New Jersey shore, ana just he
! low Communipaw the tracks woulc
emerge and the railroad would be
continued on an elevated structure
within the bulkhead line to Constable
J Hook. There the tracks would be de-
, pressed into a subway under the XII
Van Kull. This route would he abou
, $4,000 feet long.
IfnAaR the aarOnA paufa Manhattan