Year: 1868

Arcade, the Central and the Broadway Tu.-


mel Railways.


ALBANY, March 2s. 1888.


The race between the various underground bills
before the Legislature is now confined to the three
following:-The Arcade Underground, the Central
Underground and the original Broadway Tunnel
roads. The Arcade Is away ahead in the race having
been passed by one house the Assembly, and being
iu Committee OF the Whole on the other, where Is
was referred upon favorable report from the Rail-
road Committee. Whatever the eventual fate Of the
BILL it Is very certain that II the arcade plan fails TO
meet the requirements OF an underground rail-
way Broadway is wholly incapable of any UNDER
ground means Of rapid and commodious transit. Tho
scheme is one Of most magnificent proportions, and
will require the expenditure of an enormous outlay
to put 1t in operation.


The route OF this road defined in the BILL will be
as follOws:-


cred to locate, construct, maintain and operate in


pursuance OF the powers and provisions in this act


contained, an arcade underground railway for the


transportation OF passengers and property, in con-


veyances to be propelled by air. steam or other mo-


tive power under and along certain Streets avenues


and squares In the city Of New York. commencing al


the southern extremity OF Broadway, thence along


Broadway to Fourteenth street, thence through
Union square to Seventeenth street. thence along


broadway to its junction with Ninth avenue, thence
to junction with the Hudson River Railroad. Said
company is also authorized and empowered to extend


the tracks Of their sad railway In open excavations
on the surface, as the grade may require, from
the point Of commencement before mentioned, at the
southern extremity Of Broadway, along the easteriy


side of and In the Battery to place said Battery,
near the South ferry, and to make on the routes


and .he ner r te nroner
ing and accommodation Of said railway. SAID COM


pany shall have power to enter upon each and every


street crossing the routes of said railway subject to
the same regulations and powers, in this act


tained to the routes specified for said railway, and
excayate each of said streets Its entire width
but not to exceed hundred feet on each side;
constructing the surface roadway Of said cross


streets as far as excavated substantially in the same
manner the main line Of said railway, and
appropriate said streets excavated for the
purpose OF depos, storehouses or otherwise.


THE CENTRAL UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.
The route proposed in the bill incorporating the
company to construct this road is as foows:-
Commencing at a point on the eastery line of
Broadway, In City Hall Park and nOrtherly OF the
projected southerly line Of Park place, running


the old CITY Hall soathery Of the agrnr in ons


Of the same and northerly OF the proposed general


Post Once crossing to the left passing westerly OF
Court building, corner OF Chambers aud Centre
streets, to Centre street; thence under and


said Centre street to City Hall places thence easterly
under said City Hall place to Pearl street; thence
across said Pearl street and running nOrtheastery


ns to ass n pGs %
northerly under said Mulberry street TO Beecker
street thence northerly under and across said


Beccker street In straight line, a. near as practi-
CAL to Lafayette pace thence northcrly under said
Lafayette place TO Ast0r place; thence under ana


Hery side OF said Eighth street; thence across the
block between said Eighth street and Ninth street,
and easterly OF 81. Ann's church on said Eighth
street. Fourth avenue; thence nOrherly under the


westerly side OF said Fourth avenue to Fourteenth


street, thence under and across said Fourteenth street


and said Fourth avenue to Union squares thence north


ery under said Union square to seventeenth streets
thence under and across said seventeenth street


and through the blocks near possible In direct
line, to Twenty third street; thence under Madison
square, Madison avenue, To Twenty street;


thence northery under and across said Twentysixth
street to Madison avenue; thence under said Madi-
avenue now opened TO Eighty-sixth street;
thence under said Madison avenue, as declared by


chapter 403 OF the laws of the State Of New York OF
1851 TO 10th street, thence nOrtheastery, continu


Ing the line to the Harlem rivcr thence easterly
and westerly along said Harlem river, and connect
ing with the Harlem bridge at the terminus OF Third
avenue In the lOwness OF the surface at any


point north of Ninety street is such as to rem
der the construction Of tunnel impractcabe, said
main line may be constructed and operated by an


elevated railway from said Ninety ninth street to and
along the said Harlem river.
The bill for this road was favorably reported in


the Senate and has been committed to the Committee
Of the Whole. A combination was made against it,
however, and Its lobbyist hackers and friends
generally have gone over to the arcade plan which
promises to be the winning road this winter II was
introduced by senator Cauldwoll, of westchcster,
who Is laborng zealously for some feasible and
rapid system OF railway travel between his county
and the business centres OF New York.


THE BROADWAY uNDEaGRoUND TUNNEL
Tne OTVlnai NaHucHDUTpu BToduWdy tUnncl pan


IL also before the Legislature, and IL the last Of the
trio which arc under consideration. IL pro-
poses a simple tunnel, on the plan Of the English
subtcrrancan railways, under Broadway, COM
mcncng at the Battery thence "running nOrtherly


and under the westerly side OF the City Hall Parks
thence to and under Broadway, northerly to and
under Fourteenth street To Union square:
thence northery under Union square to Broadway"
at It's junction with Eighth avenue at Fifty-ninth
street: '.thencc by such route or line az may be
most convenient westerly Of Eighth avenue, to a
connection with the hudson River railroad at the
upper part OF the city," branch Is also authorized


with the Harlem Railroad but II shall not
run cast of Lexington avenue.
The list OF inc0rporators embraces the names OF
Marshal D. Roberts, isaac Bell A. M. Bliss, Shep-
hard Knapp, General Henry W. Sl0cum George w.
Mclean, and about sixty others. The bill by many,


however, IL supposed not to have been offered with
| genuine purpose Of completing the road II tho
franchise be granted, not that majority Of the In


corporators are aware OF what Is on foot but they
are In the hands Of q combination formed for the
purpose Of defeating any underground bill IN Broad
way which thorougfare Is to be reserved for sur
face railroad controlled by the Jake Sharpe party
II IL, therefore, sgmatIzed as ''ummy" by those
who pretend to have deep insight into the nrigues


Of the present session. Whatever its real character
II ~ officially and regularly the files OF the Iegis
latare aud will receive attention In its order, or
tho will nj the an