Year: 1879

RAPID PROGRESS OF THE WORK ON DIVISION


AND ALLEN STREETS ENING OF THE MET


RoPoLrTAN 81" TO EIGHTH AVENUE AND


FIFTY-THIRD STREET.


1t was astonishing to observe what rapid progress
had already been made yesterday in digging the ex.
cavations for the Second avenue IL" through
Division and Allen streets in the twentyfour hours
in which the laborers had been at work. 1t is
markabe fact by the way, that most of the men who
eager and anxious to obtain employment here
81 20 per day the very strikers who threw up
their places the west side extension on Ninth and
Eighth avenues. refusing to accept that pay. These
men have already lost nearly three weeks
wages, and now the greater portion of the
force willing to return to work. but the excava-
tions have been showed up and frozen
deeply that the company prefer to wait
short time until there is thaw before resuming
work. In Division and Allen street. however the
men employed have already demonstrated what may
be expected of them. Yesterday noon the holes had
been excavated to depth OF eight nine feer Tho
soil being sandy the digging proceeded with marvel
lous quckness. and the contractors were themselves
astonshed at the remarkable progress that had been
made in this very short space OF time. The earth
which had been excavated was banked up in great
heaps along the curb, and being covered with deep
mantle of offered quite picturesque spectacle.
In spite of the severe snow storm the work con-
tinued all day. and with every shovelful Of earth
plentiful addition of snow was thrown up. 1t was
unite evident that Messrs Ambrose Mills have an
excellent set OF worklnen here, who will complete
the foundation in very short space of time.


THE METROPOLITAN ..L'' EXTENDED TO EIGHTH AVENUE


Is announced in the HERALD the Fifty third street
extension of the Metropolitan "L was opened yes
terday far Eighth avenue The first Eighth ave-
train left Rector street ut ii 80 and arrived at
Eighth and Fifty third street at 80, the
running time being the that to Fifty-eighth
street and Sixth avenue the east track The COM
pany have built very handsome little switch house
for working the switches for the Fiftythrd street
branch, and the officers say that the arrangements
made i'll this respect complete as to absolutely
render impossible any collision between an Eighth
avenue up train and Sixth avenue down train. The
writer, who the first Eighth avenue train,
found that the curve from Sixth avenue into Fifty
third street was made with the greatest ease 1t IS
not so sharp either the West Third street
or Murray street Great curiosity pre-
vailed among those on the train, including
~ To ace how the residents OF Fifty-third street
would take this invasion of the much dreaded
IL" railway into their secluded region. 1t was
known that the Fifty-thrd street property owners
and residents had been among the most bitter OBJ
jectors the road before the Attorney General and
one time it announced that they had EN-
ployed General Butler and General Roger A. Pryor to
take their case into the courts The street being
rather and many OF the residences being
handsome brown stone houses, whose inmates were
particularly sensitive to the disturbance which
they apprehended from the noise of the road. it was
only to be expected that the appearance OF the hr


train through Fifty third street would be received
with loud gnashing Of teeth


GooDNATURED AsTOSIsuMENT.
As the train gided into Fifty-third street and
passed the large boarding stables both sides
would the female denizens OF the residences
above referred to rush to the windows. with
babies i'll their arms, Others leaving these ''incum
brances'' to their nurses, who also occupied
spicuous places at the windows. The expression on
most OF these faces OF .good-natured and
amused astonishment. and only few of the older
people were to grmly shake their heads ut the
train and to look after it with unmisakable disgust.
Here 1t is last" their ominous headshaking
seemed to say" wei couldn't keep it away
any longer" The few who in their
homes at the time also took the innovation more
disagreeaby than their better halves, who evidently
thought that the sight Of the passing trains would
all events. afford some pleasant variety to the
notony of the street view which is particularly dull
At Fifty third street and Eighth avenue there is
handsome station larger than any on Sixth avenue.
but still unfinished and here experienced ticket
sellers and gatemen stationed just the
main line. The traffic yesterday was comparatively
light the station opened until the entire
rush down town had passed. One OF the ticket
agents previously stationed at tyeghth street
aud sixth avenue. and sold the very first ticket
the Metropolitan IL" in June last, when it
opened to the public. 1t is anticipated that the bus.
mess this station will add at least three Thousand
passengers to the traffic of the road which n.