RAPID TRANSIT IN NEW YORK CITY.

N account of the peculiar shape of the city of New York, the street travel is concentrated in one general direction and to such an extent that there has always existed a demand for increased transit facilities.

As early as 1866 the attention of the State Legislature was seriously drawn to the consideration of providing for the city not only further, but especially more rapid, means of travel than the existing horse-cars and omnibuses afforded, and a Commission was appointed by the Senate to investigate and report upon the problem. The investigation thus commenced resulted finally in the construction of the present system of elevated railroads, which on their completion were considered sufficient for the needs of the city for many years to come.

The rapid growth of the city and the steadily increasing demands for more and better means of communication along a central route led to several attempts by private capital to construct underground railroads, all of which attempts, however, were defeated by hostile litigation.

By the year 1891 the necessity and the public demand for increased facilities had become so great, that the Legislature passed an act in January of that year for the appointment of a Rapid Transit Commission of five, with full powers to locate and design rapid transit railroads and to sell the franchise for their construction. This Commission drew plans for the building of a railroad, starting from South Ferry, passing under Broadway and the Boulevard to the city limits on the west side, and with an east side branch diverging at Fourteenth street and Union Square, and terminating at the Grand Central Station.

This franchise was offered for sale at public auction on December 28th, 1892, but without successful result. The Commission then made an attempt to extend the Manhattan Elevated Railway, and to obtain by that means an increase in the facilities which the people required; but the Commission were unable to come to any satisfactory terms with that company.

Appreciating the failure to enlist private capital in the building of additional railways, and the failure to secure proper extension of the Manhattan Elevated Railway, the public press urged the passage of the necessary laws to permit the city of New York to undertake the work as a municipal enterprise, and in response to this demand the Chamber of Commerce of this city drew up a bill, which was presented to the Legislature in the spring of 1894, and with a few amendments subsequently passed.

This bill provided that the question of municipal construction should be submitted to a vote of the people, and if the people should so determine, the Commission was to locate and design such a railway as it might approve and

secure for it a lessee, who was first to build the road for the city's account, being paid with city bonds issued for that purpose, and then to operate the road as lessee or tenant for the city for a term of years to be mutually agreed upon, one of the conditions of the lease being that the lessee was to pay annually into the city's treasury the interest on the bonds issued for the work, and at least one per cent. in addition thereto, which one per cent. was to provide a sinking fund for the retirement of the bonds at the end of the term of the lease, by which time the city would be the owner of the road free from all debt, after which the city could re-lease the property for such rental as could be secured, and apply the money so received to the general fund.

The Commission that the bill created consisted of eight members, five of whom were named in the act, namely, Alexander E. Orr, Seth Low, John H. Starin, Wm. Steinway, and John Claflin, together with three ex officio members, the Mayor and the Comptroller of the city of New York, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce.

As at the time of the passage of the act, Mr. Orr was President of the Chamber of Commerce, and, therefore, had a seat in the Commission ex officio, he resigned his seat as an individual member. On the 8th of June the Commission organized, and elected Mr. John H. Inman to fill the vacancy thus caused, and at the same meeting elected Mr. Orr President of the Commission. Mr. Inman, together with Messrs. Starin and Steinway, had been members of the previous Commission. The city officers, who by virtue of their office were members of the Commission, were the Hon. Thomas F. Gilroy, Mayor, and the Hon. Ashbel T. Fitch, Comptroller.

On June 18th the Commission completed its organization by appointing the following executive staff: Mr. Louis L. Delafield, secretary; Messrs. Henry R. Beekman and A. B. Boardman, counsel; and Mr. Wm. Barclay Parsons, chief engineer.

On November 6th, 1894, the question of municipal construction was submitted to the popular vote, and was carried by a majority of 89,731; there being 132,647 in favor, and 42,916 against. Upon ascertaining the popular will, the Commission promptly set about the carrying out of the provisions of the act.

The questions involved, both legal and engineering, were submitted to the counsel and the engineer of the Commission, who reported in full to the Com

mission.

The suggestions contained in the engineer's report, although concurred in by Messrs. A. Fteley and Theodore Cooper, were further submitted to a Board of Experts, consisting of the Hon. A S. Hewitt, Octave Chanute, Thomas C. Clarke, Prof. Wm. H. Burr and Charles Sooysmith.

The information, relating as it did to the probable cost of the work, and as the basis for the designs of the proposed road, was of such importance that the Commission considered that it would be wise and that time would be saved by submitting it to the fullest and most careful review. This Board having reported, the Commission was enabled to proceed with the carrying out of the work.

By the election of November, 1894, the Commission lost the services of Mayor Gilroy, his place being taken by the Hon. Wm. L. Strong. It also lost the benefit of the legal advice of Mr. Beekman, who was elected a Judge of the Superior Court. Mr. Beekman's place was filled by the appointment as counsel of the

firm of Parsons, Shepard & Ogden; while, in lieu of Mr. Boardman as an individual, his own firm, Tracy, Boardman & Platt, was substituted.

The Commission has adopted an underground road as the general princi ple of construction. The route on which it is proposed to build commences at South Ferry and passes along Broadway and the Boulevard to 185th street, at which point the Washington Bridge gives communication across the Harlem River. There will also be an east side line branching off at Fourteenth street and running up Fourth avenue under the Grand Central Station, and thence along the line of the Harlem Railroad to Mott Haven. From City Hall Park to 181st street on the west side, and to Forty-second street on the east side, the line will have four tracks. Two of these will be used for local trains making frequent stops, and two for express trains stopping not oftener than every mile or every mile and a half. By such means the passengers traveling long distances will save the annoyance and time lost by stopping at a large number of intermediate stations. The motive power will be electricity, which has reached the point of commercial efficiency and success, or some form of power, such as compressed air, which will not require combustion in the tunnel. The elimination of smoke and the gases produced by burning coal will remove the discomforts experienced in passing through an ordinary railway tunnel or through the Metropolitan and District underground railways in London. With cars and stations brilliantly and always evenly lighted by electricity; with an atmosphere free from smoke; with a temperature mild in winter and cool in summer; and with trains moving at a high speed on a solid foundation, the underground railway will, when completed, prove of not only the greatest material benefit to the city, but will provide its patrons with the most comfortable and convenient means of transit that can be devised.

By the terms of the act the Commission is limited to the expenditure of $50,000,000. The road that will be built will require nearly that amount. It will thus be the most expensive railway of its length in the world; but, on the other hand, it will be located along a route on which is concentrated more travel than will be found on one of similar length in any other city. The difficulties to be overcome, commercial, legal, and constructive, are exceedingly great; but the Commissioners, without exception, are men of affairs, accustomed to the carrying of large enterprises to a successful issue, so that the confidence shown by the people that these gentlemen will be able to provide genuine and satisfactory rapid transit is amply justified.