BAPID-TRANSTT SUBWAYS IN METROPOLITAN CITIRS. 



763 



tion of Tivniont and Bovlston streets the congestion was so great 

 that traffic was ahiiost wholly impeded during the busiest hours of 

 the day. Various solutions of the problem were proposed from time 

 to time. An elevated road was rejected by a popular vote, and the 

 proposed widening of the streets involved so great an expense as to 

 be impracticable. The only comprehensive scheme seemed to be a 

 subway in the congested district, and in 1804 an act was passed author- 

 izing its construction. The results have been most satisfactory. The 

 streets are not nearly so crowded as before, and there is a great saving 

 to the passengers of the time necessary to reach the central portion of 

 the city from almost any suburb. The total length of the subway is If 

 miles, and contains over .') miles of track. Several additional lines 

 are under consideration. 



THE CO.MPREHENSIVE SCHE:ME FOR PARIS. 



The problem of rapid transit was first agitated in I^aris almost 

 half a century ago, and as early as 1870 the nuinici])al authorities 

 l)egan seriously to study various solutions. In imitation of other 







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Fig. 2.— Map of Paris, whowirifj subways in opf-ration and undor (-onstruction. 



cities an elevated road was pro])osed during tiie eighties, but the 

 esthetic Parisian would have Jione of it. 'J'iie l)eaiiliful boulevards, 

 streets, and public places, laid out by Baron Ilaussnum at great 



