620 TRANSACTIOKS OF THE 



appears to be free from objections. The plan suggested by the 

 Mayor, cutting away the sidewalks and deranging the entrances 

 to saloons and cellars, would encounter many difficulties. A 

 rail or double track in the middle of Broadway, I am convinced, 

 would not relieve the carriage way; and parallel avenues would 

 be objectionable, as the distance from Broadway would expose 

 those who are doing business in Broadway in bad weather, besides 

 opening these avenues would be attended with great cost and 

 sacrifice of property. 



The only feasible plan to accomplish this desirable improve- 

 ment, in my opinion, is to widen the carriage way three feet on 

 each side of Broadway, place a rail on the curb stone for one 

 wheel of a car, and lay a flat rail four feet from this first named 

 rail, the face of which to be level with the pavement of the street. 

 The rail connected with the curb to have its upper edge convex, 

 on which the wheels of the cars being concave, will run and be 

 retained on the track. These wheels are to have a rib projecting 

 from the surface of the rim of the wheels which lenter an open 

 groove in a flat rail on the cross streets. This groove or slit is to 

 be made so that dust will pass through the rail into a gutter 

 below. 



On this rail track, which is to extend from the Bowling Green^ 

 (or Whitehall street,) as far up Broadway or Fourth avenue as 

 may be expedient, on the east side, and a like track on the west 

 side to the place of beginning, with properly conducted cars on 

 such rail tracks, would, in my opinion, give the relief to Broad- 

 way and accommodate the public, with less cost and less sacrifice 

 of property than any other plan that has been suggested. 



The three feet taken from the sidewalk would not interfere 

 with vaults or cellar- ways, and would afford great convenience m 

 entering and leaving the cars, and would, no doubt, equalize the 

 value of property on both sidts of Broadway. In order to carry 

 out this arrangement, private carriages should be required to pass 

 into the cross streets, instead of standing in front of stores in 

 Broadway, and should only be allowed to stop on the track to 

 allow persons to enter or leave their carriage. Drays or carts 

 would be allowed only to discharge or load in front of stores. A 

 question to be considered would be, the capacity of the cars and 

 the motive power ; if by animals, I think one horse, or mule, to 

 haul a car with twelve seats, would be most advisable. 



Allowing the track to be four feet wide, we take only one foot 

 on each side of Broadway out of the carriage-way; this space be- 

 ing now filled with rubbish, and the three feet on the sidewalk 



