PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLTTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 617 



Brooklyn, it may be proper to inquire whether the objects desired by thia 

 company may not be more readily and cheaply accomplibhed by another 

 plan. 



An Elevated Railway. 



Mr. John Randall proposed, many years ago, to construct an elevated 

 railway over the sidewalks of Broadway; but the plan now proposed by 

 tlie Chairman is to construct a railway especially designed to carry passen- 

 gers with great rapidity from the upper end of the island to the lower, so 

 tliat persons living above the Central Park, for instance, could reach their 

 places of business in the time usually devoted to that purpose by those liv- 

 ing below Union square. 



The railway should be constructed, for this object, between two main 

 avenues or streets, taking the back part of the lots fronting on either ave- 

 nue. It should be at least 20 feet high, and pass over all the cross streets 

 leading to the North and East rivers by bridges without any supports in 

 the streets. It would pass through the second and third stories of one 

 building on either side such streets, the first or main floor of which could 

 be occupied as a store. In fact, the whole line, except when it crossed a 

 street, would form a continuous series of compartments, which could be 

 rented for enough to pay the interest of the cost of the ground occupied 

 by the road. The advantage gained by this plan would be the securing of 

 natural light and pure air. 



To properly light and ventilate a tunnel would require a constant expen- 

 diture of an amount of money larger than would at first be supposed. The 

 use of steam involves the generation of large quantities of carbonic oxide 

 and carbonic acid gases which could not be entirely removed by the best 

 devised plan. Compressed air, as a motor, would remove all objections 

 regarding ventilation, but it would double the cost of transportation. 



It requires but little foresight to predict that this great metropolis must 

 soon require such facilities as either of these projects could furnish for 

 reaching within a comparatively short time the business centers of the 

 city. This timely attempt to provide for the future by a powerful company, 

 should be a matter of general congratulation, and it seems proper that the 

 charter should also embrace the project now proposed, so that, after care- 

 ful surveys and estimates they may decide whether to carry the class of 

 passengers requiring a rapid transit, underground or overhead. 



Mr. Fisher thought favorably of the plan proposed by the Chairman; it 

 was feasible to construct the proposed railway between the avenues. 



Dr. Parmelee could see no serious objection to the underground railway; 

 certainly those above ground would be less incommoded if passengers were 

 transported in this way. 



Mr. Dibbin said that it would be well to bear in mind the fact that a tun- 

 nel was constructed a few years ago in London under the river Thames, 

 but it was never used by vehicles, and nobody visited it now except to 

 examine the structure. The same result would follow in New York; people 

 would not consent to ride underground when they could have the light of 

 day. The most feasible plan was to lay the rails in the streets. A serious 

 objection in the minds of some would be that there are no interesting engi- 



