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| Arcade Railway drawing. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, January 5, 1899.
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
VARIOUS METROPOLITAN TUNNEL SCHEMES THAT HAVE FAILED.
The Broadway Underground Road Which Was Begun Nearly Thirty Years Ago, but Never Finished—Arcade Railway—Corbin's Tunnel.
NEW YORK, Jan. 6.—[Special.]—Despite opposition, which is bad enough, and the indifference of the public to their schemes which is worse, the rapid transit commissioners do not seem yet to have been effectually downed.
They still hope to see Manhattan Island pierced from end to end by a railroad tunnel through which trains furnishing real rapid transit shall run. The commissioners' latest scheme—to help pay the expenses of the underground road by selling electricity for lighting and heating purposes—has caused more talk than anything else they have proposed in a long time. It is, of course, directly opposed to Mr. Croker's scheme, indorsed a few days ago by Comptroller Coler, to have the tunnel dug by private parties.
Tunnels That Failed.
Although New York is less advanced in tunnel transit than the many other great cities, it is here and nowhere else that the first intramural tunnel road was projected. Reference is not now made to the tunnel under Murray Hill, through which the Fourth avenue surface road passes, but to a genuine underground system of transit laid out beneath Broadway, the principal thoroughfare of the town. Had it been completed as begun there would never have been an elevated road in New York, or at most it would have been only an afterthought.
The Broadway tunnel railroad was projected nearly 30 years ago, when the first extended agitation for improved transit sprang up. New York was a much smaller city then than now, yet the facilities for travel on this island were so much inferior to those we at present enjoy, that the situation must have been decidedly worse than that from which we now suffer, bad as it is. It was not purposed by the projectors of the scheme that the city should build the road, but that it should be constructed by private capital.
Of course there was strong opposition, some of it from persons who honestly believed the building of an underground road in Broadway would weaken the foundations of the buildings fronting thereon and some of it from those who favored the construction of aerial or elevated roads. In 1870, in order to demonstrate the falsity of the idea that foundations would be damaged, an experimental underground section was put down between Warren and Murray street, rails were laid, and a car was put upon them. Access to the line was had through a station under the sidewalk at the corner of Warren street and Broadway.
To enter the station you had to go through the basement of the building long occupied as a clothing store, but destroyed by the recent big fire that damaged a tall life insurance building and tested the fireproof qualities of the so-called skyscrapers. The top of the tunnel, which was circular, was 21 feet 6 inches below the pavement level, quite low enough to avoid all gas and water pipes. The car which was put on was operated some time by pneumatic pressure. It worked well. Nobody claimed otherwise, yet for some reason, probably the greater hustling qualities of those who backed the elevated project, the underground scheme finally fell through, and the car was taken off. But for years thereafter the tunnel entrance was kept open, and visitors were allowed to inspect the tunnel. In 1891, however, the entrance was bricked up, but the tunnel is still undoubtedly intact and in as good condition as ever, for none but the best work was put in, and the best work lasts.
Brought Out a Great Invention.
One of the reasons for sinking the road so far below the surface was furnished by the desire to bore the tunnel without stopping the traffic of Broadway. Down to that time no practical device for rapid tunnel machine boring had been perfected; but, it being obvious that such a contrivance would be needed if the road were to be built, one of its projectors gathered his wits about him and invented the machine. It may interest the reader to know that, though the machine has not yet been allowed to scoop out a route for a railroad under Broadway, it has netted its inventor a good many thousand dollars in royalties, having been utilized in the excavation of some famous railroad bores.
Most of the projectors of the Broadway tunnel road that was begun in 1870, but never has been finished, are now dead. They fought as well as they knew for the success of their project, but they failed exactly as most careful observers of the situation here now think the projectors of the present tunnel scheme will fail.
Other Underground Schemes.
After the failure of the Broadway subroad scheme there was another one for the building of a so-called Arcade railroad under Broadway. It was virtually a plan to build a subterranean street as wide as Broadway itself between curbs. At first blush it would appear that this project could not have been carried through without obstructing the traffic of the thoroughfare, but its projectors had an ingenious plan by which they felt certain this could be avoided. The Arcade railway, though, never got a tithe as far along on the way to completion as the Broadway tunnel.
Both these underground plans collapsed so long ago as virtually to belong to a generation that has now passed away, but the woods have been full of tunnel schemes here in New York ever since. On one of these—the proposed railroad tunnel to New Jersey under the Hudson river—dollars to the amount of millions and men's lives by the hundred have been squandered. It is now nothing but a couple of abandoned holes under the river bed, one reaching the surface in Hoboken and the other in New York. Worse yet, both holes are now full of water. One tunnel has been built and is now in successful operation. It reaches under the East river from Manhattan to Brooklyn. It affords transit for gas, however, and not for railroad trains, trolley cars or any other vehicle in which human beings may travel. One of the most ambitious tunnel schemes ever broached here was planned ten years ago by a lot of well known men to connect the Long Island railroad, the New York Central and the great railroad terminals in Jersey City. It was to pass under both the Hudson and the East rivers. It was not to come to the surface at all in Manhattan, but there were to be stations on this island reached by perpendicular shafts. The late Austin Corbin was greatly interested in this scheme. General Roy Stone was president of the company, which may still be in existence. No excavating worth mentioning was done.
DEXTER MARSHALL
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| Delaware Senator George Gray. |
ACCEPT THE TREATY.
Such is the Advice Given by Senator Gray.
QUIETLY WORKING FOR THAT END.
He Will Also Make a Speech in the Senate in Favor of Ratification—He Thinks That the Treaty Will Be Ratified—Opposition Growing Less.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.—The presentation of the peace treaty to the senate, which was referred to the committee on foreign relations without being made public, has aroused considerable discussion among members of congress as to its probable ratification and the impression to be gained from what senators say is that the treaty will no doubt be ratified. Senator Gray, a member of the commission, has been discussing the subject with Democratic senators who were averse to acquisition of the Philippines and opposed to some other features of the treaty. He told them that amendments to the treaty would seriously complicate matters, and that there was nothing now to do but to accept the treaty as it stood.
Senator Gray no doubt will make a speech from the standpoint of a man who was in the first instance opposed to acquiring territory far from the United States, but showing that the war [with Spain] left the country in a condition where the responsibilities were not to be avoided. It is understood that Senators Hoar and Caffery will make extended speeches in opposition to the treaty.
Charged With the Maine Outrage.
HAVANA, Jan. 5.—Senor Recido Arnauta y Hernandez, editor of El Reconcentrado, has issued a third attack upon his old enemy, Zacaras Bresnes whom, with three others, he accuses of blowing up the United States battleship Maine. Bresnes, who is a lawyer and politician, sailed for Spain about two weeks ago. The installments of the story thus far have been devoted to the alleged felonies and treacheries of Bresnes. The editor tells his readers to be patient, as in due time they will get the facts regarding the Maine explosion. He describes his proof as "largely moral."
Smallpox Among Our Troops,
HAVANA, Jan. 5—Lieutenant Colonel Louis M. Maus, chief surgeon of the Seventh army corps, asserts that there is not a single case of yellow fever in the whole force. There is one case of smallpox in the First North Carolina regiment, but the regiment is quarantined and has been for eight days. At Marianao there are several smallpox cases, and the authorities have sent for more vaccine as the supply is short. There is always more or less smallpox in Cuban cities, and the situation at Marianao is in no respect exceptional.
Sale of Mauser Rifles.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Jan. 5.—The Mauser rifles stored in the United States armory in this city were sold. The prices ranged from $2.30 for guns beyond repair to $17 for those in first class condition. The ammunition was withdrawn from the sale.
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| Photo copied from Grip's Historical Souvenir of Cortland, 1899. |
Ladies' Literary Club.
The Ladies' Literary club [of Cortland] held its regular meeting yesterday at the home of Mrs. F. D. Reese and the following program was presented, the subject being "Arabia:"
Its People and Early History, Mrs. Jayne.
Moorish Conquests, Mrs. Johnson.
Moorish Architecture, Miss Hendrick.
Romance—Arabian Nights, Mrs. Gillette.
The Influence of Mohammedanism, Mrs. Reese.
The Ideal Moor, Othello, Mrs. Twiss.
The next meeting is appointed at the house of Mrs. Walrad.
Death of James Turner.
James Turner, the old soldier in the Squires block, who has been ill with the grip and other complications, died at 6 o'clock yesterday. He was 79 years and 11 months of age. The funeral will occur to-morrow morning at 10:30 o'clock. Burial will be made at East Homer. Comrades of [Grand Army of the Republic] Grover post are requested to attend the funeral to-morrow morning,
HELD FOR GRAND JURY.
John Hahn Waived Examination and Was Remanded to Jail.
Sheriff Brainard returned last night from Elmira, bringing back with him John Hahn, who is charged with grand larceny in stealing a horse and cutter from Liveryman O. L. Crofoot, Dec. 28. It in claimed that the young man— for he is not over 16 years of age—hired the horse to go about four miles west of the village and back, but instead of doing that he started south and just before reaching Marathon traded cutters with Charles Uptegrove. Uptegrove, it is said, is out $5 as the result of the trade. Hahn then, it is related, proceeded to Whitney Point, when he left the rig in the hands of Landlord Harvey Trunk, and later turned up in Elmira.
He was arraigned before Justice of the Peace E. C. Parker this morning on the charge of grand larceny. When informed that he had the right to counsel, Hahn inquired if the district attorney was in the room. Justice Parker told him that that gentleman was present and pointed him out to the prisoner. The young man astonished District Attorney Duffey by asking if he had better plead guilty to the charge. Mr. Duffey of course refused to advise him, but explained to him a little more fully his rights at that time, saying that he need not then plead to the charge, that he could demand an examination if he desired it, or waive the same and have the case certified to the next grand jury. After a little he decided to avail himself of the latter alternative and bail was fixed at $500. This he said he was unable to furnish, and he was remanded to jail. The next grand jury sits Jan. 23.
Young Hahn said that he had no home, that he had been working for S. S. Steadman at Nubia. It is said that on a previous occasion he was before an Ithaca magistrate on a charge to which he pleaded guilty, and got off with a suspended sentence, and it was suggested this morning that the young man may have had in mind the pursuance of the same tactics.
ON THEIR WAY TO COLLEGE.
B. A. Benedict Entertained Young Friends Last Evening.
The Syracuse Post-Standard says: A party of students was entertained at dinner at the Vanderbilt House last evening by Attorney Byron A. Benedict. It consisted of Miss Mabel Fitzgerald, Miss Bessie Benedict and Miss Mabel Brewer of Smith college; Prof. Archibald A. Freeman and Earle W. Newton of Andover; Alexis Mahan of St. John's Military academy, and Charles C. Wickwire. They are all from Cortland and are on their way to college after the Holiday vacation.
The occasion was a very pleasant one and was much enjoyed by host and guests. The party left for the East on the 10:50 train last night.
BREVITIES.
—The Peck Memorial library at Marathon which was opened three years ago then having 800 volumes now contains 2,400 volumes.
—New display advertisements to-day are—J. B. Kellogg, Special Inventory Sale, page 4; Palmer & Co., A Great Purchase, page 6.
—News has come of the death this morning at Fort Edward, N. Y., of Mr. John J. Robinson, the father of Mrs. F. J. Cheney, after an illness of less than two weeks.
—There are eight suspicious cases of illness in Auburn prison that it is feared may be smallpox, though the prison physician is not quite ready yet to admit it. The cases have been isolated.
—District Deputy Grand Master L. A. Bloomer goes to Scott to-night to install the new officers of the Scott lodge of Odd Fellows. He will be accompanied by a number of Cortland members of the order.
—In addition to the robins noted yesterday by Messrs. Woodworth and White comes a report from Prospect hill this morning. While at the breakfast table Hoffman Keese saw a robin outside the window in a mountain ash tree eating berries. He attracted the attention of the family to it and all saw the robin.
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