The New York Rapid-transit Subway

Proceedings.] DISCUSSION ON NEW YORK SUBWAY. 117 The Author desired to thank the two Past-Presidents who had The Aut spoken for the very flattering remarks they had made with regard to him. He appreciated the compliment in Sir John Wolfe Barrys claim that he was half an Englishman ; but Sir John had not stated whether it was the better or the poorer half he claimed for England. It was a source of regret to him that Sir William White had not mentioned, when paying his second visit to the subway, that he was sailing next morning, because had he done so he would have found just as much difficulty in getting through it as on his first visit. Replying to the discussion, he gladly acknowledged, in response to a suggestion by Sir John Wolfe Barry, the benefits derived in the preliminary study of the various underground railways in London, and especially of the very instructive work executed by Sir John himself. The point raised by that speaker in regard to the unit- stresses permitted in the roof- and wall-beams had been answered by Colonel Yorke, regardless of the additional strength of the concrete arching, which, as the experiments described on p. 41 showed, amounted to an increase in resistance of one-third. The reinforce- ment of the side walls, thus admitting of thinner construction, not only economized space so as to permit work in a narrow street otherwise impossible, as Sir John Wolfe Barry had pointed out, but was also a cheaper form of construction. Sir William White and other speakers had referred to the Transit Board. Without such a board and the concentration of power, the subway would have been impossible of accomplishment. The growth of a modern city, and the comfort and welfare of its inhabitants, depended largely on facilities for internal transportation. Unfortunately, there existed a feeling on the part of some people that the granting of any special privileges benefited only a private corporation, and that no privileges should be granted, but taxes and other burdens should be imposed. The public was more vitally interested in the building of interurban railways than were investors. For the sake of the public, therefore, all possible aid should be given to reduce the cost, burdensome at best, in order to induce construction, perhaps even going to the extent, as Mr. Macassey had pointed out, of not permitting vested rights to impose a veto. Mr. Davison had inquired as to the laws and the necessary steps to acquire powers under which the subway had been built. There was but one law, that creating the Rapid Transit Commission and conferring upon it all authority necessary to lay out and construct the railway with the City’s money. After the location had been approved by the city authorities, the Board had power, by mandamus proceedings if necessary, to compel the finance department to pay the cost; and it