The New York Herald Newspaper, February 7, 1875, Page 5

RAPID TRANSIT. Joint Meeting of the Assembly and Aldermanic Committees. PLANS AND SUGGESTIONS. Westchester Moving in the Matter. A PRACTICAL © ENGINEER'S © METHOD. * The two committees of the Assembly and of the Board of Aldermen to which the subject of rapid transit has been referred, with instructions to Inquire into all its phases, were to meet at differ- ent bours yeslerday in the Aldermanic Chamber, in the City Hail. The former committee, which 4g composed of Messrs. Jonn Rk. Kennadey, of Kings; T. 0. Campbell, Jonn T. McGowan and F. W. Sew- ard, of this city, and Mr. Schieffelin, of Westchester county, accordingly mét at noon; but, upon being officially informed that the Aldermanic committee Would hold a session at one o'clock, tt adjourned Until that hour, in order that there Might be a joint sesaion, At about a quarter past one o'clock, the members of both committees all.) being present, the joint session was announced by Mr. Seward, of tne Assembly committee, to be open and ready for the arguments of citizens tu be heard. The chamber was crowded. Capital- (sta, men of moderate means enthusiastic tor Papid transit, and crack-brained inventors bur- dened with miniature models or huge parchments, bearing illustrations of their pians, were there in plenty; and it was afterward atscoverea that there was present at least one man who sees no necessity for rapid transit, and thinks @ railroad to accomplish it would prove vaiuable only to capitalista and an oppressor of the poor. The meeting was scarcely called to order, and Mr. Seward had barely cunciuded his request on the part of the committees that the speakers would confilue their remarks tothe subject of in- ficating what would be the proper legislation to precede the work of building a rapid transit rail- way, when Mr. S. E. Church jumped upon the floor and procured the assent of the committee to bis making a speech. He then drew off his coat and made several other preparations tor a long address. Mr. Church certainly has the sabject of fapid transit at heart. He has spoken upon it at every Opportunity during years, and in his Speeches he almost always starts from the one set premises, follows one course of ew soning and arrives at the same results— favorable to the building of a railway br system of ratiways on which trains should run rapidly through the city. Mr. Church ls eminently statistical, and he has prepared a series of tables to prove that it is lack of rapid transit that has prevented the population of this city from now numbering over two miliious of souls, and which has kept out of the City Treasury $300,000,000 that would have accrued from in- Breased opportunities for taxation, &c., if a road had been ouilt by the city ten years ago and con- trolled by it since. Mr. Church went on deliver- Ing bimself of his well known arguments for rapid transit for some time, and until Mr, Thomas C. Campbell, of the Stace Legislative Oommittee, remarked to him that the desirability, even the Recessity of rapid transit. was admittea on all aides, and asked bim to speak upon tne subject of Recessary legislation, MR. CHURCH’S BILL, Mr, Church replied that he was about to trench Spon that subject, and immediately added that he proposed, ay a remedy for the losses of New York, bat the city should build a rapid transit railway. As the law under which the Corporation of this Sity would have power to undertake such a work must be general, Mr. Church said he had pre- pared a bill to be presented to the consideration ef the Assembly committee whose provisions ap- Piied also to the corporations of other cities and towns of the State. He then read his bill, ex- piaining 1t as he proceeded with the reading. Its general purport is to confer upon the Mayor and | Aldermen ot the cities of the State power to con- Struct railroads fur pga sb within the an limite of such cities, to fasue bonds for the sums of money necessary to construct such railways. It limiis tne cost of construction of each mile of the rapid transit roads to $35,000, and authorizes ass ments tor one-halt nat C088 of ae Fond made upon property benefited by it, Within certain limits. Jt provides that such as- Sessments may run as long asthe bonds issued, the interest upon them, 0! course, being paid reg- al Toe vill sets apart arnings of each @ primary fond ior the payment of its cost With imterest thereon, and proviaes that any de- Gclency shall be up by the collection of as- Peet neeient jare ie coy Toad must Lad Pai ely sufficient, so that the aggregate paid by 1 cover the interest of the Nonds, mall fund for their rT But, income irom the road increases, the bill provides that other ances Pa may be constituted to pay other debts, Mr. Church urged this bill upon the attention of the committee, and deciared that if it was adopted there could soon be two double-track railways trom the Battery running on either side of Central Park to the Harlem River, and that the costs of yd roads need not aggregate more than SENATOR MOORE’S PROPOSITION. Mr. Boyd toliowed Mr. Church upon the floor. He said that he wished to present to the cons: tion of the Assembly Committee tne Dill lat Introduced hy Senator Moore, of this city, in t! Btate Senate. id that the bill, in his judg- nt aud in that of several of the ablest lawyers 01 this city whom he hed coasuiced upon it, wi in accord with the spirit of the « oustitutional amendments lately adopted. He said that, within bis view, there is no otner medium through which rapid can be etffected, it Spurnea indignantly the accusation that the document was the cover for “a job,” and he declured, in response to the comments ot the press upon it, that the billisan honest bill, and ves no advaniage to any man in this county. luring his speech Mr. Boyd said that tne city of Ork tg DOt & corporation within the m .IBg of section 18 of articie 3 of the constitution, and hence the Legislature could, without an in- frection of that section, grant power to our city. Buthorities to build a rapid transit railway in ac- Sordance with the provisions of Mr. Moore's bill. CONSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIONS. Mr, Wheeler H. Pecknam siepped into the gentre of the Chamber, and said:—‘The question is, 1 understand, whut legisiation is necessary tu bring rapid transit into existence ? Whether the One or the other of tue two bills presented is the More desiradie 1 shall pot discuss. “1 think that the bill framed by Mr. Moore is Slearly and definitely unconstitutional. I say this With all deference to the o; geutieman reserved to by Mr. Boyd, and of that Pd himself.” Mr. Peckham went on to ow that the government or this city is a corpo- ration sucu as is comprehended vy the spirit of that part of section 18 uf article 3 of the constitu. tion, which reads that “the Legislature snall nut by & private or local bili gragting to any corpo- tion, association or individuul tue rignt to lay down railroad tracks.’ He wene on to say that even if the above section of the constitution did not gon the Stute Legislature from empowering he city to coostruct a rapid transit railway it Wasa question Whetner or DOt section 1) of ar- lucie 8 of the constitution woulda low the Legis- lature to conier such authority. Mr, Peckham Said we Dever hitherto supposed that the pullding inton of the learned of o railway is @ city purpose any more than the building of a market, or the provision oi every other thing tbat woulu locrease the comfort of citizens. He suid tnat, pernaps, it will become necessary for the Legisia- tare (0 define exactly what are ‘cou town and village purposes.” Kor bimsel!, Mr. Peck! said, fe is In IpVor Of the passage by the Legisiavure of general aw which shail throw ‘Open to competition tue entire field ta which rail. Poads ure to be built. WAPID TRANSIT AND HIGH RENTS. Mr. 8, L. Macumber now procured @ hearing. Be saiu that i ior years @ necessity tor a rapid transit rul.road had existed, and 1, as nad been Suid, Suc @ raliroad would pay for its construc. ton, i¢ would have been maue long ago. He de- duced irom the absence of the road the fact that the necessity for itis lacking. He Could not see in what way it would benefit the pour of New York. He cuuld only discover that it would op- Fess them, ‘The ‘improvements made ia New wk of late years” have all sided the tu With the eighbor- Quod, tuere came increased taxes, oe: whicn came ten times increased trom the Mpckets of poyy teounts ke Uim: When the man id hig taxes run up, on an addivional Valaation 01 his proverty, ne immediately puts up the renis O1 is property ten times tue amount of the aadi- onal tux. Mr, Macomber Was unwole to how favid tragsit coud help the pour inau, Op- FSsse0, ior the impecuuious peuple, nor en DORe WhO Could afturd ty bay three or tour thou sad doles ior ‘a Dome, "oould ‘not go ap towa NEW YORK HERALD; SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1875——QUADRUPLE SHEET. and live m the neiguborbood of Central Park. Every foot of rock there is valued at $10.000 by the rich men, The poor inust, therefore, remain down town or goto Jersey to reside, in homes they cau Purchase witn modest means. ‘To those who re- main, down town the rapid transit railway must Prove un instrument for their oppression by the Tich, If, however, the road 1s to be pay, construction and ‘ation, capitalists should uild it, and the ple should not be doubly burdened SnpongR the ¢ity assuming the work, In this strain Mr, Magomober continued for a long time, exciting the derision of uis hearers, all of whom were of the opinion that rapid transit 1s & vital necessity to this city, that will benefit ail Classes of people here and oppress none. MUST BE DONE BY THE CITY. Mr. 5. B. Ruggles arose and said he thought it an insult to the intelligence of tne peopic of New York to discuss th sity for rapid transit. He continued that nt that great boon of rapid transit will never be accomplisued by a pri- vate corporation. The etty must assume the work. ‘There bave been numerous Shan ie of private bodies to bring it into existence; all the corpora- tions Lave been composed of well-known men— some Of them respectable, others less than respect- abie—yet all have tated. Private corporations cannot successiully contest the power adverse to the accomplishment of rapid transit, Commodore Vauderbilt slone has power to defeat any. associa- tion of private persona. He now keeps this city under bis despotism. has a bold upon her throat and may asphyxi: her wnen he pleases to do 0. Mr. Ruggies proposed that the city of New York should wake rapid transit railways, and that the Mayor of the city and the Governor of the State should appoimt seven commissioners, under whose direction the work should be done. He propbesied that the increase in tne valuation of property above Fiity-ninth street would eventu- ally repay the cost uf the rallways, Mr. Macomber asked Mr. Ruggies I! be thought that rapid transit would really benefit poor men, and would result in thelr being abie to procure homes in the neighborhood of the Central Park, ‘The latter gentleman repiied that he certainly be- leved the poor would. derive venefits 1rom rapid transit; “but,” he added, “everybody cannot live with @ park in trent of his house.’ PERSONALITIES, Mr. Lawson N. Fuller, of Washington Heights, made a very vehement speecu. He said he wished to answer the gentleman who preceded Mr. Ruggles (Mr. Macomber). Iftnac gentleman had not mentioned bis name, he (Mr. Faller) would have thought him @ distant relative of Rip Van Winkle. Mr. Macomber —So 1 am. Mr. Fuller contimued:—That gentleman does Dotseem to know the limits of New York city. He seems to imagine that they are the Central Park. There are more peopie who are as ignorant of the matter as he is. He does not Know tnat the rich men up town do not fix the valuation of their property. The city does that. VALUB OF UPTOWN PROPERTY. Mr. Fuller went on to indicate that Mr. Macom- ber was ignorant of the prices of property up town from the Central Purk to Kingsoridge. He said that they were reasonubie, and on that ac- count rapid transit was needed to allow people to take advantage of them. le depicted some of the miseries of peopie who live at the upper end of tne island on the westside with speech that was vehement aud : picturesque; but which did not contin te idea that tc ts entirely convenient to live at Washington Heights while rapid transit remains @ mere project, Mr. Fuller continued :— it it 138 not proper to allow the city to build @ rapid railway, then, at least, let the charter of the Greenwich Street Railway be amended, Allow that road to be widened and extended along the west side of the island. it may be ov. jected to asa “‘one-legged-anair.” Certainly itis @ “one-legged-affair,’”’ but one leg is much better than none, Under the circumstances anotber “jeg”? may ve matured. Then let us have first leg while we wait jor # second. Tue route jor the railway is easy to find. There 1s a grand boule- vard that may be utized. 1t cost $7,000,000, and we uptown property Owners were faxed to pay for it, although we did nos ask ior it, 11s now used only for cartage, Ul its width of 104 leet twenty-two ieet in the cemtre are taken up by a walk. There are thus forty-oue feet to be used as & drive on each side, Let tne Elevated Railway run over the central promenade, READY TO PAY YOR 1HE FRANCHISE. General Daniel Butterfield said he came before the joint committee.as an owner of property in the upper part of the city who bad wished ior years tor rapid tranait, for the holders of tranchises tu compiete the ai Of those tranchises. In consequence of the satlure of sucn persons to do as they suid they would ne and some other gentie- men had determined to try to effect the coustruc- tion of & speedy railway. le Now came bDelore the joint committee, although until within @ lew ours he had not imtenaed to doso. He desirea that » general railroad law should be passed, and, he said, in the event of the passage of such a bill by the speimasce, & party of gentiemen, whom General Battertield suja le represeptea were ready to bid for tue franchise of a rap:d transit railway, and pledge themselves to forieit $600,000 in cage they did not cunstract the railway. Mr. Schuyler, Chief Engineer o: the New York and New Huven Railroad, presented to the com- mittee an outine of ois plan ior a rapid transit railway. The roadway is to be in an open cat run Across the yards uf resioences. He calied his plan w design 10 strike the subject of rapid transit “vetween wind aad waler,”’ a3 Is road 1s meant to be neither unuegground nor elevated. Messrs. William W. Niles, Ho.uce H. Day and several inventors made speeches, the latter ex. panne: their plans, and then the committees ad- jour ee Aldermagic Committee will meet again vo ora aiternoon. uring: 2 @ iumny incident occurred, growin: ¢ OF tue chivalrdas desire of Mr. Losier tu deiehd Commodore Vanuerbilé irom toe assaults oi speakers. He rose and began a speech in the detence ofthe great raliroad owner upon wiom the spleen of sO many liad been vented. The chairman of the meeting rapped ioudly to call bim to order, but Mr. Los.er would not be seated until the burly old Sergeani-at-Arms wito severe face went to nim and put him dowa by tne exercise of manual dexterity. MEETING AT TREMONT. A large and enthusiastic meeting of the citizens of Westchester county was held last night at Ittner’s Hall, Tremont, vo take action on the pro- posed rapid transit movement. J. Y. Traphagen presided, and A. E. Drez acted as secretary of the Meeting. Speeches were made by the following gentlemen:—Simon E. Onurch, H. D, Berry, John D. Haskin and William Hening. After some discus- sion the following resolutions were offered aud unanimously adopted :— Whereas it is a matter of vital importance to the health and welfare of the citizens and resideats of the wenty-third a1 Twenty-fourth wards that those waras be thoroughly and properly sewered and suppliod with wholesome water, and that the means for frequent and rapid communication by steam between the sai wardsand the lower portion of the city be secure: the: rey it Resolved, that wo faves. the immediate construction of amain sewer where Millbrook now runs, the course of that stream indicating th: ral and best place for such a sewer, and that 1 wers be ran into the ng th irements of the popu- id. Resolved, ‘That measures be taken to secure the ear! introduction of Croton water Into these wards. sf we earnestly call upon those having in charge thé consideration oi the important subject of Tapid transit to use their best efforts to solve in some pructical manner the great question, and that we re- spectrally tender our thanks to His Honor Mayor Wick- ham for the interest taken by him in the matter, and we hereby pledge our support to him ana any of the authorities who may ¢ndeavor to give us this very much needed improvement. Rewolved, ‘That it is the sense of this mecting that the « surveys and plans tor the laying out of the lines and grades of the streets und avenues in the twenty-third And twenty-fourth wards ander a comprehensive sys- tem and us tar us possibic In conformity with the other streets and avenues of the city should ‘be completed as soon as possible, ard a map thereof made tor the benefit of the property hoid id wards and accessibie to them, and that we arxé Mate action on the part of the authorities tending to that It, Resolved, ‘that we shall always condemn any action in the matter ot our local improvements that shall seek to beuefit the tew at the expense ot the many. Resolved, Thatthe time tor organized action having arrived it becomes the duty of every citizen, irrespective of party, to unite with fis teliow citizens for iutual carying outof such local j¢ Public good. ve it the organization known as the Central Association of the two new wards has our indorsement, — oat Ma) advise our tellow citizens to become mem- rs thereot. Kesolved, That the Central Association, representing in a lurge part the property and proveriy owners of the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth wards, nm the northern Gistrict of New York, being now iu tuil ineecing assein- bled, and having considered the act entitled “An act to conter upon the Board of Aldermen of the several cities Qf this State power to construct railroads for rapid wun- ait within such cities,” which bill is now in the hands of the Aldermanic and’ Assemviy Railroad committees of this city and state, do tuily indorse the provisions of gaid bill, and ask that it nay become a law, as affordiny the wisest, quickest abd most economical method of accomplishing rapid transit in this city. ‘esol That a copy of these resolutions, properly au- thentic: ¢ forwarded to the chairmen of both said Committees as the petition of t! sociation. AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM A PRACTICAL ENGINEER. 4 NEW PLAN PROPOSED AND OTHER IMPROVE- MENTS SUGGESTED, Wo have received the following exhaustive letter from a distinguished engineer who, at the request of Governor Hoffman, examined the Underground Railway of London, aud made also a report on steam transit to Mr. William B, Ogden, President of the New York Central Underground Railway :— New Yor«, Feb. 1, 1875, BRALD :— AB “rapid transit’? id nas been for some time, au absorbing subject, 1 beg that you will allow me to ventilate iu your poweriul journal some points in connection wita it, and at the same lume show how crude iallacies, misicadiug und governed by ignorance Ol lucts and precedents, @re the opinioas of somo of the writers on this important sarject. THE UNDERGROUND PLAN. The conditions, as ( understand them, are to build @ raliway, (0 be worked oy steam, that snail be sale, veyond ali douvt; that sbail ve conveni- ent to the great mass of tne peuple, anu shall have @ capacity to carry 12,000 passengers an bour, in either difection. fo du this it requires a tram of ten sixty-seat cars, to ve run in h direction every three minutes. Tois ia t lowest limit as ume between traing, saiety being 4 governing e.emeant, bo train ever being allowed to start trum @ station until Ujesraphed ‘but the track 18 clear to the Baxi, Tu thé sieiit absarvane af ihie rms 10 doe built, it 16 will | the wonderful success in running and freedom from Metropolitan Railway of Ke Ime mentioned, however, there must be no fooling at stations. ‘The objections to an underground route are the time tt takes to butld, the great cost, difficulty of | Ventilation, disturbance of sewers, gas and water | upes Gnd endangering the joundations of some | iidings along the route, The objection as to | ventilation 18 the only engineering difficulty, and it ean be overcome. The jury of chemists ap- _ pointed to examine the atmosphere in the Under- ground Ratiway of London reported that there was more caroonic acid gas in a cubic foot of the’ atmosphere O! any oi the theatres or of the very | cours: Boamse where they read their report thaa THROUGH BLOCKS OF BUILDINGS, | As to buying tne right of way tbrouga blocks of buildings, the land in this city is worth, on any ceatral line, from $500,000 to $2,000,000 an acre, and more than this in the region of Wall street. | ‘fo build sach # railway as 13 required and ae- manded fiity eet is about as narrow a srrip as should be condemned ana taken. Ky taking out a street of sixty leet wiue every 260 feet of the route 16 leaves 4 59-100 acres to be bought for each mile of the road. Taking thé lowest figures 1 nave given as the price o1 the land—namely, $500,000 an acre, tt makes the right of way come to $2,296,000 per m! id that, too. without taking Into consideratio! value of the buildings, or the dumage done to buildings by tearing down the nexX¢ Ones to them, or having in some cases, prov- ably in many cases, to buy three twenty-five feet Jots to get the ftlity feet required. Ali this little experience was gone through with in London, and by the time they reached Moorgate street the sum was so “prodigious” the company were Jorced to stop for breath aud recuperate their means. This they have done to a certain extent, and have again piungea ahead to try and com- plete the original design, for Jonn Bull is a plucky Jeilow, and does not easily give up what he once Bets Out todo. He is rich, aud can afford to waste his money. THR BEST KOUTE. Alter showing at length that Broadway and the other principal avenues are too crowded to be available the writer says:— The central avenues being closed, we are driven to the west and east to consider the merits of the Second and Seventh avenues. To build on either one of these would Dot accommodate the public; bat to butid on both of them a single track, ele- vated over each sidewalk, would, I think, come nearest the public, im & short time, vhey 80 urgently require. Io selecsing these avenues it should ve recollected that they are also occupied by street railways, ‘The ope on the Second avenue can, I suppose, be bought up ior a reasonable Price, ‘The railway on the west (Seventh avenue) ig, I near, a big affair—the right to participate in the ownership of this avenue, is, Yeap a mat. ter that mast be suomitted to the law a8 Jar aa it runs, turning to the leit before reach- dug Cencral Park and occupying Eighth avenue, thence to Harlem River, or ic may be that Eighth. avebue 18 ound to be the best to run on all the | Way down, as it has better connections with side | streets than its aouthern termius, Atter qeter- | mining the avenues best suited to satisly the | wants ol the people, tt is proper to discuas tne | matter of running these railways south of their | lower termini, to carry them irom Second avenue and East Houston street down to the City Hall, and the Seventh or Eignih from Greenwich avenue down to some point not far trom the City Hall. THE STRUCTURE. I would have one track op eacn side of an ave- | nue, the sidewalks to be widened to eighteen Jeet. ‘this will allow of trains being run over tue outer ten feet of the sidewalk and leave a clear space of eight feet from the tace of vie buildings, rougnt iron supporting columns to be erected along tue line of the curbs and also along the face of the buildings, at a distance or forty to sixty ieet apart, according to local circumstances. The Whole 0: the space over the sidewalks to be roofed over with transverse beams Of iron, glass plates DeXt to the dulidings, and the balance o1 the pav- ing to be blocks of urtifictal stone (‘Cuignet- bécon,” or “Kansome’s stone”), The columns to carry strong cross girders of iron, whicn, in tura, are to carry longitudinal girders—one over the outer columns, one uiue feet in the clear irom the Outer and one next to tne buildings; the two outer arranged so that the cars cau Tun between them and assist in making accidents irom cars leaving the tracks impossible; also to have guard rails on tne inner and duter side cf each rail of each track. By this arrange. ment an arcade 1s formed along buth sides of the streets, iree irom snow, and allowing people tv go shopping under cover. Stations or stopping piaces could be built at street crossings, ove at each hal! mie, the ticket offices directly over the Street, the stairs to ascend and descend being Placed next to the buildings at the coruers; tue platiorms, which in chis case cam only be eight leet wide along the face of the butidinys, except fur the width of cross streets. can, When ivund to ve necessury, be widened by taking the second stories of buildings at eucn station tor & distunce of 500 feet, which will be about the !ength of the train. Tne platiorms must be on the level of the floors of the cars to Jacilitate tue ingress and egress of passengers, They ouot to be eighteen feet wide und rooied over. At some stations they must ve Of this width; at the terminal stations they must be wider still. A RAPID TRANSIT COMMITTEE. Let the Mayor appoint @ board of twenty leading gentlemen ox thiscity. I would name ex-Gover- nor Dix, Mayor Wickham, William B. Ogden, Lewis G, Morris, Allen Camppell, Alred W. Craveu, Let them appvint a committee of two to draw up & charter jor a rapid transit route, to ba approved. by the hoard, then by the Mayor and nis iegal ad- visers, then send it to Albany in the hands of a Committee for the approval Of the Governor, and | then lay it pefore tue Assembly, with @ demaad that It meet with rapid transit through that vudy. THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION, Let the chie! 1eatures of tnis bill ve as follows :— First—Tne road to be au elevated road, with two tracks on eacu side of the city, on such ave- Dues as the buard may select. Second—The “right oi way” to be farnished by the city and given to any company that will baila, equip and operate thts rapid trausit aouble route railway. ‘Che board to have the rignot to give this iranchise to any company they may bave Jaith in and who offer tne best terms, the buard being | authorized to offer @ vonus, in addition to the “right ol way,’ of $1,600,000 on the completion of the two double track railways, from or near the City Hull to Sixtieth street, and doubie that amount for proportional distances from sixtieth street to the Harlem River and tne connection of these roada along or 1m the region of the Harlem River, uuless better terms are offered. Third—The question of constructive damages to remam uusettied for four or six years aiter the Toad 18 built, then to be appraised by the board and paid, one-half by the company und one-balt by the city. Im this appraisal the benefits and ad- vantages accruing irom the ratiway to be esti- mated, as well as the disaavantages and the damage; hut the benefits shail not, in @ money sense, be made to exceed the damagen, ulthougn they may be threelold, and in no case spall the owner of property be called on to pay lor any advantage, benefit or increased value given to his | property by the existence of tbe 1allway. All real | and evideut damage to any man’s property, such as destruction o/ wails, joundations or material of uny kind, to be estimated and paid, one-half by the company and one-nalf by the city, at the time the damage ts done. Fourth—Tne company to agree to build, equip, complete and operate che whoue of the roads men- tioned, irom Sixtieth street to the southern ter- minus in two years, uniess delayed on certain port by the city authorities not giving tnaem the “right of way’? when they require it und ask Jor it 1n writing. FUth—The company to agree to build, equip, complete and operate the northern division of these roads, irom bixtieth street to the Harlem River, in two years more, and connect them along the line or nearto ine Harlem River when the board shall direct them to do it, the board tur- hisning the migat of way; bat the company shall not be forced to outld this connection witnout there being the prosyect of a reasonable profit. Sizth—Lue Board to buve power to graut to the company or to other cumpanies, if petier terms should be offered, the rigut to extend these roads into Westchester county, or along or near the Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek, to tne Huaaon River, or otner points to be agreed upon. Y th—'the Board to aave their own engineer, the work to be done to his satisiuction; all plana, designs, changes io construction, quality aod kina Of material to be submitted to this engineer, re- ceive his consent and be approved vy the Board in writing. Eighth—TChe engineer ot the Board shail have the right to inspect the work as oiten he may wish to, wuich shall be at least once in each monta. He suall have power to condemn any work iound to be deficient in quality, character, quantity or workmansalp, anu order ite removal. He may re- move any workman found 10 be tucompetent. OUK ROTTEN WHARVES, In 1863 Robert Stephenson, the great engineer of kngland, On nis return to Lundon, alter coming here to locate tne Victoria Bridge, said to me:— “It 18 @ pity to see so fine a city us New York, en- joying sucha grand trade, suppited with sucn Miserable pier und whar, accommodations; ouilt oi Woud and rotten at that; uo steam cranes or prover facilities ior loading and unloading; dirty, adly paved streets along the water line and uo Tallways lor the transportation of goods irom one tar to another.’ | wwougbt, how true, I had just een 10 examine the docks at Liverpool and the railways connecting them, also the Went India aad ast india docks, on the Thames. ‘These re- marks of Stephenson made an impression n0t easily gotrid 01. | would now expiain, in as few words ag possible, what I would do tt I were “king” aod had toe city purse under wy control, Fir'st—Luy out # street 200 jeet wide uround the Whole city, make the liué ag straight ag possible, build a granie bulk head along the whole water line, pave it and keep it clean, Second—Tear away ail tue old rickety piers and dredge their present contents out, erect new piers 6u ieet Wide aud 500 feet ong, resting Ou cylinaers of iron or artificial stune aud then buiid fre-proo! storehouses Ou ali Of tuem siX stories high, leaving the jower story to urive un, By this arrabgenens the buuding area of the city Cau be increased, tne Streets relieved Irom mucu of the carting vow re quired, insurances can be reduced, ships can load aud unload ut ail times, rain or snine, abd tae river currenis will eweep tarougu tue piers, Carrying od the organic matter which 18 rua im by wasniugs Irom the streets, and Wuich 1s LOW vetug coliected 40 Lhe cesspuals jormed by the slips vet ween piers wnd leit to tester and decay in ine hot weaver of summer, and poisonuus gi from whicn are waited turough the City, “Impairing its sanitary condition, aud meroducing death into the nomes of mupy. of the 200 100t street, tu rail Di and connected witn the piers by two tracks ‘on each; over these street tracks, to erect @ substantial iron structure, fifty feer wide and twenty-two feet hign. on which lav four tracks for rapid transit—two to be devoted to trains stopping only at great points, or say once in three miles, the other two to be used by trains stopping every half mile, Fourth—Witn this water line arrangement, ac- commodation for cruss vown travel is required. ‘The time will come wher one miliion of peopie will live in New Jersey and another miliiou on Long Island, pappenite this city, all more or less con- nected with the business of the metropolis, There will be jerries to whe termini of each of tne wide streets; they will become great thoroughfares. Crosstown travel will be a8 important as north and south. travel. To accomplish tnis | would propose to take from all the wide streets—Four- teenth, Twenty-third, Forty-secona, Filty-sixtn, &c,, two-thirds of their sidewalks, mace one wide centre Wal<, and over it erect an iron structure, ornamental and strong, to carry two tracks, whch tracks are to correspond in height with the water inne railways and connect with them by curves at the junctions. OTHER IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED, In-time, greeay man wiil, like Oliver Twist, be asking for “more’'—tie mteliectual people of sosten, on their way to the sunny South, will wisn to be carried through without leaving their seats and theif studies, and without contaminating their boots with the mud of New York. I would Propose to satisfy their wisnes by elevating a whole train at the Forty-second stree: depot to the tracks of the crosstown and water line rail- roads, ai run them to the Battery, which should be devoted to railway and other useful pur- poses—at tne Battery the train to be lowered on an elevator (tbat isa “bull’) to below the bed of the river, and passed jaro @ tunnel under tne North River into New Jersey, and then whisked off to the South. Fi7h—in connection with the new system of docks and warehouses I would propose vo lay under the pavement of the wide streets a ilorty-inch iron pipe, to be filled witn compressed air of 100 pounds per square inch, this pressure to be obtained and main- tained by three steam engines, of 3,000 horse power each, all in handsome architectural buildings—one pico on the Battery, one jour miles up the East iver aud ene four miles up the North River—all to ba connected with the forty-inch Pipe, the power stored up in this pipe to be rented out and used ior loading and unloaaing ships and driving all kinds of machinery in the buildings along the river fronts. Hundreds of one and two horse powers could be rented tor mucho less than men can produce such small powers by erecti and running small steam engines of their own, It will rid whe water line of numerous boiler fires, save the labor of fire- men and the space occupied py vollers and cowl, and reduce the cost of insurance. in time these air pipes can be continued into the heart of the city, and the compressed air used by the theatres, charcnes and hotels to cool them during the hot weather of summer; if not ior this purpose, it can be used tor mechanical purposes in a thousand ‘ways all over the city. Every rich man can have an elevator in his house, a8 every man now nas was and Croton water. ‘The projects 1 nave men- tioned tor railways, piers, Warehouses, engines, air power, &c., &c., are costiy things, and look like ‘castles in toe alr,” but they are valuable, and will noc add up in cost as much as that spe- cious piece o! jewelry, “the ring,’ cost, during the time when Tweed was “king,” and every mau quietly submitted to his property being mortgaged to the city, without recompense, to one-twellth of ite value. W. W. EVANS. THE ADAMS EXPRESS ROBBERY. ARREST OF TWO OF THE GUILTY PARTIES AND SEARCH FOR OTHERS. In Jast Sunday’s HERALD was published an ac- count of a mysterious robbery of some $30,000 worth of bonds /rom one of the travelling safes belonging to Adams Express Company while in transit from Richmond, Va., to New York. It has, however, since been discovered that in addition to the bonds there was a considerable sum of money (grecnbacks and national bank cur- rency) abstracted at the same time, For some days after the firat discovery of the Tobbery no clew was obtainea pointing to @ probable solution of the mystery e@nshrouding the case. It appears that the bonds @nd money referred to were contained in three Several packages which were, with others, en- closed in one of the company’s safes at Richmona, ‘Va., and from thence despatched to the office here. On its arrival at the office on Broadway the customary seals with which all the safes are se- cured were found to be intact, thus conclusively proving that the robbery must have been perpe- traced either in the Richmond or the New York office, before the safe was sealed in the former city or after it had been opened here. The difficulty has been, up to within aday or two, to determine with positiveness who were the inculpated par- ties. It was, however, believed irom the first that some of the employés here Knew more of the mat- ter then they cured to state. investigations were made and the services of Detectives Elder and Si nae in, which resulted yesterday morniug the E ARREST OF TWO MEN, attached tO the ofices in New York. These men are Gow in confinement at Police Headquarters, where they will be held until Mouday, when they will be taken to court for examination. They were visited last migot by Superiotendent Walling, in company witu Mr. Hoey, tne Superintendent of Adams Express Company, wuo remained closeted With the prisouers ior over three nours. Mr. Hoey stated to a representative of tne HEKALD, on leaving the ceils, that there was no doubt that the two men he had just lett were concerned in the robbery, but thac several more were implicated, whom he hoped to have arrested oeiore Monday morning. He said he must. decline, tor the present, to state the names and position of the prisoners, or or those yet to be arrested, in order that the ends of justice might not be irustrated. Superintendent Walling also stated that it would be better to keep silence until all tho parties concerned were secured, would be able to arrest them to-day. Mr. also said that they had RECOVERED THR BONDS, but there was still missing a leer of which there was just a J Hep y Of secur! @itnougn it 18 very doubtiul. 1 money lost he declined tor the present tos it ag the intention of the com: He tbought be Boey He exopre' to prosecute the thieves to the utmost tent o1 the law, saying that the company did not care #0 much about the actual loss they sustained in money as to secure the conviction and punishment o: the crimtnated parties, in order toat an example and warning would tous be ae up to hundreds of other men in their em- ploy, He ed also that on no accor ‘ould any compromiso be effected, as they p their own security, to nave the men tried irre- spective of pecuniary considerations, which has always been their policy. On leaving the celle Mr, Hoer drove Of in & carriage with Saperintendent jauing. THE WEATHER YESTERDAY. The following fecord will show the changes in the temperature during the past twenty-four hours, in comparison with the corresponding date of lust year, as recorded at Hudnut’s Pharmacy, Banat Build k= 4 , Ne $ ie 1876. 1874, 1875. 8 A. M....00. 16 19 «8:30 P. M.. Pd Pil M. ~17 19 6PM 20 » 10 3 9PM 13 . 30 12 P.M 10 perature yesterda: 2045 rature ior cor: 18% 21. 24 8! GERMAN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The Council of Political Reform of the Sixteenth Assembly district held @ meeting at its rooms, No. 200 Eighteenth street, last night. Joseph Haignt presided, and in additton to the transaction of the usual routine business the question of teaching the German language in the public schools was discussed, In the course of remarks made on the subject it was argued that it is of no use to intro- duce the German language in the public scnovls as & branch O1 instruction, on the ground that out of sixty-five children that enter the primaries not thirty reach the grammar school, anu of these not five the college. A resoiution was passed declaring it mexpedient and of no use that the German Janguage ould be introduced in the primary achoois as @ regalar branch o1 instruction. FISH OULTURE. The fourth annual meeting of the American Fish Cultury Association will be heid at ten A.M. Tuesday, the 9th inst., at the office of Mr. George and all who pecially those who can contribute to the common fund of knowl- edge on the subject, are invited to attend ang e part in the discussions, As the past yeur nas io One Of UDUSUAl ActiViCy aud Progress in this Hut scleuce, it is eXpected the meeting will be one of the most interesting and instructive ever held by the association. ASSAULT ON A DOCTOR. Dr. Horton, of No. 43 Seventh avenue, was struck on the head with @ siungshot yesterday a.ternoon by Carrie Rogers, a cvlored servant, and dangerously wounded, 1: was reported to the police that the Docior called her to asaist in put- Ming up @ stove, wud, while tue Doctor was in a beading position arianging the te, the woman Thira—Devote the centre, Aity feet On she ievel of to moods the acreet lay thr struck him on the n aogshot. sne in rushed from house ous ne 1e au Gre Of course in search of hat. . ALFONSO’S ENTRY. The Deseendant of San Fernando Escorted to the Home of His Ancestors in Madrid. HOW THE KING LOOKED SEFURE THE PEOPLE Bouquets, Sonnets, Couplets and Cheers. The Reception in the Throne Room—A First Review of the Troops, MADRID, Jan. 14, 1875, ‘Thie morning, at an early hour, the city to witness the preparation: ceive the new King, Alfonso XII. JUBILANT PBEPARATION FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE ROYALTY. The central thoroughiares presented a magnif- cent spectacle witn the variety of colors; escutch- eons, tapestries and armorial designs with which the fronts of the houses were universally draped. The arcs de triomphe, which were sta- tioned at intervals and gaudily decorated, served to heighten the effect of the demonstration made by the people to welcome their new and youthful sovereign. THE CIVIC DECORATIONS. -The Puerta dei Sol is the central forum of the capital, and no King is sure of his reception in Spain until he hag tiddeo unharmed trom end to end of its broad esplanade. In the centre stands @ large fountain, which can be increased or diminished at the will of the authorities. Near this was a staging, erected for about eighty Musicians, under the best direction, who were to entertain the waiting crowd until His Majesty should appear. At the entrance of the Calle Mayor, where the King woutd issue from the Puerta del Sol, on his way toward the palace, stand two columns, united at the top by wreaths and festoons of evergreens—the columns repre- senting the Pillars of Hercules, of the old imperial arms. The whole was covered’with the emblems and trophies of war, marine and commerce, with two inscriptions, the one on the right, “Espafla d 8u dey" (Spain to her King), and that on the left, “Viva aAyonso FII.” Further along the same street (Calle Mayor), in front of the city bulldings, stood an arch with this - inscription ‘Sagantum, Dec. 28, 1874—Madrid, Jan. 14, 1875." “The Alfonsos have veen Good Legislators and Exalted Uaptains.” At the end of the street where it nears the palace at the plaza hight De la Armeria, the Qircuio Popular, an Alfonsist club, had erected a fine arch with suit- able incriptions. THE TRIUMPH OF HUMANITY. Returning now to the Puerta cel Sol, the Minis- try of the Interior was handsomely draped, and on the central balcony were fixed the apparatus for illumination, consisting of a full escutcheon of the royal arms of Spain, flanked by fleurs de Us and stars—the: where all these years on special occasions has glittered in the gaslignt the legena, “Long live the national sov- ereignty!” This, balcony was reserved by the government for the Diplomatic Corps. It holds jrom thirty to forty people. The first class hotels on the square, the Paris ana Princes, were also brilliantly decorated, as well as the shops and residences, Looking down the Calle maguificent view presented itself, Every front was literally hidden beneath a wealth of hangings, the red and yellow of Spain against the blue of the sky and the natural duiness of the faqudes of the houses formed an indescrib- | ably exciting spectacle. First on the left comes the Ministry of Finance, than the Acad- emy of Fine Arts, calied tne “Academy of San Fernando,” both gaudily attired, particularly the jatter, Further down stood, spanning the broad avenue, the finest arch of all, erected by the “Womao’s Association in Ald of the Wounded in the Army.” The arch, seventy feet high, was sur- Mounted by an equestrian statue in bronze, and along the sides of tae arch were niches containing full sized statues in anctent armor. were genuine, being taken from the armory of the Duke de Osuna, one of the oldest houses in Spain. The arch contained'the usual inscription:—“Viva Altonso XII.” On the Church of the Calatravas (that of the ancient military order) I observed tne legend :—*‘ Viva el Rey Catolico Alfonso XII.” THE AMERICAN FLAG, Still further slong on the leit our enterprising fellow citizen, Dr. MacKeehan, aside from the usual decorations, had adorned his balconies with the American flag, placed between two Spanish banners, and beneath, in English, the one word, 12 monumental characters, “Welcome |’? PALATIAL RESIDENCES, Opposite, the Presidency was tastetully and gaudily decorated. Next the palaceof the Duke de Sesto, Marquis de Alcanices, whose balconies Were richly adornod with armorial tapestries and Aeurs de iss. Op the Paseo de Recoletos (a division Of the grand promenade and drive of the city), op- posite the hotel of the opulent banker, Campos, Was set upan exquisite Moorisn arob, resting upon four graceiul columns, in imitation of an arch in the Alhambra pile at Granada. It was covered with ornaments and Arabic inscriptions in the ta’atte and culo character, which, as a whole, in the midst of the enchanting beauty of spot, the trees, gardens and palaces produced an extraordinary effect. THE SCENE AT NOON, It is now twelve o'clock, noon. The streets and avenues, the plasas, balconies, and even the roofs of houses, along by which the royal cortége is to pass, have long since been oc- cupied by sarging masses; carriages have ceased to pass, except those of the government and dip- Jomatic corps, Which are provided with special tickets, The cities and villages of Spain have added largely to the ordinary population of the capital, and hence the soldiers detatled to preserve an open space slong the line of march, from the rail- Toad station to the Royal Alcézar, find it, no easy task to restrain the ambitious throng. Oc- castonally a straggier escapes their first vigilance gud runs the gauntlet of their horses across the Open apace, the people in the meantime cheering on the Venturesome individual or holding him up to ridicule by the usual bull fight billinsgate of “Que baile’ (a dan now). But in general, though the press 18 tremendous, nought but joke or pleasantry is heard on every side. WAITING FOR THE SIGNAL GUNS. At last we leave the rooms taken by the foreign press in the Hotel de Paris to visit our venerable Minister and study the route. We Ond him just in the act of setting out, and at his kind invitation step in and drive to the station. ‘Not too near, Not too near;’ says the General, “1 want to see without oeing seen.’’ So we drew up at an angle near it and the avenue leading to the Basilica of Atocha. Here the crowd was less pressing, as we were in the outskirts of the town, The signal for the arrival of the train was to be wns from tue hill of the Observatory THE ROYAL PROGRESS, Tne King nad left Valencia yesterday and reached Aranjuez—the {famous royal seat of Charies 1V. and Godoy—at night, where he rested, aud whence he was to make his triumphal entry into the capital, Time passed; minutes seemed hours, e' in «the )§«6omidst oof ®@ picturesque throng like this, anxious and excited rather by the parade of a change than jvom any proiound enthusiasm ior the ruler. “Let's step in and take somevming,” suggested our cbief, ‘But, General, we are in the midst of the | people, and the booth ia both inconvenient and Unudy, You may be treated with disrespect.” “Not !,” repiied our democratic represeatative, “| think the ‘peopie’ are the beat part of Spuin,’” So We sat own oa two stools at a pine table ina low, temporary barrack, wnere bread ana aguar Giente were economically dealt out to tae hungry Lana thicaue, At lenath the Atma irom the Billop pedestrians. THE DESCENDANT OF SAN PERNANDO AT THE HOME OF HIS ANCESTORS. ‘The train had arrived. Tne royal descendant of San Fernando bad reached the porta triumphalis of the capital im satiety. The sky was cloudless, ‘the air soft, the day auspicious. As the booming of the twenty-first gun died away over tie lawns and forests of tbe Buen Retiro the heart and hopes of all Madrid, it was evident, beat high and strong. Six years had passed away; and such years! Five different torms of government, five essays at self-rule, had been welcomed 10 turn and inturn dismissed. At length the country said, “Tne old was better,” and they forgot the maledictions of 1863 and blotted out the memory of inscriptions and mani- festos wherein they had sworn that “the spurious race of the Bourbons has fallen; has fallen for aye.” “Le rot eat mort! Vive le roi!” ON TO THE PALACE. The carriages of the Ministers wheeled by rapidly toward the palace. A corps of lancers, their uni- forms glistening brilliantly in the sunspine, galloped swiltly toward the station, and presently returned at the head of the regal cavalcade. The gaudy uniforms of wait red generals, encircling a youthful rider, mounted on a milk-white charger, holding in hia extended right hand a ros, or military cap, and bowing gracefully and laughingly to the masses on either side, came suddenly to view. The people lifted up one !ong, loud cry. I diatin- guished no viva—it was a time for something more, It was ® cry—a giving vent toa long pent up, indefinable want. The boy monarch under. stood it, and bis people understood him. An ancient mother at our side cried out, “Ay, qué mono es!’ (Ob, how cunning he is!) and wept, There were no tears shed at that other coming three years ago, ave the tears jor the victim of that coming. Amadeo came well, came as was seemly in a Savoyard. But he was a foreign King; he came @ superior to am inferior race. Instinct told the people so, ana their indifference drove Dim trom his unwelcome tnrone. HOW THE KING IMPRESSED THE PEOPLE. The first impression of Alfonso XII. was favor. abiein the extreme. Young—he is but seventeen years of age—of good form and manners; a pleas. ing countenance, not yet markea with decision or great capacity for riling, but sympathetic and gind. THE ROYAL CORTEGE—ITS JOYOUS ADVANCE, All these | The procession rode quickly to the Churcn o! Atocha, near the station, where is the famous image of tne Virgin and the banners taken to early wars. There also may be seon votive offer. ings suspended about the Alma Mater recording the cure, with a duplicate in wax of tne part or parts healed by her miracalous intervention. After the “Ie Deum,” performed by the Arch bishop of Valladotid, the King visited the tombs of Palafox and Concna. He also desired to descend to view the remains of General Prim, but, as we have reasons for stating, he was hurried away from @ spot where he would have read the names of sun- dry personages connected with the actual situa- tion, and which it were conventent just now to ignore. After a delay of avout three-quarters o! an hour, during which we had driven rapidly ta another position on the route, the royal cortége reformed and passed along the Prado, past the Column of the Second of May (commemorating the uprising and slaughter upaer Murat in 1808), te which the young monarch made a profound bow, entering the avenue of the Calle de Alcala by the Ministry of War. As -the procession passed along up the broad street the din irom the compact masses was deafening. Ladies irom the balconies of noble palaces and hotels sbowered upon the train bouquets, multl- tudes of sonnets and couplets, and set free great numbers of doves, that wheeled affrightea over and among the crowd and along the brilliant cause wi On, on went the King and his gaudy retinue, and as the street became narrower at its approach to the Puerta del Sol, so increased the shouts of acclaim, the Jali of garlands, doves, bouquets and poetry, and the wild enthusiasm of the surging miasses of men, women and children, IN THE GREAT SQUARE. 4 Suddenly the cavalcade burst into the open space of the great square. The band played the “Royal March ;” the fountain leaped forth to the extent of its capacity; one hundred thousand peo ple waved hats, bandkerchiefs and banners; the sky was darkened by the multitade of sonnets and bouquets thrown from a thousand baiconies in the same moment; the white-winged doves wheeled and whirled in confusion athwart their rivals of the press in mid air, and so triumphantly Don Alionso de Bourbon rode calmly, smilingly, uncovered, bowing right and bowing left, across the historical esplanade, safely down the Calle Mayor, across the Plaza de la Armeria, to the gates of the Alcdzar of the Kiags of Spain, the residence of his foretatners. Another long détour of our carriage brought us to the Palace ere the pedestrians had had time to press their way thither. TME RECEPTION IN THE THRONE ROOM, At fiteen minutes before four the King had ac- complished his reception in the throne room and appeared mounted on his charger in iront of the Prince’s Gate of the royal Alcézar. He was still attired as beiore, in the campaign dress of & Cap- tain General. THE MILITARY REVIEW. He was now to review the troops of this garri- sou, in al] about 12,000 men. We cannot speak fo high terms of the arill or general appearance and marching of these troops; but, sufiice it to say, they passed in one hour dna in the following order:— First came in succession six battalions of in- fantry, each cheering the King most lustily as they filed before His Majesty. Next one battalion of cadets; then one of Civil Guards (the gendarmerie of Spain); then came a battalion of boys, from ten to twelve, ali unb formed ana equipped; next another battalion of imiantry; then @ pontoon train, telegraph and railway corps; then more cavalry, followed by ‘bree batteries of artiliery of four guns each and three more batteries of six gunseacn; then four squadrons of lancers, one squadron of regular cavalry, two more squadrons of lancers, the whole concluded by three squadrons of regular cavalry. ILLUMINATIONS, It was five o’clock—high time to go home and eat aiter a hard day's chase and beiore @ night 01 illumination. Don Emilio Castelar last evening quietly toos the train to the Escurial, a 4¢ residence {or con- tempiation on the rise and fall of empires and on the republican movement in Europe; a move- ment which, as we long ago predicted, has not only made the reaction possible, but natural. But de mortuis nil nisi bonum, WHAT WAS: THE REAL ‘TONS OF THE CROWD? It will be asked hy vour readers, Was the King received heartily? Answer—He wee; as heartily as be could wish from @ Spanish crowd, ana as superficially, The people six years ago hated the Bourbons. Since then they have learned to hate everything else. The King can now do with them what he likes. If he wants a constitutional mon archy, as he says, the people will take it and say “Thank’ee;” it he, at the instigation of ine clergy and under the pressure of Carlist pacification, re quires religious unity, and all its train of absolu- Vistic abolitions, the people will sav “Am be stlent. You have here cowed natio! to kneel to the best man as they «nee! before thet Qit majores et mtnores. THE HACKENSACK RIVER THIEVES. Yesterday morning OMicer Walsh, of Jersey City, captared the secoud of the trio of young thieves who were parsued by him and Oficer Gordon two days previously. The fellow gave bis name as Jonn Dilliott, and he admitted that he knew all about tne robbery of the boat house on the Hackensack. He coniessed that he ana William sation, the other prisoner, and another oung man, Were walking siohy the banks 0} Hacceusack River louking ior work, wii dow York Ruilrond uridge, aud form w Yor » wud for “1 Sutton and the other Saioe enirance through a window, and planaer to Dilliott, remained were trying 10 dispose of It w. iticers discovered them. ‘I nea aa examination Justice were comautted for triak good -