material sense the subway ventilation, since the so-called "pistons" would occupy but one-half of their respective cylinders, and would therefore only agitate the air as Bion J. Arnold originally pointed out.
Street Grating Drawbacks
The merchants, hotel proprietors and other members of the Broadway Association as well as the public at large to say nothing of the women of the city have made very clear certain other fundamental objections solely from the standpoint of affecting trade, such as the possible blowing of foul and heated air in the faces of intending purchasers who might gather in front of the stores which are to be flanked by these grated holes in the sidewalk, etc. Another very obvious objection to this scheme lies in the fact that street sweepings and all sorts of possible dirt are given entrance into the subway from which by every canon of engineering and sanitation these should be rigidly excluded. As if all these objections were not enough there develops a final objection so overwhelming that it is almost unbelievable that it could have been overlooked by the designers, or that, in not being overlooked, they have disregarded it. This is nothing else than the influx into the subway of surface waters which already have resulted within a very recent time, in four short circuits within one day in the electric power which propels the trains. Even granting that some provision has been made in the depths of the subway to get rid of such surface water, why, it may be asked, should intentional openings be provided to admit the same? As though all this was not enough, consider just for one minute the problem of scavenging these open sewers after they have been in use for any length of time! That they are nothing short of open sewers is obvious to a child, and an engineer cannot well withhold his most drastic criticism of them on that score.
Contributary Defects
We pass now to a study of Diagram G, the scheme suggested by Mr. Henry G. Opdycke, Engineer for the Broadway Association. As outlined in the press, and in the public meetings, this contemplates cutting great ducts through the side walls of the subway into, and through, the basement of abutting properties at intervals along both sides of the subway, and then erecting on private property great chimneys extending well above the roofs of the surrounding buildings and discharging therefrom the contents of the subway by means of huge blowers with powerful electric motors placed at the entrance of the ducts or the base of chimneys referred to. Even granting that these installations were made midway between every station and that thereby the new subway could, and would, be perfectly ventilated, it is only reasonable to ask how the City could possibly secure the perpetual easements that would be required and pay for the enormous damages which would result to
