A System of Rapid Transit for the City of New York. Proposed by E. Wegmann, Jr. and C. J. Bates, Civil Engineers. New York by Wegmann, Edward and Charles Jarvis Bates - 1890

Wegmann, Edward and Charles Jarvis Bates, A System of Rapid Transit for the City of New York. Proposed by E. Wegmann, Jr. and C. J. Bates, Civil Engineers. New York: Metropolitan Job Print, 38 and 40 Vesey Street, 1890. 8vo, 8 pages, three fold-out plate diagrams. 23.3 cm. Collation: Paper wrapper; an advertisement for The Design and Construction of Masonry Dams by Edward Wegmann, Jr. CE, identifying Wegmann as the division engineer for the New Croton Aqueduct of New York City added after publication (ii); 8 pages; 3 fold-out plates] A damp-stain on the front cover and on the title page indicates which pages were original, not affecting readability or text. There is a one-hole perforation in the upper left-hand corner. Archival tape has been applied to the spine and some of the pages, as the paper shows signs of being brittle. The plates are on heavier paper and are as originally issued. First edition.

An early prospectus for building a rapid transit system in New York City, evaluating the three plans under consideration: tunnels at a depth of 50 to 150 feet; tunnels and open trenches near the surface; and, elevated structures. Wegmann and Bates describe the advantages of elevated structures, as elevated out-door railways were already in use in New York City at the time of this proposal. Their proposal is for four tracks to be constructed, with the local trains running above the express trains. They point out the advantages of their plan as being the cheapest to build, requiring the least width of right-of-way; and, as affording the greatest comfort to the passengers. Wegmann and Bates even advocated for the location of this above-ground rapid transit system as being ideally located between Third and Fourth Avenues. Two copies were located at the New York Public Library and at Stanford University.