THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY FOR PARIS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 5295, 16 September 1885, Page 4

THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY FOR PARIS.

g?The Bill on the Paris Metropolitan Bailway, "which has just been distributed in the Chamber of Deputies, sets forth that numerous schemes have been brought forward and negotiations conducted with persons who had applied for concessions, but as yet it has not been possible to render certain the execution of the network of railways. In the circumstances that the Administration considered that the urgency of a settlement would not permit them simply to wait until among the new proposals made one was produced which could be. accepted. The system which they now propose the Legislature should adopt is that supported by the General Council of the Pon's et Chaussees, which consists in crossing underground the central parts of Paris. The formation of lines j on a viaduct over these districts would render wide openings necessary, which, in , consequence of the h'gh price of land and ; houses, would raise the expense to such a height as to render it hopeless to give an ' adequate return for the bapital employed.

The network, which in the opinion of the. General Council should be declared ot public utility, consists of two great lines, one running from east to wets on the right bank of the Seine, the other running from north to south, corresponding to the two great currents of circulation existing in Paris : and of aline along the left bank of the river, which trill enable circular trains to be organised. The expense may be estimated at about 200,000,000fr., or from 5,000,000fr. to 5,500, 000fr. per kilometre. This average is a little too small for the most costly parts, but it will certainly exceed the cost of the line on the left bank. The sum now indicated as an approximation is very much higher than that of 3, 800, 000fr., which was fixed by the authors of the scheme into which inqury had been made. A financial combination which appears to the Administration most likely to secure the realisation of the enterprise, without employing unduly the finances of the State, is the execution of the works to the extent of onethird by means of a non-secured share of capital, and to the extent of two-thirds by means of obligations with guaranteed interest. As in previous schemes, all that is at present contemplated is passenger traffic. !