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6 is not incorporated in the design or operation of the subway, it will readily be conceded that we must get a proper perspective before attempting to pass upon the strictly engineering and structural features of the plans which have been tried, or those which are proposed to be tried.

Original Design

Reverting now to the very inception of the first subway, attention is called to the Diagram A which shows the subway as it was originally designed and built and put into commission on Oct. 27th, 1904. It may be recalled that this was done under the Rapid Transit Railroad Commission and that it was not until some years afterwards that the present Public Service Commission took over the rights and duties which were covered originally by the Rapid Transit Railroad Commission. No sooner had the subway been officially opened to the public than strong criticism developed of the ventilation or rather lack of ventilation since, strange as it may seem, no provision therefor had been made by those responsible for the design.

In passing it may be said, as far as possible, there will not be submitted herein mere opinions, but when such statements are made, they are in reality quoted from official documents although in order to develop this subject in a logical and historical fashion, the authorities for the statements may not come out until well along in this paper.

Technical Investigations

As evidence that this public criticism was immediate and spontaneous, it is sufficient to say that the author's studies were begun within less than a month of the opening of the subway and because of