20 Cool Facts About The New York City Subway When It Was Brand New

“What The Subway Means To New York” New York Evening World October 27, 1904 (click to enlarge)
109 years ago on October 27, 1904, the New York City Subway was opened to an enthusiastic public with great fanfare and accolades.
New Yorker’s were proud of this engineering sensation and its features were highlighted in newspapers and magazines around the world.
On the occasion of the opening, the New York Evening World published a “Subway Souvenir Special” to commemorate the event. With articles describing many aspects of the subway, the special issue compiled a list of 100 facts about the subway. Here are some of the better ones:
1. In 1894 the people of New York voted to create a tunnel for a subway which was to be owned by the city. After six years of preliminary work by the Rapid Transit Commission, bids were accepted to build and operate the subway on November 15, 1899.
2. Only two companies bid for the job. John B. McDonald and the Onderdonk Construction Company. McDonald’s bid was accepted January 15, 1900.
3. McDonald proposed to construct the tunnels for $35 million with an additional $2,750,000 for station sites, terminals and other incidentals.
4. The money for the construction was loaned by the city. It was to be paid back with interest in fifty years.
5. McDonald organized a construction company with August Belmont as its president. Another company within this company, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was organized to operate the subway.
6. The IRT had the privilege of operating the system for 50 years, with an option for a 25 year renewal. When the subway passed into the hands of the people, the equipment was to be purchased by the city at a valuation to be determined by arbitration.
7. McDonald sublet the construction to thirteen sub-contractors. Ground was broken March 25, 1900 in front of City Hall.
8. McDonald pledged to have the subway ready in four and a half years. The actual time spent on construction was only 1275 days.
9. The final amount spent was just $40 million.

Union Square June 8, 1901 Subway Construction
10. There were 120 lives lost during the construction. Continue reading →