a limit of 7 bags. Railway Postal Office cars were not used for this service. The first yard and engine repair shop was located here. On January 21, 1873, the Franklin Street station opened. At the time, running time on the line was 28 minutes. On July 30, 1873, the line was extended to 34th Street on Ninth Avenue. On October 21, 1873, the 21st Street station opened. On November 3, 1873, the Houston Street station opened. On December 13, 1873, a new station opened at 30th Street, which replaced the original terminal at 29th Street. On May 25, 1874, a new and larger Cortlandt Street station replaced the original Dey Street station. In March 1875, the entire structure was strengthened and the track gauge was set to to carry standard passenger cars, and interchange freight cars. The line was closed down a short time while 200 men changed the wheel sets on the trucks of the rolling stock and relaid (moved) the rails on cross-ties. A passing siding at Franklin Street was also installed. On November 5, 1875, service was extended to 42nd Street at Ninth Avenue, and the Bethune Street station at Greenwich Street was opened. On January 18, 1876, single-track operation was extended to 61st Street, with stations at 50th Street and 55th Street and an incline was installed at 61st Street for equipment delivery. The line was then in length. On April 15, 1877, the first double-track el structure from Morris Street through Battery Park to the South Ferry Terminal station at Whitehall Street was opened. The Morris Street station was reopened for two years until the line was rebuilt for the junction of the IRT Sixth Avenue Line at Morris Street. On June 2, 1878, service to 53rd Street began. By then, the line carried 8,500 passengers a day. The car and engine shops were located behind 7 Broadway. Passenger cars were lighted by oil candles at this time. On June 9, 1879, operations were extended to 81st Street and Columbus (Ninth) Avenue, with new stations at 59th, 66th, 72nd and 81st Streets. The double track structure was built jointly by the New York Elevated Railroad on the west side of the street and the Metropolitan Elevated Railroad on the east side. On June 21, 1879, service was extended to 104th Street with intermediate stations at 86th, 93rd Street, and 99th Street. On September 17,