The New York herald., 1870-01-09
mo Mysterious Influence Of the Herald Felt
Beneath tls Surface Of the Earth,
Tbe Truo Nature Of tho broadway
Excavation Disclosed.
an Underground Passenger Railway De-
gun in Earncs.-Dotnils and Progress
OF tho Work-What tho Company
Is Doing and What 1t Pro.
poses to D0-Why Broad.
way Caycd In.

me nrst important disclosures concerning the
pneumatic tunaei now being excavated peow
Broadw wcro duly printed IN the HERALD. In the
account published WIS the o,ncial visit or Mayor
Haips Inspector TO The scene OF operations at the
corner or Broadway and Warren street. The resist.
ance OF tue company 10 the Investigations asked Tor
py the Mayor resulted Ia ventilation Of the whole
subject and brought out that ubiquitous enterprise
the press winch amount OF myaterious silence has
over succeeded la muzzllng.
All statements ANA articles lately printed ahout
the purposes for which the tannel was being con-
structed have Decn .rroacous and have been written
on the ASSUMPTION that the tube was not for the
sransmisson OF passengers, but TOR packages and
merchandise, as authorized by law. Such an as
sumption, 1t appears was wrong Us may DO judged
roin Tue staIe.neAIs giyol below, which have been
obtained from part en- yagel IN the construction.
Rheumatic tunnels have Leea in operation Lon
don ana other european cities Tor some yeaas
and their triumphant success early en-
gagged the attcatloa Of somc scientific gentle
men, who convinced a number OF wealthy capla.-
asts that the construction Of slrorg mason lined
horizontal tube running from tae Battery to the
Harlem river and branching or under tho East ana
North rivers would he q iemuneralve enterprlslng
and public spirited PROJECT, US We'll as relief to
reside in the suburbs to escape high rents ana
ruinous taxation. Moved by such lofty pur-
pose company was organized, vita Mr..
Alfred L. Beach as PRESIDENT. Mr.. Joseph Dixon
was made SUPERINTENDENT; AIR. Moses. 5. Beach
treasurer, wuh M. q. K. Graham as con.
sruchn2 engineer, VINO has had much expe-
xlence IN the buLding OF tunnels In London. In
June, 1885, an act oil the Legislature was passed en-
powerlng the corporation 10 commence operations
In accordance 8il tao lian as stated above. Seve.
raj millions OF doals IL stock was almost imme-
diately subscribed, ald backed by an enormous cap
1tal and tue ocst orci-n ana native sA, the WORK
was inau.urated ut the corner OF Broadway an0
Warren street ON the Ist OF June 1868. at that
time the entire basement Of Mr.. DevlL's store was
leased and the company BEGAN to dig tunnel
i've feet IN d,ame.c.l which was to serve The pur-
pose OF transmitting sacGa.oJ. small parcels letters
and papers. Previous 10 tn,s Postmaster Eeily's
PERMISSION was sought, in accordance with the re-
Qurcments OF the Original clarter. Mr.. Kelly OBJ
Jected on the grounds tat he had right TO auho-
rizc the opening Oh amy street. Failing In this par
ticuar the company procured On additional act from
the Legislature glvig taea the exclusive privilege
70 pass tIer tunnci uvWh i.roadway, Wltn station
AZ Ceuaf StLecs, coultnu1S 10 au ulllutis
Eattery.
WHEN THE PRESENT TUNNEL WAS BEGUN.
Inc purpose Was noW cuAnxed. 10 construct o
tube through wuAca 10 llansMit passengers ~
atmospheric pressure Dcc4ma tIe OBJECT OF tue
company Apout tweive men were employed
anu the hanus cJ.aneuoei 10 throw the dlrt. A cus
was made Eeipcnaica@iy INTO the sou. which Is
dry, loose san-y .oAnl; ana branching d.
recuy IN q sweeping e.Dow the tunnel took
Inc dlreclon uoWA broadway, the Dot.o III
beng twenty iecI below tne surface oil the
street. ihs oDIecG ol LaiS provision WAS noG 10 per-
init the arch oI sdllsl ~ appr0a III the paveenG
nearer Jlan ieoL AZ aly point aiuAg It's line.
feet the bore, whlca eiant feet III diameter,
tnen dug @itn charlottesville energy on straight
horizontal llae.
TDE MANNER or CONSTRUCTION.
A wido salelu-so caiiel-consislia2 Of large
circular KNIFE put to9erner Ia sections an securely
Doted, Win Widta VI taAty lncaes stanus IN Inc
tube hOrizontaliY, and Is forced Though the
soil by two powerful hdrauiic pumps, PLACED
on eacn clue az opposl.s eAlIsmties "a
pushing agnIhss Jle circumference ol the snield.
The pumps are "orAod oy hama, ana u ony requires
four men conuucC Lne excls ATOMS AUS kidd VI
totl III unhealthy. Cosj atmosphere poor veAtia-
lions anu Ill tne iiupurc exnailtionS or gaseous
earth are taken into .mo lungs lu the sunme, now-
ever, blower "0pp.4su air Ia SUCH qaanties as
could be forced Ill. tae siiile Is liSuLed ny gas In
prosecuting tie worA Ne saio.d ni&es the cat that
AZ, pushes ITS edges lal0 yieulDS strata AID
leaves the soua, ulirici mass to DO taSen out W
barrows, anu now VI Saoveis, and As cdrGcd awaJ
on Warrel sLoet, atGer pe.ng raised by
elevator, all OI wu'ca have naue The operations dill
.6culr and iaooriotB. Now u lracK runs through w
she point wnere Tue baiAnsad prevents further pro-
Yresj. kothnx ~ oeins ooue at tnH tine, aS tAc
company aUats tuc CONSTRUCTION oi sucn machinery
% wl enap.c tne engineers " ufaw the uist out ~
nlaue, and tnu5 second ci2.nei I0r siLa exit U.
7te77a Jgiyaa WiL oe pf.viucl.
Not above iilteen nea nave been employed In
connection vita tne sGnne. at any ope tame, bat
xhey have beeu skilled iii tAcl several deIar .incnls
anu have WORKED uiiiaenty ana faithfully secrecy
WAS enjolned Upon asi ha.ds, Dut for what leason
cannot be Understood. surely the Cate
prise Is vast, iplpor,aus, anu is one Ia which the
general puDlc has deep and abulilE interests. IL
shows one tnlnA-thAL tLo very UU,ect wnlcn was
Goughs to be- p.lsed Has Deen d3ieated by the
singular mode as.up.oJ, ,,nI ~uat odium Surrounds
X uAac a VA
1s not r9 III ia Wofh utcA IL ~ necessary W coA-
ceal. Iernaps Tue coa-paAy Was aiIaid vi Jealous
capital OF XiaSplis poiteiaa5 or local interference
IN either case the .Cs,on n:ls peen nJuoicious
TnE CAyiNu IN OF BROADWAY.
The Mayors attelt4on az called 10 tue depression
OF broadway ana nc DecaMe aware ol the o9iing oI
me PNEUMATIC COMPANY. lac sent an Inspector "
the spot. VINO was aatoui eousy reieired 70 ueAcri
Greene OF the Crv.Un Loaro, suboruinale vi tle
Mayor, who. without details, pronounced Tue Du4-
rowing process SAFE " aat WA be the result OF tue
audlxnty the pfoee sdiiss vi the Legislature disclose
2n u iOohing 70 tuc Investigation OF the CONT
Tne cavDg n OF the street resulted from careless
ness IL occurred LII tnl5 way:-Inc shield would
occasionally strike against stones, ana the srieid
would Thus become u,sarfanged; the sand would
daii in rom above, ana quauttics were thus pre-
ciptateu before tne discovery Of the Iact was made.
This caused tne depression ot broadway, winch mas
excited sucu senelai alarm. ''Uny ,nl, anu nothing
more.n IN iu.ure aangers ike these 1i lie avoided
by the emp.oymen. Of skhed labor, better
ssa0sa ased o oe aoae, n mas nave oeos ses
experienced or are IN contemplation, except
the lnierpOsItiol OF the huge bouaers Indigenous
Manhattan Island. These WIN be iorced III lateral
directions Or win be sunk into PITS dug beneath
them. Nothing tnat cannot be removed by the
shield WAL be Lakeu out Wy the laporers.
THE PRESENT CONDITION or TIE TUNNEL.
The tunnel has now advanced 10 Barclay street,
opposite the corner u tue Ast0r House. The mason
work follows the shield Ynd keeps 1t pace and the
masonry Is never SIX inches Dennd toe shield The
latter Is the faita.ul watch dog OF the former
always at Its heels. There Is no chance for any
earth TO fall from the Intervening distance, and thus
everything Is rendered secure Ine mason WORK
. perfect cree, executed ny skilled masons, OF
thickness OF nnc incnes oil bricks on eni closely
cemenled ana accurately ntted
The iunne Is vi course circular. In order to get
q base for tile TRANSMISSION of passengers snpstan-
4iai floor, eight inches IRON tne lowest point Of
the bottom arcn will De lat. On THIS moor Is be
q railroad track 0i iron oi gauge OF about three
1eet. The car rAverses this track and Is to be made
OF wood aud light iron. IL yfi seat eight persons,
and tho fare, tnougn not hxed VIII be nominal
probably ten cents. The car lt should DO under.
stood, will he closely iIted TO the tube 80 that no
ar can escape The cor resembles box made IN the
shape OF an old fashioned wagon top, and has at
sachments and running gear OF .ne hghtest descrp-
NIOn Aa cal