The New York herald., 1870-02-27
"UNDER BROADWAY"
Proposed Underground Rsilroad-A Fashionable
Reception Held In the Bowels Of the
Earth-The Great Bore Explored


Earth-The Great Bore Explored.
"Up Broadwayr and "Down Broadway" are "a
miliar routes familiar not only TO Americans resid-
ing In New York, but by description TO all tho In
habitants OF the world "Under Broadway" for -
feet right away, In th0rougnfare well lighted, In
scrupulously clean avenue, Ii not quite 80 familiar.
Yesterday hundreds OF citizens including state
officers members OF the Legislature, city ocials ana
members Of the press walked along part OF Broad
way they never were in before, and more enJoyaby
than II they had been on the sidewalk Of the well
known thoroughfare OF tho Empire City instead or
twelve feet below It,
An engraved invitation note asked those who
had the good fortune to receive il to attend an
"under Broadway Reception at the ofice OF the
"Beach Pneumatic Transit Company" 26o Broad
way, from two TO six O'Clock yesterday.
Descending an ordinary basement "dlven under
Deviin's clothing store, the visitors found them
selves IN comfortable Office and a few steps lower
there was kind or Aladdin's cave opened to view,
In which there was more to be seen than the eye
could take In at once and therefore we must ask the
readers attention to a few particulars.
First OF all, let us explain the reason why this
descent was made into the bowels OF Broadway,
and why all these important representatives OF the
public had been asked TO come and gaze and
wonder. Legislative power has been obtained to
construct pneumatic tube way from Warren street
to Cedar street, for the purpose OF "blowing" small
and large parcels--indeed. all kinds OF express
bus,nessn-bctween these two localities The pro-
noters had not proceeded far with their work before
they discovered that u would be very little
more expense TO construct an underground railroad
Tor the blowing OF passengers as we'll as freight.
Acting upon this hint they have applied to the Legs
ature for power to construct this underground rail
road, and II the calm settled and earnest approval
OF their plan by the representatives OF the scientific
their success it win not he dlriiculs to obtain the
sanction OF the Legislature TO their bill. Virtually,
therefore. Yesterdays reception was the opening
oay ol tne nrst Underground railway IN Americas
THE TUNNEL AND THE BORE.
The length Of the tunnel already open is 2s4 eet;
| feet 1t Is whitewashed and lighted with gas, has
| geographic wires running ALONGSIDE the wall is
anS ae Broaanss ssry io Mns
plainly heard overhead ana "il l1e ear ss got 1 iam mt
iar with IL sounded very strange. .a,,tS i sde
takes the tunnel TO Murray street, on the s''
nearly flush 10 the Post ONCE fence
The visl0r 10 the tunnel Is shown very clearly
how this tunnel has been made, ana how it is that
the work has been carried on In moie-llke manner
without attracting the observation of the Broadway
pedestrians anu without interfering In any degree
with The traffic Having first obtained IN entrance
from the surface IN Warren street and gone deep
enough TO be out the way OF sewers, gas and water
pipes cylinder was introduced, which in shape
by eighteen hydraulic rams. This forces Itself
Through tile earth. aud to moderate the fall OF the
v
the cylinder for the earth TO drop through and as
the earth deposits itself 1t is shoveed up cartcd
away. In the couIse OF the travels Of THIS cylinder
1t came upon the remains OF an old stone building,
which was believed 70 be an old Dutch powder
magazine. The stones were not too large to
carted away with the earth. The cylinder
has a projection IN the front OF 1t OF
steel, botn broad and sharp. that finds no dicutv
cutting It's way along. In the rear OF 1t there ls
thin piece OF sheet iron. sixteen inches broad, upon
which inc brick work OF tne tunnel IS built up and
n m orrai I aarfh
way to have sixteen more inches OF brick work
added To work this tunnel four men are required
two to work the rams ana two to carry out the
earth-and these men will drlve a foot OF earth In
fifteen minutes. Two more men are required Tor the
brick work.
TIE MOTIVE POWER
In this atmospheric system Of propulsion the
'bower' takes tue place OF the locomotive and the
passengers and freight are literally blown 10 their
desunatlon. The term blower Is used to designate
q machine producing blast having positive iOrce,
ana TO distinguish II nom ian. which does not pro-
d0ce force-biast. In this respect blower ls anal
ogous to cylinders used Tor producing blast.
In either case the air forced must lind
an outlet or the machine must stop. But
q fan can run with the outlet obstructed or
entirely closed without being In the least lmpeded
Tie friction OF the machine ITSELF IN LIS operation
Is so light that nearly the whole power applied TO II
| IS spent upon forcing the blast forward. Another
important pont OF superiority IN the blower Is It's
great durability. DusL which is invariably caused
wherever there is agitation or current OF air has
or valves requiring oil and liable to coated
over with dust when In operation. The blower IS
and the principle or II is greatly IN the West
III all forges instead OF the old backsmitn's bellows
an as from ana y one q ns few
is twcnLy-0ne feet hign, thirteen feet broad and
eighteen feet long, and, with It's appendages
pies quite suit OF cavernOuS rooms, independent
OF the steam engine and boiler house.
1t is difficult IN verbal description to bring before
the mind OF the reader the mode IN which the wind
ls raised by this blower. Looking at IT over the
brick walls that encompass II, TWO massive pieces
OF IRON that resemble wings are seen aud these force
nOutftv
blast through the wings. The air il drawn IN BY
one side OF the blower and passes out at the other
and into duct that leads into the mouth OF the
| tunnel under Broadway. This blower win deliver
or exhaust the air in the tunnel at the rate Of
cubic feet OF air per minute with sufficient force to
| carry train OF passengers.
| The most ordinary observer can see that this is
no ideal scheme; It Is practical enough aud but for
slight accident with rhc engine the visitors might
yesterday have been conveyed in the very elegant
and comfortable passenger carriage from one end OF
| constructed and was lighted with the new oxygen
light which IS considerably clearer purer and more
on man e penc sag 81 nne ams
q quarter OF an inch long ana the eighth
Of ,rn an inch a,os IN diameter 2, the oxygen and
on the burner, producing the beautiful light de-
scribed. It is likely 70 be or general use, and now
made by the New York Oxygen Company, corner OF
Eleventh avenue and Fortynrst street
The train when In motion az certain places In the
wheels striking copper plate on the RAN with
bell in the "blower' house. that a valve may be
turned which reveses the current OF air, by winch
the train Is enabled 10 return to NS destination,
As soon as the Legislature grant the necessary
powers the tunnel wl be completed to Cedar street.
then 10 every part OF the city and more agreeable
mode or travelling scarcely be conceived
After tho 1st OF March the tunnel will be open to
visitors on the payment OF twenty-five cents the
profits Of which VIII be devoted to the 'nion Home
ana Schools for Soldiers and s lOrs O. phanq.v
The visitors were much indebted 10 Mr. Alfred
T.. Beach the president and to Mr.. Joseph Dixon
secretary, for the both these gentlemen took
in giving Gil ncedful explanations.
ANOTHER VETERAN oF 1872 GONE.