New-York tribune., 1873-07-23
TUNNELING FOURTH-AvE.
CESSATION OF THE STRIKE IN THE WESTERN TUNNEL
"DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
ACTIVITY OF THE CONTRACTORS.

CESSATION OF THE STRIKE IN THE WESTERN TUNNEL
"DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED mPRovEMESTs-
ACTIVITY OF THE CONTRACTORS.
The strike of wOrkmen in the western tunnel
OF the New-York and Harlem Railroad at Fourth-aVe
aud Ninety third-st virtually brought to an Gnu
yesterday. by Messrs Dillon, Clyde CO.. the genera
contractors furnishing money to pay the men Their
wages MI Clark the sub-c0ntractor, has been very
dlatory I'm his payments and the men say that he -
abusive 10 them. and that they will work no longer
under him. Thcr wages were due July Is, and as M
Clark paid only part Of them, leaving 70 entire'
unpaid, the whole body, numbering about 50 m'nf
refused to work They cay they will not go TO work
again unless good security s given them for their wagS
Messrs Dillon & Clyde Will require Mr. Clark to CAV"
bonds for the completion OF his contract, or else take
into their own hands II ne proves unable to fulfill IT,
The work in the tunnel has been tagging for
some time II Is done entirely By hnnd and horse labor
while Mr. Brntnal, who has charge OF the eastern tnn
mel employs four BurleIgh and three lngeson drills
driven by one J5 horsepower air compressor lie has
70 men under his inspection. The total length of each
tunnel is to be LOCO feet Three hundred and forty feet
have been excayated in rhe western and 225 feet In the
eastern tunnel The two tunnels referred TO are being
cut through the rock from Nineeth to Ninetv-sixths
at distance Of Il either side of the main tunnel
which already exists there The tunnel is 26 feet
wide and accommodates two tracks. The side tunnels
be Is feet wide, and VIII accOuodate one tItc
each They VIII be lined with brick throughout.
The three tunnels will be connected by drifts at
Intervals Of 20 feet and freely lighted ard Ventilated
by shafta penetrating the roof At Nnetythrdst the
distance from Che surface OF the ground 10 the tunnel
IS feet Only block powder Is used in blasting, ana
10 blasts are fired by means Of an electric BAT
teIy The use OF giant powder has been forbidden
The Burleich drills are beng replaced by those OF the
ngesOn patent, especially fOr inside work Toe former
k found 10 bore about SO feet per den and the atr 40
feet M the same time The average progress made IN
te eastern feet in 20 hours and that IN the
western, IA feet the time. the work goes on
cOutfnuously, gangs OF relieving each other ddy
and night Mr. Dillon told a TRIBUNE reporter ycstcr-
day that he thought should complete the whole Work
by the LIST of January 1876, the date liked By COntIac
for the completion Of the work. - 49,
Tie Hue Of improvements extends from Forty hftl'st
10 Harlem Bridge From Forty-flth To Forty-nlnth-st
the work nearly flushed. From Fortyeighth 10 Fifty
elxthst the track Will he spaurtd ul prdges ~ each
street crossing From Fifty TO Nnetetl-st IT VIII
be archcd over with brick and iron GrdcrS the avenue
being laid similarly 10 Pgrk-aye between Ihirty-
third and FOrteth-sts The three rock tunnels VIII eA-
tend thence 70 Nnetysixthst, and from there Vl'duGt
from IS 20 40 feet nigh viii extend TO Oue-hundredduu
6eeutL-st The remainder OF the road far as mar
eu Rridpe will be archCd with brick nearly the whole
distance aud fine bridges will be thrown across where
the depression is not deep enough To De arched
Work is going on rapidly along the whole line An0uI
Zoo men are employed aud 100 dcrrcks arc used The
mole cost of the work is estimated at nearly sOOOON
Npssrs Dillon, clyde q Co. have already expended
about Of which only SjOOOOO has been received
from the Company.