New-York tribune., 1873-05-24
TIE FOURTHAVE. INVOLVEMENT.
y1aoRors pRosrcr11oN or rnE woRr.

VIGOROUS PROSECUTION or THE WORK.
Considerable activity prevails along the line
OF the FOurthaye. improvement, and II Is claimed thai
work OF Like extent was never before 20 vigorously
carried on in America One thousand men now en-
ployed and that force will be increased 10 30Ol
c. Buckhout Chief Engineer, has furnished the follow
ing facts the history and progress Of the improve
ment 10 a TRIBUNE reporter:
The work OF sinking the tracks and widening the road
beds on Fourth-aye begun in August s72 the Leg
isature having appropriated S32OOOOo aud Cornelius
Vanderbilt having agreed TO contribute like amount
The first contract was for the work from Fory-ffth "a
FOrtyninth-sts., and was awarded 10 Fairchild aud
Ward and the Watson Manufacturing Company. The
second contract made Nov. H. 1872, aud the third con
tract made in January Of this year, were awarded "a
Dillon, Clyde Il Co., by whom they were partly sub
let TO others The work comprises the lowering OF the
roadIbed and the construction OF new Al feel
roadbed on the same level for two additional tracks In
all probability It will be completed in IS months. and
meanwhile trains will suffer no inconvenience, the
temporary works are of extensive character in
cluding restle bridge from Ninety seyeDthst TO One
erected at cost OF about
$4,000. large part of the road from Fhty-sixth Va
SeVenty-nnth-st has been excavated and graded Iem
porary tracks will be placed on the west side OF the
avenue in few days, and will run over Leno1 Hi In
stead az heretofore through the tunnel When this b
down. the additional width OF the road making new ones
necessary The tunnel work s continuous three gangs
Of men, each 100 strong, being employed day and night
AT Nlnetythirdst the excavations 1 feet Deep and
three shafts are in operation, TWO worked by hand and
one by powerful ar-cOmpressing engine. The
rock is exceedingly hard, and great dfbcuf
ties are met with from springs OF water
two steam pumps being used to avoid flooding
Very extensive excavations have also beei
made from One-hundred-and-twentyf fourthst. 70 the
Harlem River. In blasting guDpowder Is used fired by
electricity From the tunnel work alone % tons OF roc
are obtained in day. and the contractors expect to have
this part OF the improvement finished in January. Be
tween Ninety-seyenth-st. and the Harlem River The
ground is not as rocky as from Eighty -eighth'st
Ninety -thirdst., and from Onehundred-and-twenty
flfth-st the new road is nearly complete.
Along the entire length Of the road frequent bridges
will span the tracks They will be built Of ron and VIII
have n light handsome appearance, numerous orna
mental castings being used They VIII be painted IN
two shades OF brown, and VIII De ghled WIN gas Iut
plans are those of Mr. Buckhout. during the cOmlni
summer large amount of masonry viii be laid
TRIBUNE reporter applied TO Robert Squirea
President of the Third-ave. Railroad. to as Ger
tain whether any plans had yet been formed in anticb
patton of the passage by the Senate of the bill author
izing the erection OF rapid transit ROAD ABOVE the
present tracks BE said the uncertainty as 20 whether
OF the bill would be obtained was so great that na
mans or specifications had been made; but that II the
scheme was authorized the Company had the means aud
Intentions TO carry IL Immediately The new road
would DO managed IN connection with the bOrseGara
with stations two miles apart, ana would en3DH
passengers TO reach Harlem In is OF 20 minutes.