New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-14


AND TIE PRESENT oUTLooK-TnE CONTRACTORS
AND THEIR WORK
The important work Of the Fourth ave. i'm
movement now so far advanced that end nearly
in sight, and Of the task aud the vast bene
fit 1t will confer upon the city are beginning 10 DC par
ally realized Tat 1t has been difficult as well as great
work. those have passed back and forth upon the
line of the road daily fully although no ade-
Quae idea of the extent difficulties can be obtained
from the car windows, however curious anu ii'queh'
the observations.
The intiatory steps were taken II months AGO, the
first picking and shoveing beng done on Nay TO- 1873
For a short time only few men were employed but III
July following the work was fully under way, ana
from then until now there has been no cessation
During Summer nearly 5000 men might have been
counted who were engaged in capacity or another
many could be used TO advantage and in the WIN
ter this force only reduced to about 5000 and at tle
present time numbers not far from 1000
Dillon, Clyde Co. were the contractors Tor the
entire work. and from the beginning until now no con
siderable delay has been occasoned IN any part Inc
subcontracts were early made, and hardly the usnai
delays In so extensive undertakings have been expert
enced The work consists OF several different features
From Forty-eighh-st the tracks are sunk, but there
no tuuneling until Fify-sxth-st. is reached ms sec
lion is now being worked between Ffiyfourth ana
Fftysixthsts where 100 twoborse teams ana 81 men
been emoyed for four weeks. What beng done
here Is sample Of the easiest part OF the Wnoe since
there are comparatively small pieces OF edse 10 DC
blasted out Palmer Sessions has the contract Tor tne
rock blasting and masonry here and has start OF 100
feet upon the walls which II feet high ana aOOut
our feet wide at the top and eight feet at the base
These are of stone and feet apart at the base or 5
feet AT the top The tracks will be from II TO Ia 'eet
below the surface OF the road. and will he crossed az
Ffty.second.st by a road-bridge, but at the other
streets below and above far Fftystxthst by i0o
bridges.
The tunnels proper begin at Fifty sixth-st and arc
three In number; the central intended for TWO
tracks and tho express trains and the outer ones Tor
one track each for the use of the way trains From
Fiysxth to Sixtysixthsts is the iron beam tunnel III
which the top follows the plan of corrugated iron roofs
and is thickIy covered with concrete The con-
ructon Of the tunnels is in this WISE The center piers
are Of brick 20 uces thick and tied in every three ieet
with bluestone The central tunnel has a roof opening
At each block l2 feet long ard 20 feet wide with iron
crossbars, and properly protected. Opposite these
openings arches 10 the piers serve to sh' and ventae
the smaller side tunHcs From Fiityaintn-st. north
the east side tunnel IS nearly completed Along this
section Of the line much difficulty has been experienced
The land is swampy part of the way, and it was feund
necessary to mako foundation Of piles. These are
driven 20 feet below the surface. Besides this II was
decided to change the position Of the track on the
western side now in 10 the east SIDE as the con-
| tractors were unwilling to build the western
| wall alongside the piles which would other
wise be driven for the support Of the track.
Considerable delay has been occasioued 10y this change
This tresfer includes the track between Forty and
| sxty.sourth.sts. Immediately upon the conclusion Of
this transfer six gangs of masons will be put on between
Fiftysixth and sixtysxh SITS, and The western wall
will be pushed rapidly. The ledge between Fifty-siXth
and Fifty nnth-ss is nearly cut out 50 that with these
ether hnderances disposed Of the masOn-wOrk OF this
qortiOn can be done speedily The brick arch tunnels
|
of which is now completed. OF these, the inside piers
as well as the walls of stone The arches alone
are of brick of which there courses. These are
thickly cemented on the top and protected ~ stone
work. and the whole is covered over With earth
which fills up 10 the level OF the street. TIE venti-
laors occur every fifty feet, aud are upward of ten
| feet in diameter, opening into the central tun-
| uel. Out OF these open smaller on6s of five
| feet diameter into the side tunnels Tho man
aperures surrounded by stone several feet above
the surface, which will be surmOunted by ornamental
iron fences Otherwise there no openings from these
tunnels except in the way Of man-hces between the
tunnels themselves, which seven feet by four feet
ANA IS feet apart. The block below Serenity is
finished the ventilators IN, and tunnels covered
over, and street levecd up, while this whole section
OF the route presents lively appearance with the
steam drills aud sboyes st in motion and every man
that can be placed Duiy at work Tue mason work OF
this section is done by Williams Cole, and Is now EN-
ployng full force gbt and day. The Normal College
| at sixty-eishth-st. has made necessary no slight
planning on tho part OF the contractors This large
building stands high ground bet only short dis
lance back from the cage OF the excavation ana the
! locality proved be TIch ia .Gai9s Had the
| work been pushed along on the east side 1t would
! probably have resulted in the demolition of part OF
| this costly structure The west side was therefore
cat through first and Preparations being made to
insure of the building while the rest Is being
worked This will be delicate piece Of work, and Will
cause an additional expense OF thousand dollars
At Seventy hrsts the iron beam arches are again In
troduced ard extend &c Eighty frst-st Along several
OF bocks piles driven for the support OF the
piers and walls which arc being built fast
| many hands and trOwels can build them. From Eighty
drsst the Llck arches run to the lower entrance OF
the rock tunnel at Ninety second the old arch being
retained for middle trruel from Eighty eighthst.
At enth-st 81 part is completed aud the
street Is open the tuUuel For few blocks here
has been tia most dlfhaE and dangerous part OF the
work. The a. lunnel through the rcck 10 Nueyourth-
st has remained untouched and with trains constantly
RAINING through in both directions, while in close
proximity there has beeG continual blasting OF rock
| tor the Opening of the side tunnels, h,tlc
! peace has beer given g. those in charge. With
so barrow step of rock kg the passing trains
and the steam Drills and laumers of the wOrkm
pieces OF stone Nere unavOldaly liable to fall the
trains or tracks aud the brick arches CcLli hardly
expected 10 withstand the shocks they received. The
dents Along this stretch the lodges hch
and the work, AT s best has h5el slow aud yeNatiOus.
The rock. however. l. now neatly all broken the cav
tiles already relieved OF ntesf il, and gil he,
| fore many weeks. ready iOr tLt brick liLing. The
northern opening OF tte rock tuBc al NineiyfOurth
where the brick aFches continue for blUg{ or two
aud in large tunnel w!l span OF 6s feet,
| high stone walls, aud brick arehI' The wills are
ready TO receive the arch es which WI be beRunfs soon
the smaller ones centeting here afe.completed
The next portion OF this great WORK is the vsfduct
across the Harlem flats. rhis begins 81 One-huefred-
audsecOndst. and ends at Onelundrs land sixteenth
ST. This OF itself Is work Of great magnitude. sLi is
substantial enough TO stdUs for generations. an
ment as well "a practical Lencit TO NeWYOrk. Vi Is
of course built If stone. aEd at every scet arches