The New York herald., 1876-03-13
THE GREAT TUNNEL BORE.

APPROACHING COMPLETION OF THE EXCAVATION
AT BERGEN HIIL-ANoTHER RAPID TRANSIT
PROBLEM soLvED-DEsCRIPTIoN OF THE
TUNNEL.
The great tunnel OF the Delaware and Lackawanna
Railroad under Bergen Hill Jersey City is rapidly APP
preaching completion Ground was broken in Septem-
ber 1873 but the right of way throughout not
cured for year aiterward The importance OF this
route to the travelling public may be judged from
the fact that under the existing accommodations prop
erty has deprecated from thirty to forty per cent along
the line owing to the frequent delays The increase of
traffic the Eric Railway has been great that at
tain hours OF the day the Delaware and Lackawanna
trains subjected vexatious delays the Erie
mel which sufficient for the business OF the
roads From the day when the celebrated "frogn war
naugurated at the west end OF the tunnel to the
present time there have been endless disputes between
the two companies regarding the right Of way The
tunnol will not only afford speedy accommodation,
but will shorten the distance from Hoboken to the
Hackensack meadows two-thirds of mile The pres
has very abrupt at eithor end of the
Erie tunnel, whereas the route will be a direct
line from the depot in Hoboken distance of three
miles This Will effect saving In time OF ten minutes
besides avoiding the wear aud tear incident 10 curves
As the line starts from the Hoboken ferry only few
feet above tide water mark, has been necessary, in
the Ere road at the west end OF the tunnel
carry the new Inc grade OF fifteen feet to the
mile The summit OF this grade is at the west end or
the tunnel where the Erie 800 feet from
the the tunnel OF the latter and at angle
OF about sixty degrees The line will cross three streets
and branch OF the Erie Railway east of Bergen Hill
and two and two railroads west OF the HILL all
of which must be bridged. Owing TO the marshy char
the soil and the great depth OF mud especially
ut the end this wo:k presents great difficulties
The piers OF bridge had not been completed moro
than few weeks when halfth immense pile OF masonry
disappeared The is the with the broken
rock taken IRON the excavation and used Tor the
bankment In many places IL sunk more rapidly than
10 ka Hlladu and Qnff
either side forced upward 10 height OF nine
feet above the former level and distance OF 100 feet
from the embankment. Earth filling would have been
superior in the opinion OF the engineers, but earth
filling scarce, while stone Is plentiful on the route
But for the continued sinking OF the stone nlng the
embankment and bridges would have been completed.
and the road ready Tor operation within two months
Six weeks more Will sufice TO complete the tunnel
THE TUNNEL
The length Of the great bore Is 4, ,209 feet exclusive
Of tile portals at either end. which make 1t 4,270 feet
IRON arch to arch To give greater security against
accidents from falling rock 900 feet OF arching will be
from the end aud rs feet from the end
This work. while entailing "A heavy additional expense,
became necessary from the caving of shalt No. last
Saturday week. Happily no lives were lost as Mr. John
McAndrew, the contractor OF the tunnel apprchended
five weeks ago that the "weak vein" at this place
would yield and he caused all work at that place
to 10 stopped Three frame houses stood on the brink
the shaft which IS eighty feet in depth, and their
escape from destruction was almost miraculous. They
were removed on Sunday, and the excitement
great that the place was visited by 5000 persons.
squad OF police detailed to keep back the crowd.
The caving Of this shalt at this time is considered for
tunate for greater precautions will now be adopted.
heavy shaft will be erected from the bed OF tho tunnel
and the arching below will be proportionatey strong,
and covered with asphalt to protect IL IRON the sDrng
of wuter leaking from the reservoir which Is only loo
feet distant from the tunnel at No shalt and
parallel to IL distance OF 200 feet. The bed OF the
tunnel is sxy-ve feet below tho bed OF the reservoir,
damage TO the water supply ~ apprehended.
Channels will be provided To carry OF leaks TO the gut
ter of the tunnel Tho arches will consist OF i've
courses or brick resting on heavy wall OF masonry
ten feet and half In height, and the space between
the top OF the arch and the rock Will be filled in with
The height OF the arch Is twenty feet and
the width twenty-scycn feet
HERALD reporter made survey OF the tunnel on
Saturday last entering at tue west end The land slide
referred to occurred 400 feet from the western en-
trance. In spite of the immense pile OF earth
that fell through the space completely
opened With the exception Of tho leak from the
reservoir the tunnel Is dry and presents IN
places n hrm bed OF trap rock. Three hundred
men, constituting the day gang or '.shlit were at
work and what with the chnking OF 100 sledge ham
mers and the multitude of mincrs' lamps burning
dimy the chill current Of air and the strangencss OF
the eayernOus surroundings from the busy scene IN
the cheerful world OF day above the curious VISITOR
will experience a feeling Of great relief when he again
energes into day. One feature IN the construction ci
this work cannot be too highly commandments
improved system OF ventilation. There are six shafts,
and each OF these shafts, with tower rising TO height
OF twenty-five feet above the surface OF the hill, Will
contribute to the purlcaton OF the atmosphere below
-Four weeks ago the tunnel was inspected byHraroad
men from Pennsylvania Massachusetts, Micnigan and
the West and It's venuating system was pronounced
superior to that Of any other tunnel IN the country,
while the rapidy with when the excavation was car
red on was declared TO be marvellous.
WORK.
The cost OF constructing the new tunnel and the Inn
provemcnts either side from tho terry TO the Hack
ensack meadows will be about ST. 500 O0O while the
expense for real estate, right or way,
&c., Will be nearly sl,0OO,OOO more One
of the great improvements in progress
is the bridge over the Hackensack River winch will be
500 feet length. The draw Of this bridge will be 200
feet In length canal dock IL being constructed at
the depot Hoboken, which will be COO feet long and
90 feet wide and will be arranged that vessels
lie IN the dock be loaded from the either
side EMPLOYED McAndreW.
the OF the tunnel from It's inception TO the
present tme varied from 600 TO 100 Taxing all de-
laws into the road VIII be In u operation
before the centennial anniversary. Mr.. Samuel sloan,
President the railroad and Mr. Noses Taylor, who
personally supcrintend the work, expect 10 have 1t
completed the nrst week in June.