The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-08-25
a Tunnel Under the Hsuds,

Now that all obstacles are removed
from the further obstruction of the
construction of the tunnel under the
bed of the Hudson River, a descrip-
ton of it and how the work is to be
performed will be of interest to the
public generally. The mouth, or en-
trance to the tunnel, in Jersey City
will be on jersey avenue, at or near
the head of Fifteenth street, and TAX
ing nOrtheasterIy direction under
the bed of the river from the foot of
Fifteenth street will pass under the
Christopher street ferry-slip and come
out on Washington Square, New York.
The tunnel will be about two miles in
leRgth, and it is calculated that the
cars will run from one end to the other
in about three minutes time. The
tunnel will have road-bed of twenty
three feet, with two tracks, and the
entire distance will be as light as day
by gas lamps and reflectOrs. The
wall overhead will be four feet thick,
constructed with brick and an indie
structible cement, and at no point
along the line of the whole excavation
will be less than thirty-five feet of
earth between the mason-work and
the water of the river. The earth
met with throughout the actual dis
lance is kind of blue adhesive clay
of about the consistency of putty and,
therefore, from its compact nature, it
will be more easily worked than loose
earth or shifting sand. The shaft now
sunk at the foot OF Fifteenth street is
is los feet in circumference, and the
brick wall is three feet four inches
thick. This shaft is now down twenty
feet, and is to be continued to the
depth of sixty-two and a half feet,
when the tunnel excavation will
then be covered. 1t is calculated that
this shaft will be done in twenty days
from the time of starting. The mode
of sinking this shaft is a novel one.
The lahOrers dig down under the line
of the circular wall, and as they re-
move the earth the wall sinks by its
own weight, aud the masons cement
on the bricks as fast as the wall set
ties to its place. The plan of excava-
ting, or boring this tube under the bed
of the river, is one that has been work
ed out by Col. Haskell, the President
of the company. The eastern grade of
of the tunnel Is two in a hundred feet,
descending from jersey City, then, as
cending on the New York side, three
in hundred for 800, then two in a
hundred to the New York emu. The
shafts being down to the required
depth few feet will be excavated in
the tunnel, when an iron lock, compos-
ed of an iron cylinder, with ringed
doors at each end for access of men
and materials, will be put in. The
cylinder will be of small dimension
and rest upon q bed of earth and a
wall which, with a canvass curtain
and other packing, makes a sealed
partition and forms tight air-chamber
heading in front of the lock. A small
railway track will convey brick and
materials to the heading. An air-pipe
conducts compressed air from the sur
face to the heading. The air pressure
is expected to assist in keeping out
water and unfolding the roof of earth
during excavations in front of the ma
sonrV, and also to supply air for the
Workmen, who will work in consider
able numbers on platforms, etc. It is
also calculated that the air pressure
will carry out to the surface, through
pipes prepared for the purpose, AMI
discharge into scOws at the dock, al
sand, mud and water that may accu-
mulated in the heading during the
course of the excavation. The mouth
of this pipe at the heading is funnel
shaped, and into this the debris is
shoveled bv the laborers, and the great
pressure of air within the heading,
constantly being forced in by steam
engine from the surface, will carry IL
through the pipes with WeIl-regulated
rapidity. Very little rock is met with
in course of the tunnel, and that is
found at about eleven hundred feet
from the New York side. This rock is
soft and no blasting will be necessary.
The large depth Of earth above the
mason-work under the bed of the riy-
er, in no case less than thirty-five feet
and in many instances twice as much,
utterly precludes the possibility of
OF the masonry being injured by the
anchorage of shipping Or any other
contingency at the bottom of the river,
To accomplish this gigantic enterprise
will require an expenditure of $4,000,
900, $4,000, 600 of which has already
been subscribed. 1t is designed to en-
pioy about 200 lahorers, carpenters
and masons on this, and, by the plan
now settled upon by working them
in shifts of eight hours each, night
and dav, that the tunnel can be CON-
pleted in two years from the day of
starting the work. In order to keep
the workmen always in a safe condi- |
ton the excavations are never to be
allowed more than five feet ahead of
the masons, so that as fast as the dig
ging is completed the arch is con-
strncted. At the end of every four
hours the shifts are to be allowed to
come out to the surface and remain
twenty minutes for rest and refresh.
mente. Col. Haskins, the President,
is man of great experience and |
most indomitahie energy, and when |
the work is progressing is always
present to see that nothing is neglect |
ed, and that the work Is carried on in |
accordance with the plans laid down. |
Michael Hurley, who now has charge |
of the works at the foot of Fifteenth |
street, and who also is the engineer, |
informed orr reporter that everything |
could be got ready TO start work in one |
day, and that the large body of wa
ter that now fills the shaft could be |
pumped out in four hours, and the |
work of finishing the shaft down TO
the required depth be commenced inn
fNitv .f0nFnal