The New York herald., 1879-02-25
THE SECOND AVENUE H."
Breaking Ground for the East Side Line
Of the Metropolitan Road.
DELIGHT OF THE PUBLIC.
The Vast Undertaking To Be Pushed
with the Utmost Energy

The HERALD short time ago published the first
indications of the vast preparations being made by
the Metropolitan FL" Company for the building of
their east side line. The tearing down of number
OF old buildings below Morris street between Green
wich street and Broadway and the purchase of about
half million dollars worth Of property there. gave
the public the first assurance that the company
actually bent upon crossing Bowling Green and
entering upon the immediate construction of their
east side road. Next the awarding of the stu
pendous contract for the iron superstructure show
ing that the company meant to lose time in salts
flying the urgent demand Of the vast east side popu
ation for additional rapid transit facilities. the
want of which has been severely felt all winter.
The failure of the Third Avenue "L" to accommo-
date the immense side travel which far exceeds
the capacity any single road. thus hurried the
work of the Metropolitan Company
DREAMING GROUND YESTERDAY.
Since the publication in the HERALD of the
preparations above alluded to there has been much
easerness among the east side public to the first
gang of laborers who should "bresk ground on the
Second avenue line Yesterday morning. shortly
after eight o'clock. this anxiously looked for
took place. Three gangs of laborers numbering 100
men each. quietly marshalled by Messrs.
Ambrose & Mills. the contractors who have
undertaken to build the 1000 foundations, and were
quickly scattered along Division street from the
Bowery to Allen and along the upper part of Allen
street toward First Their appearance created
almost much of sensation did that Of the ad-
vance guard of Sixth rapid transit on West
Third street nearly two years The shopkeepers
and residents running out Of their stores and
houses to enjoy the novelty of the scene, and few
rapid transit enthusiasts waved their hats and
bandkerchiefs and gave some feeble hurrahs. The
passengers waiting the Chatham square IL" sta
ton for an upward bound train stood upon excel
lent vantage ground for watching the array of work
men, and quite a number cheerfully missed the first
train to participate. it were in this interesting
event
Here is my road" gleefully exclaimed ono pas
senger.
This means business exclaimed another; and
similar colloquisl comments ran from mouth to
| mouth.
Meanwhile the men had taken their positions in
small groups of six seven each where the engin-
had marked the sites for the foundations. and
without ceremony their picks resolutely descended
into the thick. hard frozen coating Of ice and dirt
which covered the roadway near the cars. The pop
uace appeared delighted that ground had thus actu
ally been broken on the Second avenue 81"
THE RUSH FOR WORK.
While the manifestations from the adjacent shop
keepers and residents who came out to watch the
scene were of the frendest nature, great deal of
excitement prevailed among the immense crowds
of idle aborers who filled Division and Allen streets,
eagerly looking for employment The number
of men put on yesterday morning was already
stated only about three hundred; but least fifteen
hundred were clamorng for work. They followed
| the contractors Messrs. Ambrose Mills at every
politicians. ministers. ofhcers of the company aud
| others, recommending them for employ yment "Will
ySa give me JOB You Yonr t fisass % reSd this
were the pressing appeals heard from every side in
chorus of voices. MI. Ambrose had to struggle as
best he could through this dense wedge of clamorng
workingmcn, and finally darted up to the Chatham
square al" station as temporary refuge. Mr..
invarable answer was. Como and see us
| tomorrow morning; it's too cold to read any
II Broadway were actually in state OF siege: and it
was difficult at one time in the morning to obtain
President Jose f. Navarro whose doors the largest
! multitude had congregated, said that, while the
company was anxious to utilize every efficient and
industrious worker in this great undertaking. it
| really impossible to find employment for all the
worthy in need Of it. Nevertheless. he thought
| that when the entire force of $500 men were em
| ployed the east side line and 2 900 resumed
work the west side extension, much OF tho dis
tress prevailing among the laboring classes would
| doubtless be alieviatcd
THE UNDERTAKING WILL. PUSHED.
The opening stages of the work yesterday
naturally very slow, owing the ice. which, in
tain places from twelve to twenty inches thick
and made it very difficult to penetrate to the sandy
soil of Division and Allen streets. Mr.. Mills said
that after the frost and ice had been conquered the
digging of the excavations would probably go on
countered below Second avenue and Thirty-sevcnth
street. Two hundred additional men to be put
ployed. raising the working force TO 1000 Thus the
increase will 90 steadily until, within three
digging the excavations and constructing the foun.
daton piers OF the road. OF these 1850 about 500
will be brcklayers =. and masons, receiving
exception of small force of carpenters and black
smiths, who also paid 81 so day. will be labor
ers at 81 25 per day. The laborcrs remove the ice
and pavement and dig the excavations, which are
''shored up by the carpenters with bracing panks 4
to prevent the sides from crumbling n Then. after
the laying OF the foundation stones upon concrete.
the brickayers and construct tho brick piers
upon which the cast iron bases placed for rcccp
ton of the columns. The backsinth are employed
for sharpening tools. At present the permits for the
foundations have been received from the Department
of Public Works far Twenty-thirt street and
Second avenue, and the energies of tho contractors
will therefore be primarily bent to complete them TO
DIFFICULTIES IN SECOND AVENUE
While Messrs. Ambrose Mills coniiden. that
finished by August l. with view to the definite
opening of the road next fall they fully of
the difficulties confronting them along the upper
portion of the route. especially near the Harlem
flats, where the foundations all have to be built
piles. Another difficulty threatening some delay
arises from the existence of q contract for paving
Second avenue, which. it is feared may deter the De-
psrtment of Public Works from issuing the permits
for putting IN the foundations until that work scom
plcted. As the iron superstructure is being
manufactured with great rapdity in the iron work.
shops at Phnnxvlle, Pa and tho contractors intend
TO raise the columns over the bases as fast as
the completion of the foundations will permit there
is Thought to be little doubt that Commssioncr
Campbell will refuse to allow paving contract to
stand in the way of providing speedy rapid transit
facilities for the east side. The feeling along the up
per portion Of Second avenue appears to be unani
that nothing short of absolute necessity should
be allowed to stand in the way of the rapid compile
ton of the road.
vAsr AMOUNT OF MATERIAL REQUIRED
II was stated in the HERALD at the time of the
awarding of the contract that for the construc-
ton OF the Second avenue IL" 5O.OO0oo0 pounds Of
iron would be necessary the prospective number OF
columns being 1900 and of girders about 5000.
still further idea of the magnitude of tho undcrtak
ing Is given by the fact that for the foundations TO
be butt by Messrs Ambrose Mills. probably 10000
barrels of cement and over 150OO,O00 bricks will be
necessary.
The force of $500 men to be engaged tho
Second avenue IL will work from A. NJ. till
six p. NJ, with an hours intermission for dinner
Through Division street. Allen street and Twenty
third street the columns will be placed over the
curb and through First and Second avenues the
horse car tracks Third and Sixth avenues. The
..I ln. NM fhap hat in