The New York herald., 1879-09-13
SECOND AVENUE "L."

SECOND AVENU Il.
THE GREAT WORK NEARLY coMPIETED-RE-
SUITS OF FIVE MONTHS LADoR-TwENrY-
ONE MILLION BRICKS IN THE FoUNDATIoNs
The HERALD contained yesterday the first an
nouncement of the rapidly approaching completion
of the Second Avenue L road. and of the fact that
during the latter part Of the coming month trains
are promised to run as far Sixty-seventh street.
Yesterday the steam pumps were working both day
and night in pumping the water out OF the few foun-
dations at the Harlem flats. which are the only ones
still remaining unfinished and numbers of people
who viewed the progress OF the road along
the line of Second avenue seemed to be
anxiously interested in its speedy opening 1t was
learned at the Office of the Manhattan "L'
Company. No. II Broadway. that the iron work
for the stations is being manufactured with great
rapidity. and that the stations will be erected stimuli
taneousy all along the line. But the officers all
agreed that by far the most difficult part of the stu
pendous work-the foundations had been COM
pleted far that the rest amounted to but little
and could be speedily finished. The foundations
the engineer said had presented extraordinary and
unforeseen difficulties. which it had required great
skill and energy to successfully overcome. When
asked for some detailed account Of the novel strk
ing features Of the undertaking the reporter
referred to Mr.. John W. Ambrose, who has been the
commander-in-chief Of the great army of men
ployed upon il. The work has occupied nearly five
months and during the greater portion of this time
not less than 5000 men have been employed on it.
1t Is q common remark among those who have care
fully watched tho progress of this difficult enter
prise that 1t affords another striking illustration OF
the superiority of private enterprise public
work. and that probably would have taken the city
ve years to accomplish what has been here achieved.
TALK, WITH AMBROSE.
Mr.. Ambrose twho started in life journa alist)
was found along the work. where he appeared to
have his hands full in giving directions to his
satellites and answering the inquiries of the
swarm of laborers who follow him continually seek
ing employment. Before answering the reporters
questions MIR. Ambrose repaired to his office and
carefully consulted some memoranda OF his ac-
counts.
''The work." said Mr. Ambrose. sis probably the
biggest of the kind undertaken in this country
We began it about the 1st OF March. but during
March 1t was only of preparatory character. and
practically 1t has been done in five months During
this time have not only completed all the piers
the Second avenue line from the corner OF Divs-
ion and Catharne streets to l2Sth street and Second
avenue but also the extremely difficult piers at
10th street and Eighth avenue, and those further
up Eighth avenue. from 124h to 15Gth street-in
all 400 piers TO give you idea of the magnitude
OF the undertaking and the manner In which 1t has
outstripped ali the estimates of the
estimates bricks that about 1000. 900
would be necessary instead OF that Il 900 bricks
were found to be required. And SO in almost every
particular the material required exceeded the esti
mates about one hundred per cent
"Can you give mo an idea of the precise quantity
of material used and work done?"
~ have 1t all here on my books" Mr. Ambrose
piled. .'To construct these 2.400 foundations we
had drill and blast out 900 cubic yards of rock
and carefully it all done that the only damage
were asked to pay was $40 for a pane of glass
which woman claimed haa oeen shattered III her
house on Second avenue, between Forty first and
Forty y-second streets. We took out of these g. 400
holes. OF them not less than forty teet deep.
$4,000 cubic yards OF earth and put in 81 900 900
bricks. Few people would have idea what this
really Why. with this quantity of bricks you
could build wall twenty feet high and one foot
thick from the Battery to the Harlem Br dge at Third
avenue aud lsoth street and four miles beyond"
"Has the relaSing OF the pavement not caused you
..The city holds us responsible for year after our
work is done for the condition of the pavement and
we generally relay it twice. We relaying 1t
for the second time. We have had Ave steam pile
drivers all along and driven 100000 lineal feet OF
piles in the foundations at marshy places"
"And how as to lumber, sand. broken stone and
cement?'
measurefor the capping of piles, snoring brac-
ing timber. &c.; $4,000 cubic yards of sand for mix
broken stone for making concrete bottoms for the
excavations; 10000 barrels of cement for the
sonry and 2l.Oo0,0oo bricks. Remember that these
200 yards OF material had all to be handled at
least three times
EXTRAORDINARY DIFFICULTIES.
"Were these piers more difficult Of construction
than those on Third or Sixth avenuc?'
"Yes; for on Second avenue we encountered per-
feet network OF gas and water pipes for distance
extending fully four miles, and thus. instead of con-
structing one uniform standard pier. had to
and used nearly thousand tons of iron in addi-
tion. in the form OF beams and gibs In arching
over the pipes. At 10th street and Eighth avenue
we had to drill forty teet deep through the rock,
aud each of the sixty piers the 10th street
required not less than $1,000 bricks. The most d:-
cult pier OF all that 1USth street and Second
avenue. at the hats where had to drive in eighty
two piles and use 130 yards OF concrete. 1t would
almost incredible that used so COO bricks
this one pier alone or enough to build good sized
residence"
"About twelve miles, went up every morning
all along the route of Second avenue work to the
Harlem River, then crossed over to Eighth avenue.
and came down Eighth avenue to 10th street.
and in the afternoon started from 10th street and
Eighth up to 15sth street and Eighth avenue.
crossed over to Second avenue and came down Sec-
ond avenue to see that everything going on
right This double trip have made every day since
the work started"
NOT SINGLE INJURY.
Had you many ca-es Of death or physical injury
caused by all thus blasting and general upheavI Of
mot single one / am happy to say" was Mr..
Ambrose's reply; land that to me. must confess.
which has now been successfully accomplished. We
have had about six thousand men at work-and
large proportion of these would have suffered most
severely but for this fortunate opportunity to win
their bread-and flushed what has undoubtedly
been the largest undertaking OF tie kind in this
country, and not single person has been killed or
injured, aud We have not had single complaint at
the manner in which the work was carried
on. l will say" added Mr. Ambrose mod
estly, "that nowhere in the world could you
hnd class of laborers Intelligent
energetic careful in the execution OF such work.
and while have certainly tried to do my best
attribute this great success chiefly to the fidelity
and energy OF the army of 5000 men which has been
moving under my direction
''And how long will these foundations lastr
Forever was Mr.. Ambrosos emphatic reply.
mo pains money were spared to build them
that they might be safe and strong in Atty or q
hundred years they are this very day."
Tnis ended the int,riew with Mr.. Ambrose, who
said that he could not spare any more time just
then aud hurried away with some of his foremen.