New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-08
WORKING UNDER THE HUDSON
PROGRESS OF THE TUNNEL THAT WILL CONNECT
NEw-JERsEY AND NEwYORK.

PROGRESS OF THE TUNNEL THAT WILL CONNECT
NEw-JERsEY AND NEwYORK.
At the foot of FiftePnth-st., Jersey CITY, q
low wooden building has been erected when mas Tue
appearance OF OvergrOwn shany rather 'hah the oe
ginning Of an important and difficult work THIS DuIu
ing contans the office of the Hudson Tunnel halFoa
COMPANY and also engines electric generator ana
air compressor. In the centre Of the building smart
thirty feet I'm diameter has been sunk to the depth OF
sixty feet ITS lower portion is used as receiving tank
for the mud removed from the tunnel About midway
down the shaft has been OOrcd over Juttng out from
tho river side OF this shaft is what appears to DC largo
IRON boiler. This is the air lock-" an air
tight chamber made of one-haf-nch roNeu
iron and six feet in diameter and fifteen feet
in length through which everything passes i'll
entering leaving the tunnel BY its use persons pass
ing IN are gradually accustomed to the change IN ar
prcssure about six minutes usually being taken in the
operltion. From the air lock- which Is little above
the top OF the tunnel proper the excavation was eX
tended at gradual decline until the required depth was
reoched-about sixty feet below high water The cXtc-
rior structure or shell OF tile tunnel consists Of cylinder
of one-haf inch bolerplaie rOn with lining OF b"ic
two feet thick securely anchored to it, The river on the
line OF the tunnel is about $500 feet in width ana ltS
bed is largely composed OF blue cay with mixture %
sand and other substances.
The excavation IL begun at the top and carried for
ward I'm sections The plates OF which the iron casing
composed are placed in position as fast az sulcehi
space il excavaed. These plates are two ana one mar
feet in width by three and six feet III
length. They arc bolted together by means OF
angle-ron secured to their edges. The brick-work
is laid as rapidly as circle of sections is completed
The silt is thrown back into pool. into which Is run
ming a stream of water forced in from pump IN the
shaft by the pressure Of the condensed air IN the n
mel This water, carrying about one nail OF the SIT Is
blown ont through SIX men pipe into the RECEIVING
tank The remaining portion Is carried INTO Tie hshcd
tunnel.
The Office is connected with the tunnel by telephone
and the electric light used both III ard ont Of the n-
mel, worR being carried throughout the u hours:
An average OF about feet of the tunnel Is hnshcd
daily.
The top of the tunnel will have average distance
OF about twenty five feet below the river bed Ils makes
necessary q considerable grade, ~ the river ht
some points reaches the depth OF 90 feet l}Y The
agency of compressed air, at pressure OF Il to 20
pounds to tue square inch, this mixture OF water
clay and sand IN the excavation Is Kept so
firmly in position that it might be worked Tor
ward IN terraces or hcuchcs, thus OhvatinS
all necessity for staying or braces while cNcayang the
silt placing in position the upper sections "i the IRON
cnccd workman, with sharp shovel, VIII carve ont and
shape top sides easily a5 II hr were cutting
cheese. and eau prepare exactly the place Tor each
sheet. .
The entrance to the tunnel the Ncw-Jcrscy Side
will be at a uoin about tnrr-QulrcrS oi ME from the
river. The terminus IN NcwIOrk has not been settled
but the tunnel Will enter c cliy 1T the i0O Ol tIOyT
An underground depot VIII hC u.s. q, ana nowhere Will
the track b. than fifteen feet below III" surface
The approaches either side Will be 20 rect III wldth
aud II feet in height, with double track; Int under
the there will be- two tunnels file ny Sldr' cHch
feet height lG icct IN Width aud each contain
ing a single track. Work progress ~ only one
Of tunnels, nut rtug ~ III readiness 10 begin
the adjoining i'm few day, whcn operations can be
begun on the NrwYurk side also. WIN approved taci-
ties 1t is expected each section VIII b advanced at
a rate OF i've feet per day.