Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-09
anistellany.
The Hudson River Tunnel.

The greatest feats Of modern engineer
INC are the tunnels. Mont Gents, Hoosac,
the Sutro out in Nevada, and latest, the
ST. Gotlard, are monuments of skill and
toll worthy of comparison with the most
stnpendous works of ancient Egypt. The
tnnnel under the Thames at London may
be said to have naugurated this particular
branch of engineering, and now that the
principal mountains, which have been for
ccnturies impediments in the way of
travel and traffic, are pierced, the next
great achievements in this direction prom
ise to be like the first tunnels under the
water.
Leaving out of consideration the tunnel
beneath the English channel. the compile
ton of which seems now remote con.
tingency, we have nearer home in the
tunnel under the Hudson ut New York, an
Undertaking rivaling in magnitude any
thing of like nature attempted In this
country Work on this tunnel was begun
six years ago, but was delayed by long
drawn litigation, the railroad companies
themselves, what with their heavy invest
ments in depots and boats for crossing the
ferry and their mutual jealousies, blocking
In every way possible the progress of the
scbeme. The chief obstacles to the ad-
vance of the tunnel are now, however.
said to be removed, and the work is going
steadily forward. The forces behind the
Enterprise are the Hudson Tunnel railroad
company with Dewitt G. Haskin as presi-
dent and Il capital of Sl0,O0O,OO0.
While the railway tunnel under the
Thames is but 1000 feet long, the one
under the Hudson will be $500 feet 1t
is, moreover, designed, double barrelled,
SO to speak-two tunnels running side by
side and converging and broadening into
each other us either side of the river Is
reached. The depots of the New Jersey
end of the tunnel will be half-mile back
from the river, but the location OF the
terminus on the New York side has not
vet been fully decided, Excavation, thus
far confined to the Jersey side Of the river,
has been pushed forward over 60 feet
beyond the outer edge of the docks. Three
gangs of 40 men, working eight hours
each, make progress at the rate of three
feet IA day, and it is hoped by its project
ors that the tunnel will be finished in
1883, or in time to land in the heart ol
the city the anticipated millions OF visitors
x 10 the international fair which New York
Is planning in honor of the centennia
anniversary Of the recognition OF Amer
lean independence.
Ga The methods of construction employed
in building the tunnel are carefully illus
trated in u recent number of the Scientific
y sLmericn,a, upon which we draw for some
of the more interesting details. At the
II foot Of Fifteenth street Jersey City, 10C
feet from the water. n shaft has been sunk
30 in diameter and 60 feet in depth. Ihi:
js lined with brick work four feet in depth
AFIhe river, somewhat shallow on The
Jersey side, deepens to 60 feet within lO0(
3fecl of the New York shore, and the tun-
mel will be carried on a grade some x
3. feet below the river bed. The digging Sc
NM far has been very easy, and the mixture
W of blue clay and sand is puddled witt
water, as it is removed and forced on by
M The pressure of the air through six-ncf
a pine. As the New York side of the
Hudson is approached, however sollt
bed of rock will confront tn eXcavators.
IA An original feature of the work upon thi
tunnel, is the use of compressed air II
M keep out of water and help uphold lh'
earth. An air-lock closes the mouth o
the tunnel, and IL pressuse OF from II u
~ pounds to the square inch is maintained
inside its gates. With some precautor
in making the change from the outside
air, the laborers lind no difficulty il
breathing and working under this increas
38sof the ordinary atmospheric pressure; the
Ef electric Light illumines with noon-dal
* brightness their subterranean tasks, ant
the handy telephone serves for communl
cation with the managers above ground
Foot for foot us the work is advanced tn
tunnel is protectively inclosed with bolte'
sheets of thick boiler iron, making hug
iron cylinder; this in turn is lined com
pletely around with hard-brick wall tw
feet in thickness, presenting substantial
arch capable of withstanding grea
pressure ut the sides as well as upon tn
Top.
When the great work is at last accom-
pished, it is estimated that the tunnt
\ will allow of the passage of 400 trains
sE day. The advantages to New York Cit
IVA of the Hudson river tunnel, as can b
VI readily seen, will be immense. Not onl
# will it vastly economic the business
ireighting and ordinary travel, but it wi
vie with the elevated railrays in openin
ways TO new and inexpensive homes
moderatly circumstanced citizens.