The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-03-19
THE THIRD BERGEN TUNNEL.
steam shovels md Hundreds OF Men Work.
Ing Day and Night.

steam shoveIs and Hundreds OF Men Work.
Ing Day and Night.
Work on the new railway tunnel through
Bergen Hill. from near Weehawken to New
Durham. is now progressing with the greatest
possible rapidly. both by day and night and
there is every reason. In the view Of the con-
tractors to expect that before the close OF the
coming summer it will b. completed and
ready for the laying Of the tracks through IT,
In the long cut at the western end OF the
tunnel which increases from level up to eighty
i've feet in depth in an approach Of 600 feet
TO the western portal the two steam shovels,
locomotive and a long tram Of dirt cars. three
electric Lights. and 200 men are working. The
changes made from the original estimates for
this cut. altering its direction and magnitude.
coutemp plated the removal OF about 100000
cubic yards Of material. earth and rock. but the
new alignment and plans necessitAte the TAX
ing out Ot at least 100000 cubic yards more.
and that is now much more than half accom-
plished. The first lift" or level OF thirty feet
deep from the surface whilo ii leaves a second
lit Of twenty-five feet and "a third down 10
grade. was necessarily SO much wider than the
bottom. from the excessive slope demanded hy
earth walls, that clearing it out took almost II
not quite half Of the material. and now the steam
steam shUycls bite their huge mouthluls out OF
the face Otthc hill they dropthcm into tile train
Of DIRT ears by when they are hauled u nile and
aha II Oh the meadows where L great deal OF NIL
Near the mouth Of the cut II bed Of qucksand
was struck, the whole width of the cut fully
depth. Various plans have been proposed for
overcoming this serious obstacle. Probably
heavy walls VIII be built alpn! each side o. the
truck. deep below grade. and trenches behind
them tilcd IN with large, broken stone so as 10
make fun provision Tor drainage. cutting OIL
water from The qui -ksanl bed II which only as
nuch IS To be let a. eau he lillcd in with stones
big, nat stones at the bottom and smaller
ones abovc-uniii 4 finn foundation for, the
rest OF the WORK. are divided into two shifts.
One electric light sheds its Oriliancy near each
shovel and a third out NJ the end OF the cut
where the dirt trains are switched. 90 that how
ever dark the night may be- the whole place il
kept almost as light "a day.
shaft No , is sunk whrr" the western portal
Of the tunnel is 10 he. All west uf 1t IL to be
gxc:.,ated for an open cut. The shaft is 81 feet
trated 2J7 feet. At first the progress there was
through u soft snnd4tOne. Nth hard layers of
trap rock interminglcd- most unreliable and
dangerous comhnatiun, which fell irregu!arly
leftau insecure root, and necessitated heavy tim
boring lor a depth Of 80 feet But beyond that
strata. has been found a geological formation
which extends the rest OF the way through the
hill. Light hundred feet eastward Shalt No.
ID sunk. ~ that point the hill has risen TO its
max imum height, and tho greatest depth 70 the
grade Of the tunnel. l65 feet is attained There
are two headings from the sump" or bottom
ri the shaft each OF which is now extended l2d
feet; and as IN each heading thirty men are
worked to advantage in each shaft. there are in
this, as in all the other shafts where double
headings are being driven, 100 men employed.
half 10y DAG and nalf rs night, Shaft No. B. 500
feet east of No. 1. i of tn" same depth as the
last nam"d, and the work in its headings has
progressed 70 about tue same distance.
The headings east and wcst from shaft No.
2, which is 100 feet deep and 500 feet from No.
>. are more ADVANCED than at either OF the
The eastern hea ing from this shaft and the
western one from No. are beneath deer
swamp on the very top Of Bergen Hili. From
soundincs and boring that have been made. il
/ is ca, ulated that thcrr viii be about % feet Of
rock between the roof of the tunnel and the
bottom 81 the swamp, the body of which lies
considerably north II the line, But. this rock
benz trap formation with almost vertical
assures. there will in all probability be a sel-
Gus amount OF iTInlg" INTO the tunnel. This
has been. thus far, demonstrated to a much
greater eTtent in the western heading
from shaft No, than in the eastern heading
from SHAFT No; . but in no case is thcr' any
reason 10 fear that ii Will prove difficult to CON
iroi. The magnitude OF the, tunnel and iie
pos" of any quantity 81 water which can enter
II Through the rocks, which are Of such char
actcrA to afford an unc ptionahle root as fan
rs -olidtty is concerned ana the mcrc luconvo-
nienro Ola lHakag during tn" construction will
readily be overcome. shaft 40 / is lC2 l"ct deep
and it, hraiings now "vi"nI i7i f,rf a,,ch Say
Part of the rock through which the western one
j. driven-that beneath the tail Of the swamp
elsewhere in the work, hul not soft enough tN
uCCesSitutc artificial roofing.
Work IN IA" U,tuhl driving 81 thn heading
from the eastern portal has not yet commenced
but Is To ls' begun IN about week. i ~ TO I've
the lurg.sl tunnel opening in tn" world. with "a
width y 81 isgt and height oi s. feet. cut N
the solid rock Two hLndrrl and nifty feet back
from the portal this grand opening dWiud.cs
down TO Tn" regular size of the tunnel which
is y feel in width ana II feet in height. The
and removul IT about 10000 cubic yards oi
material, mostly rock the greater part 20! which
has now been taken nut. THIS is an increase
of about % Oud cubic Yards on the original
estimate. which WIS mad" on the basis Of piNc-
nE N" ppctA ~ point about 1000 feet north
OF it- present location.
Tho much merry Tor this gigantic work is
worthy 81 ITS magnitude over tho hill, from
Shaft No. eastward, is Il Substantial railway
most II it on tr.St'work Tor ears carrying: tho
material taken from the headings 10 tho dunn
on The fac Of the Palisades Whcr' II is To l"'
used tyr H.nn: IN and solilliy,ug the ma rshy
ground 81 the mtaiDys below NurAaWken
Twice rarE day AZ tine i rs. IT The W 'rh ~ each
blasting, lu under ground. Ia ga II heading
fGur. Hlc from twelve to- twenty llns dIlIrI
"Noh from thrrv Ia SIN frrl IN dNIth and load d
With from one and u uJll 10 tour pounds Of u
h,in "Np, ~.F" locally "'auu'lu0yd Nrchtw-
ken aud SaIl ~ We NOR" powerful than dyun-
Hl'e. Two 81 tin men Who We're injured TO-
r'Htv ia SN4li NJ. ; by Tie rNpiu- on Of a
charge ly liShfning arr M work aEriu, On the
udEe -! GA" meadow MT N" foot of the Hill on
the rt--r- % sid Is 3u engine house. whore en-.
lprrc TOR tu5 five tapIrN rJwpressDrs which
drive Oh, ar drills ~ ~ 'hy he. ,i,l;- uHl liz
iu'hth'~ i'i surpN.uE tie "lr'lrlc lights
IN" average rate 49, I,r -''"- now Is about
MehIy foot eay Il! '"'h nrad.ng.
nh