Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-12
TINE BIG BRIOGE's RIVAL.
Hudson River Tunnel Begun.
New York Star,1

Hudson River Tunnel Begun.
New York STAR
"The man that you want to see is at
work right under that ship" said an
employee Of the Hudson River Tunnel
Company to Star reporter yesterday,
pointing to the steamer Normandie, Of
the French Transatlantic Line, which
lay at her pier at the foot Of Morton
street. After waiting about an hour
the reporter saw Engineer Finch emerge
from hole near the river shore. He
had on an old suit Of clothes, which was
wet through with preparation.
ut Affects me Just that way every
time 20 down there" said Mr.. Finch,
a. he went to work changing his clothes.
81 suppose its the water in the COM
pressed air, and probably the excessive
quantity Of oxygen taken into the blood
through the lungs has something to do
with it. You zee the air that il forced
into the shaft is all pumped through o
cistern of water to take the dust out of
IL, and then the shaft itself IL at present
half full Of water besides. Cool down
there? Well, q little cooler than II is up
here, but not much. The air is pumped
in right from the street. and going
through the water doesn't cool il of
very much. Why do We pump air into
the shaft2 To create pressure there
and prevent the water Of the river from
draining through the sand. We keep
mp pressure there Of two or three at
mospheres, as occasion requires"
"You have just started ON the south
tunnel from the New York side2" in.
quired the reporter.
I'VE began this morning. The north
tunnel, right along side Of it, is project
ed out from the New York shore l70
feet. From the Jersey aide the north
tunnel il projected ont this way 1000
feet under the river, making total of
l770 feet. The total distance between
the sunkeu shafts on the New York and
Jersey City ends is little more than .
mile, or $500 fest. From the Jersey
shore the south tunnel ID projected ont
this way 600 feet. The two tunnels are
side by aide, and communicate by open
passages at regular distances Of $50
feet. A We get further out under the
river, we make moro rapid progress, as
the excavating becomes easier. On this
side We are now Reing through sand and
silt, which 10 kind Of hardened clay.
We have not yet come TO any solid rock.
although 70 have taken ous good many
boulders."
"When 10 the celebration Of the open
ing OF this tunnel likely - take placer
!. "Well,n said the Engines Finch, but
toning on his collar IF the money 10
forthcoming We can complete it in
eighteen months q two years. Bisides
the tunnel proper there viii Be the sp-
proaches 70 ont through, and suppose
II will be three or four years before W
shdl eee trains of cars running under
the river"
"Will the tunnel or tunnels Be exclus-
lively for railroad cars?"
"Yes. Thsy are built oval-shapsd,
Just large enough for the very largest
drawing room coach to pass through.
But this tunnel will not be able TO ac-
oommodate all the trains, and anosser
one will probably Be- projected before
long further down town"
where will BE- the entrance 70 this
tunnel on the New York sidsr
"it viii have 70 BE- pretty veil up To-
ward Broadway, hut The exaet point has
not yet been decided upon. Is may b
that three years from nov New York
passengers for Philadelphia, Washing
ton, and all other points south and south
west can step into their drawing room
coaches at Washington square,"