The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-22
OCR NEW YORK LETTER.
What New York is Doing and Going
to discriminating and Tun-
neling-The Brooklyn Bridge
Observation-Disclosures
Peoples Indepen-
denee.

ut1luS- uc DTOOhlg DihuSt
-ImmigratiOn-COlO
Peoples Indepen-
denee.
From Our Special Correspondent.
NEW YORK, Feb. II, 1888.
| New York city now has two great
enterprises in process of construction,
namely: The tunneling of North
river Cthe Hudson) to Jersey City, and
the building of two great engine and
boiler establishments from which
downtown business houses and man
ufactories will be furnished with
steam for heating and power pur-
poses. For months eXcaVatinp and
pipe-laying has beeu going on in the
streets of the lower part of the city,
to the great inconvenience of trade.
and already many buildings are
heated and much machinery propelled
by this modern mode. Several explo-
siOns from the steam-pipes have taken
place, to the terror of many pedestri-
ans and the injury of some; but New
York city has got to that point where
it absolutely needs and must have the
great modern enterprises that bring
with these annoyances to people gen.
orally, dangers to life and damage to
property. The
ELEVATED RAILROADS.
which are an absolute need and an in
dispenable convenience, have greatly
damaged millions of dollars worth of
property along their lines; but in
| functions and complaints have no
terrors for the monopolists who inces-
sanity send their trains laundering
along from one end of the city proper
to the other, all loaded with human
freight and doing "rattling" bust
ness, and each train vieing with every
other and with Niagara Falls to see
who is entitled to the prize as the boss
roarer and ear burster of the continent.
But New Workers, not content with a
perpetual racket overhead and spon-
taneous conclusions under foot,
must have still something else
to engage their attention and
multiply their perils, an enter
prise that threatens the safety of
at least the largest and finest build
ings that give to broadway its many
charms and worldwide reputation.
That enterprise Is an
UNDERGROUND STREET RAILROAD,
Extending from City Hall park to
the union depot at FOrty-second street,
distance OF about four miles. The
only feasible route for a tunnel rail-
road from the lower part of the city
to Union square Is under Broadway, |
and sooner or later there will be one. |
To do this, and in order not to inter |
fere with gas and water pipes, the |
bottom of the tunnel will have to be |
from Is to Is feet below the surface |
of the street, and such deep eXcavat- |
ing, engineers say, will endanger the |
more massive buildings that line the |
street. the soil being sandy. This en- |
terprise is now being agitated, the in
corporators of the road having
determined to push the pro- |
ject through despite all opposition.
The tunneling of New York's great !
thoroughfare will seriously interfere |
with travel. But of this enterprise,
as also that of the river tunnel, l will |
speak in q future letter, it being my |
aim in this to tell the STATESMAN
readers something about the great
BROOKLYN BRIDGE,
now approaching completion, that |
will join New York and Brooklyn and |
COAN lllJO Vic CIb1
with population of two million souls.
The bridge, including the approach
eS of solid masonry on either side, is
about one mile and quarter in length, /
or to be exact, it is $3.50 feet long, and
between the two great piers it is high
enough to allow the largest ships to
pass under without lowering their
masts. On either side of the river is
span that passes high above
the houses and is securely |
imbedded in immense abutments
of solid masonry, and from these
abutments there is gradual decent
of the approaches to the street level,
some five or six blocks distant. The
bridge has two roadways 1872 feet
wide each, so that vehicles can pass
over two abreast, and a promenade
1879 feet wide, little higher than the
roadway. There is also separate
places for two railroad tracks, the
space for each being twelve feet
eight inches. The tracks will be the
same gauge as the elevated railroad,
four feet eight and one-half inches,
and means for running elevated
trains from the roads on either side on
the bridge is now being provided.
This is being done by the erection of
elevated station houses at each APP
proach, the roofs of which will be on
a level with the elevated railroad
tracks and on which the con-
nections will be made. The
cars to be run on the
bridge are now being made and they
are said to be models of neatness and
finish and about two-thirds the size of
an ordinary passenger car. The cars
will be propelled by the endless wire
system. The wire rope is kept in
constant motion by al engine mile
or more away, and the cars get in
motion By clutching the wire with
a clamp, and they stop by letting go
of it. The clutching and letting go is
done by spring which requires the
attention of man. 1t is estimated
that ten thousand people can be trans
ported across the bridge per hour by
the cars, and of course ten times that
number could cross on the roadwayS
and promenade. The bridge is con-
sidered to be capable of supporting
four times its weight, and it is esti-
mated that the travel upon it will
never amount to more than one
fifth of the dead weight of
the bridge itself. The floor of
this great structure is now being
laid and the bridge will be open to
foot passengers in about month and
to general trade by the first of June.
The question of tolls has not as yet
been decided. 1t may be that no
charge will be made for foot paSsen-
gers. The question has been mooted
to use as stores the great arches of the
bridge on the New York side, and
most likely this will be done.
NEW YoRK's WATER SUPPLY.
Another job that will cost this city
an amount that will run into millions
is to provide an ample supply of
water. Yearly the water pressure, on
account of the growth of the city, be-
comes less, and now the water does
not rise above the second floors, and a
year ago we were threatened with a
water famine. The legislature now
in session will give the subject atten-
ton this winter. To get a sup
ply of water ample for New
York fifty years hence submarine
canals sixty to seventy-five miles in
length will have to be constructed, as
also dams and reservoirs. 1t is esti-
mated that S5,0OO,O00 will be required
to do it.
IMMIGRANTS.