Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-23
A THOROUGHFARE.
"ScIENTiFlc STREET" FOR A GREAT
CITY.
Surface Void of All Immovable OBJ
structions, with Underneath Spaces for
Cars. Sewers. Telegraph, Telephone
and Electric Light Conductors
brooklyn Eagle

| Vatel roatis l. IN course OF gradual SOiuti IN,
engineers and men of business are consider
ing more ambition, plans for this city and
New York, involving the construction Of
what is called the scientific street" When
this highway Of the future is completed its
surface will be free from all obstruction
which can interfere with the original uses OF
thoroughfare, while railroads and tele-
phone wires will run beneath the surface.
Descriptions Of the work have already been
| published, and an especially interesting &C
count of it was given by Mr. Rowland K
Hazard in paper read before the American
Institute Of Engineers at its meeting in
| Philadelphia last year. The following ex-
| tract will sufficiently indicate the nature Of
the plan as proposed for Broadway, New
| York.
THE GENERAL PLAN.
The roadway between the curbs furnishes
all the accommodation required for all pur-
| 20 es- Ii Is divided into two sections; the
| one centrally placed affords accommodation
| for way and express tunnels. The sections
on either side dsposes of the existing imped-
iments of the street at tie point of access to
the AUDITING houses. By this disposition CT
the street all requirements are fulfilled. T.
| smooth, noiseleSs and unobstructed surfac,
is provided for pedestrian and vehicula-
traffic. Express and way trains for rapid
trsnsit. Permanent housing for sewer
water, gas, steam. pneumatic, electric con
ductors and pipes, with access throughout
for inspection, an all the cases in imme.
diate contact with the premises where the
connections are to be made. In neither ex-
press Eor way stations is private property
taken, nor at any point does the structure
abut private premises, even during con-
struction.
CONSTRUCTION.
The method of construction is as follows:
street excavation is effected in sections, and
Is governed By the extent and character Of
the traffic. A uniform platform of concrete
about two feet in thickness, f.oored by half
inch of Trinidad asphalt, is laid, extending
across the street at the maximum base depth
of about seventeen feet, forming a founda-
ton for the whole structure Upon this is
erected the external vault wall, securing to
the abutting proprietor the permanent use
If the whole vault and area undisturbed
thr" ughout the standard section This vault
wall i, fitted while under construction with
suitable connections for gas, steam, electric
ity, sewer and water at every house This
wall is also the external wall of the pipe gal-
leries, arranged adj acent to either curb
The galleries are subdiviIed longitudinally
and continuously, by beams riveted to their
internal and inserted in their external walls
WIRES AND PIPES
Access throughout is provided at the ter
mini and stations, and they are calculated
for access to. housing and inspection of the
tubes pipes and wires. The electrical con-
ductors of tho various telegraph, telephone,
lighting, burglar alarm, messenger COM
panies are arranged anti-inductively, upon
shelves rivetei TO the roof and gallery
beams There Icing no permanent floor
above the foundation, the pipes in either
gallery are accessible from above or below
Street opening for repair, replacement or
connection Is thus wholly obviatsd The in
ternal frame supporting tie galleries is
formed by iron columns, placed four feet
apart, and coincident with those forming
the outer wal! Of the way railway tunnels.
These columns are composed of two anglo
irons riveted, and rest upon a continuous
granite foundation.
FOUR RAILWAYS.
The space remaining between the pipe
gailerie, is disposed in four railway tunnels,
FOR the accommodation of an up way and ex-
press and down way and express train
These tunnels are formed by five rows OF
columns, each composed of four angle irons.
arranged longituiinally four feet apart.
resting on continuous granite base the
space, between the co!Gmns at the founda-
tion and the roof being filled by panel
composed of a tough, nun-reSonant mate
rial. This panel fultills double function:
IT completes the tunnel for purposes o: ven
tilation, and II prevents resonance, which |
might be caused by the rapid passage of a
train through a tunnel with metallic walls |
THE ROOF SUPPORT.
The roof Is supported and the whole struc- |
turo tied by beams placed four feet from |
centers which extend across the entire span. |
boltel at every eight feet to the tunnel |
columns, the ends being inserted in the |
vault wall Upon these beams the steel ten |
inch span buckle plate roof is laid and |
bolted; over this is two inch skin of Trim |
dad asphalt,l las protector from chemical |
contact and dampnsss anl IS a slight cnsh-
i'm. Above this j. placed six inches Of con-
crete, which completes the permanent street |
III structure as whole con;emplates the |
m Il mum of excavation, the maximum OF |
capacity, the greatest number and most /
equal distribution of points OF support, and |
consequent maximum of strength and stiff |
ncs> IN use.
VENTILATION.
The railway tunnels form open cylinders |
from station 70 station, and the trains being |
of appro ximaie cross section constitute loose
pistons always moving in the same direc-
ton; the obvious effect Is the establishment. |
of a ventiia,ing current, dependent for its
force upon the approximation of cross sec
tion> ant the speed Of the trains; as the
products of artificial combustion are excluded /
from the tunnels the requirements of ven
tilation are reduced TO a minimum. and per-
fectly performed. The traffic rails and the l
electrical conductor conduit and the rail
guard are boltej TO the same steel tie which