The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-07-24
A ATHOROUGHFARE.
4 SCIENTIFIC STREET" FOR A GREAT
CITY.
A Surface Void Of All Immovable OBJ
strnetions, with Underneath Spaces for
Cars, Sewers, Telegraph. Telephone
and Electric Light Conductors.
lBrooklyn Eagle.l


While the problem Of rapid transit by ele
waited roads is in course Of gradual solution,
engineers and men of business are consider.
ing more ambitious plans for this city and
New York. involving the construction Of
what Is called "the scientific street" Wher
this highway of the futurs is completed its
surface will be free from all obstruction
which can interfere with the original uses Of
a 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 r.
Hazard In paper read before the American
In-titute 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 road way between the curbs furnishes
all the accommod alton required for all pur-
DO es 1t is divided into two sections; the
one centrally placed affords accommodation
for way and express tunnels. The sections
on either side disposss Of the existing imped-
imsnts OF tho street at the point OF access to
the abutting houses. BY this disposition Of
the street all requirements are fulfilled I
smooth, noseless and uHobstructed surface
is provided for pedestrian and vehiculnr
traffic. Express and way trains for rapid
transit Permanent housing for sewer,
water, gas steam. pneumatic, electric con-
ductors and pipes, with access throughout
for inspection, an all the cases in imme.
date contact with the premises where the
connections are to be made. In neither OK.
press nor 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 I'm sections AMI
j. governed by the extent and character Of
the traffic. A uniform platform Of concrete,
about two feet in thickness, foored by half
inch Of Trinidad asphalt, is laid, extending
across the street at the maximum base depth
Of about seventeen feet, forming founda-
ton for the whole structure Upon this is
erected the external vault wall, securing to
the abutting proprietor the permanent use
Of the whole vault and area undisturbed
throughout the standard section. This vault
wall is 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 adjacent to either curb
The galleries are subdiyided longitudina.ly
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-
ductars of the various telegraph, telephone,
lighting, burglar alarm, messenger COM
panies are arranged anti-inductively, upon
shelves riveted to the roof and gallery
beams There being 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 obviated. The in
ternal frame supporting the galleries is
formed by iron columns, placed four feet
apart, and coincident with those forming
the outer wall of the way railway tunnels.
These columns are composed of two angle
irons riveted, and rest upon q continuous
granite foundation
FOUR RAILWAYS.
The space remaining between the pipe
galleries is disposed in four railway tunnels,
for the accommodation of an up way and ex-
press and a down way and express train.
These tunnels are formed by five rows OF
columns each composed Of four angle irons.
arranged longitudinally four feet apart,
resting ON continuous granite base, the
spaces between the columns at the founda-
ton and the roof being filled by panel
composed Of a tough, non-resonant mate
rial. This panel fulfils double function:
il completes the tunnel for purposes of ven
tilation, and it pre- vents 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-
ture tied by beams placed four feet from
centers which extend across the entire span,
bolted at every eight feet to the tunnel
columns, the ends being inserted in the
vault wall Upon these beams the steel ten
inch span Luckle plate roof is laid and
bolted; over this is two inch skin Of Trini
dad asphalt. las q protector from chemical
conta, and dampuess and az slight cush-
ion. Above this Is placed six inches Of con.
crete, which completes the permanent street
This structure as q whole contemplatas the
minimum Of excavation, the maximum Of
capacity, the greatest number and most
equal distribution Of points Of support. and
ness in use.
VENTILATION.
The railway tunnels form open cylinders
from station to station, and the trains being
of approximate cross section constitute '5vse
pistons always moving In the same direc-
ton; the obvious effect Is the establishment
OF ventilating current, dependant for its
force upon the approximation Of cross sec
tions and the speed Of the trains; as the
products or artlncial combustion are xcluded
from the tunnels the requirements Of ven.
tilation are reduced to a minimum, and per-
fectly performed. The traffic rails and the
electrical conductor conduit and the rail
guard are bolted to the same steel tie, which
ARA angement secures perfect alignment, the
tie being permanently set in the concrete
foundation. While it ID not essential to the
plan the modern wood pavement now used
In London and Paris sh ould be substituted
for tie noisy granite. " .L.