New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-31
WORK BEGUN ON THE SUBWAY
AR. MOSS TAKES OUT THE FIRST STONE.
THE TRENCH COMPLETED FROM TwESrY-FoURTH
To Observation-Disclosures.


TO TwENTY-sEvENTH-Sr.
The work of digging the subways was begun yes
tcrday moruing at twenty fourth-st and SIxth.av
an hour earlier than the TIM annonnced.9 o'clock.
mins's laborcrs, numbering about sixty. az
peared. Engineers Kearney aud Thomson,
Of the Subway Commission. were also
nresent and had the lines for the trenches drawn In
4 few moments, but nothing further was done
until Commissioner Moss arrived. While waiting
Tor him quite crowd assembled, including many
of those interested III the work. Among these were
Edward Lauterbach, counsel of tue Consolidated
COMPANY; Mr.. Gibbeus the commissions counsel
Mr. Burdick. of the Dorsctt Works; Engineer NC,
Eulty, of the Metropolitan Telephone Company. ana
Inspector Lydecker, of the Public Works DepaI,.
ment Mr.. Moss came along little before o CLOCK,
accompanied BY O laborer bearing the PICK wInc 90
Hamlet In Walack's Theatre. Seeing the me ,
standing idle, Mr. Moss determined TO 6egln w3a
at once. Crashing crowbar which ne aec LUZ
would be of more practical service tnan the piVh,
in familiar sort of way he stepped out upon tne
north crossing of Twenty-fourth-st' ana VIII Will =
few welldirected strokes oosened one OF me
etoues He picked II up with a smile OF sa'lslao
tion and told the to take II over 10 tle cU.,-
missioners Office and have 1t bronzed men .u' b
pgo Mr. Crmmins who had 1n Isv T il started
The men at once set to work. ana III on ,eM
moments trench was opened between tw S;do of
tSa about four feet from the curb Before
fhe work had GOT fairly under way, hoVer FOSTER
the counsel of the Electric hdes shot a ;S;unc
pearghu I'D heen obtained and prepared for scene
T 1'pe " were however disappointed. Mr. Foster
SAID Ht h ni s s5saHf heard S'' Judge 'eHsSs sn
decision in the case. and was. therefore. not
Srcpared TO enjoin anybody at present. Nothing
was heard from any OF the other companies ana y
threatened njunctIons soon as the digging should
be begun. though Mr. Crmnins was informed by
the North American Underground Company that he
and the Consolidated Company would be held re-
sponsibc by them for all damages arising from in
frlngement upon their patents. which they claim
cover about every thing III the shape OF electrical
About 10 o'clock four sections Of twelve
duct conduit arrived from the Dorsett shops
and were placed on the sidewalk These sections
which attracted considerable attention, were eacf
3 Is feet long. 17l2 inches wide and is deep
Each OF the ducts is pig inches IN diameter. These
sections will be cemented together with the ma
terial of which they are made. There Will be two
lines of condnts laid side BY side or
the level concrete bottom of the trench. Ih'
two conduts will contain altogether twenty-fouI
holes or ducts. Each of these ducts will accommo
date 80 telegraph wires thus giving the condmti
a capacity for 5000 wires. At present there are
aoT9. ~ COMPANY are the only company
that have applied for space. They have engaged
SPACE for 100 wires at rental of $3.50 year
This they claim, is much less than they now pay
TO keep that number of wires in working order
The trench last night was about completed NJ
to 1wentv-seventh-st 1t is on the averag
about three feet in width but varies in depth. II
some places it will be only three feet deep whlt
in others il will be necessary to down eight feet
This is owing to water pipes and gas MAINS wnlci
are causing considerable difficulty. Two main
were struck about yard below the surface, les
than two feet apart. As there was. not room be
tween these for the cOnduts. the C0nso idated ga
Company were asked to allow their main Il
be moved. IL is necessary. of course
that the ducts in the sections shonl'
come together squarely. Hence deprcssions an
elevations in the bottom have to he gradual Tn
trenches will be lined with eight-inch walls o
cement and brick The bottoms will be covered
with cement and as tins will take several days T.
dry it is not likely that Of the conduit Will b
laid before Thursday Friday Meanwhile tn
people along the avenue are Obliged 10 endure
dlsagreeable odor arising from leaky sewers ant
gas pipes In the trench.
The starting of the work seemed to hav
an excellent effect upon the representative
of the Construction Company. Mr.. Lauterbacl
said that he had been approached by many capital
lists who desired TO obtain stock IN the enterprise
and that he was assured of more than enough
money for the work Some of those. he added, WI
Withdrew from tho company were now anxious u
come back. since they saw that the company mean
to 90 ahead. -, .
The work so far contracted for will be carried o.
in three divisions. The first section runs nOrt
from Twen,y-fourth-st., which was seecte
as a starting point on account OF IN
vaults connected with the MASONIC Temple
For this also the cross lines will proba bl
be LAID through Twenty fourth instead of Twenty
third-st The second section starts north fr0I
Forty second-st; the third goes south from Fifty
ninth-st Mr. CrimmIns put on several more mel
Yesterday afternoon, and Will increase this fore
until he has about 500 men on the job.