Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-25
TUNNELING A SEWER,
How Conduits Can be Constructed
Without Tearing Up Streets.
EVAN JONES' BIG UNDERTAKING
Boring Like the Mole Under Houses, Rail-
roads and Streams.
Mr.. BIGELOW's UNDERGROUND PLANS

yesterday, to a reporter for THE DISPATCH.
''Then you think that big conduit, run
ming beneath our principal thoroughfares,
is practicable?" asked the reporter.
practicable? Certainly it is practi-
cable. The tunneling of such a conduit
would not be an extraordinary matter.
Have you seen the big sewer thSt Contrac-
tor Evan Jones is making out in Lawrence
vile? Mr.. Jones is boring under hills and
| digging through water-courses. His sewer
is an immense one; the first of its kind in
Pittsburg. Now, if huge drain like that
can be run under houses and roadwsys and
creeks-aye, and under railways, too, for at
one point the contractor has succeeded in
boring beneath the Pennsylvania Railroad
tracks-it all this can be accomplished
without the slightest obstruction to, traffic
overhead, where would be the obstacle to
performing similar feat in the heart of the
city?
"There is no idea, however," went on Mr..
Blgelow, "Of putting the conduit under
principal streets like Smithfeld street or
Fifth avenue. We have fixed a route for
the two mains. One will run below Ex-
change alley all the way from the point to
Lawrenceville. The other will pass under
meath Cherry alley to the Monongahela
river. The only delay in going to work on
the conduits is caused by the conduct Of the
people who should put up the needful.
They hesitate to do what is required OF them,
altogether neglecting to perceive how much
their own interest is at stake"
THE UNDERGROUND SEWER.
A reporter visited the great underground
sewer which Mr.. Jones is constructing in
Lawrenceville. 1t begins at Thirty-third
street, the other end of the line being in the
East End. Mr.. Jones was found overseeing
the work at Skunk Hollow.
Mr.. Jones proceeded to explain the line
and general plan ol his big undertaking.
The great sewer begins at the junction Of
Thirty-third street and Penn avenue. under
the railroad bridge. At first the pipe is
feet in diameter, and those dimensions con-
tinue for the space Of 5,220 feet. Then the
7-foot sewer begins ami stretches for 2, O84
feet followed by the 6-foot sewer for 2, 9O9
feet, the 5-ioot sewer for 472 feet, the 4-foot
sewer for 1893 feet and the 3-foot sewer for
1850 feet. The sewer is lined with brick
and cement. The flooring is paved with or
dinary paving blocks, and the whole coD-
struction is durable enough to last for ages.
There are manholes at regular intervals of
about 500 feet, and at the changes in the
various diameters there are also manholes.
Thus thorough ventilation is secured, as
we'll as easy access to the sewer at all points,
Mr.. Jones walked over the track of the
sewer and explained some of the many diff
fcult. places which have been tunneled.
The hill near the east end was bored under.
A sinuous water course winds like snake
right over the place where the sewer runs.
This will, in time, be turned into the sewer,
but just now it is fierce enemy to progress
In the work. During the rains, when it be-
came swollen, 1t was almost unmanageable.
Mr.. Jones and his men found means to
bride its impetuosity, and the work went
steadily on. The old sewer crosses the big
main, and although there is a very small
space between the two, no damage was done
in the boring. The sewer has been bored
right under the Pennsylvania Railroad
tracks, as Mr.. Bigelow stated, without the
stoppage of traffic for the space of even one
second. The laborers scarcely heard
the trains rattling overhead, and
the train passengers never imagined that
tunnel was being bored but few feet be-
low them. Now, some explosives are used
in the tunneling, principally dynamite, and
cones apparent when it is shown that the
blasting has gone on under dwelling houses
without the inhabitants discovering the
fact.
Mr.. Jones' men are one and all experts.
In the contractors own phrase, "Soue of
them can almost sit on a charge of powder
and stand the blastl' A little steam drill
ing has to be used, more especially in the
narrow portions of the sewer but the greater
part Of the work is done by picking, shovel
ing and carting.
THE MERSEY TUNNEL.
Mr.. Edwards, foreman of the work, is
eminently suited for his position, having
held the post of Government inspector in
the famous Mersey tunnel, which passes
under the river from Liverpool to Birken-
head.
'In the Mersey tunnel" he said, "are
placed the electric wires, a double track
railway and big sewer. 1t is thus made to
answer triple purpose. 1t runs under the
Mersey for the distance of over mile be.
sides. Its height from the level of the tracks
is 10 feet. Below the tracks is layer OF
loose gravel and broken stones, followed by
a ballast of broken stones surrounding the
sewer.
"For a conduit in this city you would
not require nearly so big tunnel, as you do
not want to run a railway through it. 9th
erwise the plans might coincide. have
brought with me the official plans of the
Mersey tunnel. They are at present in Mr..
Jones' Office, and are at the service of Mr..
Bigelow or any other Official. It would not
be necessary to have the Pittsburg conduits
circular, as is the Mersey tunnel. A square,
oval, quadrIlateral, or octagonal conduit |
would answer equally well"
In further talk Mr.. Jones said: "I really
cannot understand why people hesitate about
giving Bigelow every assistance in his city
conduit plan. Look at the many good
things which would accrue from such a 1e-
formation. Imagine the streets, with all the |
poles and wires removed Strangers could |
then see the true width of our streets and
admire the beauty of our public buildings
without the unsightly obstruction of the |
hideous black poles and the overhanging
net work of wires. Besides, the countless |
dangers of the electric wires would be re-
moved. Nobody knows now at what mo- |
ment he may prove a victim. One cannot |
lean against the poles with risk. Then look |
at the fact the boring of conduits can be eff |
fected without any street stoppage or other |
obstruction whatever. You have seen what |
we can do out here. It would not be whit |
more difficult for laborers of equal expert |
ence 10 do likewise in the center of the |
CITY,"
Several fire engine houses through the
city were visited, with regard to the con- |
duit idea and the removal of the wires. |
The men were all very enthusiastic about
the matter. The wires are horrible OBJ |
struction to the fremen, preventing the |
proper use of ladders and graphing hooks,
and stopping work in many ways.
At several of the principal business houses |
on Smithfeld street and Fifth avenue, Chief |
Bigelow's project was very we'll received. |
and it was everywhere admitted that the re- |
moval of poles and wires would enhance the |
value of house property to q very great ex-
tent.