The evening world., 1891-03-16
Eypsrt Opinions Oh tho Feasibility Of
SubHay Ventilation.
Theories of Some Of New york's
Eminent Engineers.
How Smoke and Steam Can be Eff
fectually Carried Away.

the adoption OF a safer system Of operating the
Fourth Avenue Tunnel by the railroad compa-
MES which run trains through IL. have aroused
general interest In The engineering profession.
To ascertain the views OF experts upon the
various questions involved In the lighting and
ventilation OF the tunnel, as advocated BY THE
EVENING WORLD, a reporter has called upon
several oivn engineers and asked their opin-
ion In regard to the practicability Of the
scheme proposed.
Those seen were unanimous In the opinion
that under the present system. where neither
lighting nor ventilation IL employed, accidents
even more shocking than the one OF Feb. 20
could not be averteG-
The disaster showed conclus,vely tina. there
was something radically wrong IN the methods
Of keeping the tunnel clear, aud that under
certain circumstances warning siguals are Of
no avail in preventing disasterA
VENTILATION Is THE FrRsr NEKD.
Civil Engineer william r. Hutton, Of IS
Broadway. said:
"No system OF signals can work we'll in .
tunnel unless 1t 10 properly ventilated. Where
locomotives burning either hard or soft coal
are passing through every few minutes the
air is bound to become foul and murIy, unless
|
and clear.
1.-THE immense Volume OF smoke and steam
emitted BY single locomotive Is sufficient TO
choke up up the narrow psssSgeway and pre-
vent signals from being seen by the engineer
in charge until he in right upon them.
| $50 far AZ know. the only way OF venti-
lating an underground tunnel IL by immense
exhaust fans placed at intervals along the
|
in operation.
Fourth Avenue Tunnel It would be necessary
TO close up ell the long openings between the
blocks, and only have small number of open
ings, surnciently large 10 permit the workings
OF the fans.
"otherwise there could be no continuous
current kept up, aud that u the secret OF ven-
tilsting underground passagevaya There
would have to be not more ihGn one opening
between two exhausts, and then the ventiIa-
tion would depend upon the capacity of the
fans to move the air In the tunnel with sum-
cisnt rapidiiy 10 keep 1t clear, where trains are
passing through every fow mlnu:eG
"As to the lighting OF the tunnel, am not
prepared to speak 30 positively. regard the
ventilation OF the pasaageway ss the main
point, and once this was accomplished the
other question could be solved by experiment.
"lf you could make the tunnel as clear al
dav by the use Of electric lishts I do not see
why 1t should not Lessen the danger Of acci-
dent"
Il. N. Forney, OF the En0ineeriR3 Journal,
who II always on the alert for anything snat
concerns the profession which his paper rep
resents, said he had given the subject con-
siderable attention since TIE EVENING WORLD
had started the discussion OF tunnel lighting
and ventilation.
NOVEL scHRNR FOR VENTILATION.
Zone Of the most novel scheme! for tunnel
ventilation" he said, "Was recently invented
and patented by q Frenchman. The beauty OF
his plan II that 1t confines the steam and smoke
TO ,he upper part Of tie tunnel and within
narrow limits, SO that 1t Is more easy to re-
move It by means Of the exhaust fans, and
does not require 10 powerful . draught or air
current.
" This 10 done by building q thin partition.
extending from both sdes OF the tunnel hori-
zontally over the track, and high enough to
allow the cars and locomotive to paas under
meath.
'The partitions from the two sides do not
meet IN the middle, but Q space Is left wide
enough 10 permit the top Of the smokestack to
pass through. This must be higher than those
In ordinary use, in order 10 carry out tnis plan.
"of course, the smoke aud steam from the
locomotive passes into the chamber above.
while the lower part OF the tunnel In perfectly
clear.
1.-The draught from the exhaust fans kesps
, the foul air from descending into the lower
Iart OF The tunne, and at the same time It can
be more readily cleared out from tbs upper
/ chamber.
I :This is rather fanciful idea, but do no,
see why 1t could not be made practicable
OTHER TUNNELS ARE VENTILATED.
"There 10 no doubt ;hat the tunnel In Fourth
E avenue ought to be ventilated. All other grea,
. tunnels are ventilated, and 1t 10 an absolute
D necessity where the volume OF travel IL ai
great rs /, is over the roads convergtng at IL,
. Grand Central Depot
"The underground railway companies oil
London have spent Immense amounts OF money
3 IL lighting and Ventiiailng their tunnels and
have been more or less successful No tur ne
0 Is safe unless It is properly ventilated, aud
I THE EVENING WORLD, In urging the impor
r tance of tnis, is doing u great work for tht
4 public"
s W. Barclay Parsons, OF IS Broadway, who
q has mad wide experience In civil aud mining
< engineering, said that tie n4htlng aud We tntila
d tion OF the Fourth Avenue Tunnel offered
' pretty serious problem TO the most expert IL
n the profession.
r BIG AND SERIOUS PRoBLRM.
d "The question is such big one," he said
o "that should hesitate TO IN axe any sugqss
= tions In regard to ;he proper means OF hghllnl
o aud yen'iiating such tunHel until had giveI
the subject more study tDan nave yet devote,
tor.
81 should aay that Il would be perfsc;l,
practicable 10 ventilAte the Fourth avenue tun
mel, only II would require considerable stud
Of Its peculiar features before the exao
method could be determined upon"
VENTILATION Is PRACTICABLE
CIVIL Engineer Jos. Abbott, OF $50 Broadway
said;
"The ventilation OF the Fourth Ayenu
Tunnel, as advocated by 1HR EVENING WoRLD
=, 10 thoroughly Practicable, aud would, II cal
J risd out. no doubt b. productive OF good II
v suits and insure greater safety to uavsilsrG
"The subject, however, Is one 10 which
n have given no attention until reesntly, and