The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-09
GREAT PUBLIC WORKS.
Enterprises Proposed or In
Progress in New York.
FOUR GIGANTIC BRIDGES.
The Harlem Viaduct and the I'm.
provement Of the Water Front.

Ths Proposed Bridge Across. the Nsrth
River would NE the Greatest structuro
Of che Ki-s D. the weris-The Pi.rs Of
che Co-p. ana the Report or the Co--
mission 20 the Secretary OF wsr-Tws
New Bridges 90 B~rookiy,-Tho Black.
weI's I-i-.d Bridge 20 Co--ee, the Lo-s
I-i..a Railroad with the Rest OF the
Cou-try-Thc Eieysho- OF the New Yorh
Centr-ps Tracks q, H~.ris--The-e E,-
serpr,-e- would Cost s1oo.ooo.ooO s.a
Cor-ur-e ESQ o Tons OF steel, Besides
other M.terisIs-whe- the Plans or the
Dock Department Are Carried Out We
shall Have = Mss,incent water Frc.t
with good times again in sight. new life
has been aroused in q great number Of projects
for Improvement In and about this city, which
viii not only furnish . vast outlet for capital
seeking Investment, but also add q wonderful
share TO the activity of the Industries Of mine,
mill. and workshop. They are enterprises, too,
which involve the greatest Of engineering feats.
The broad Hudson and the swift waters Of the
East River. both Of which contributed much to
make this city what IL ia, have become him
ORANGES. Both are Of inestimable value still,
but mans ingenuity must be taxed and all the
resources OF science and industry called upon to
bridge or tunnel them, and TO put away the
fhining bar they offer To the free and unim-
pedod movement Of men and matter that makes
The wealth OF cities. Therefore the greatest OF the
schemes Of to-day are for the extension Of the
lines Of travel. Whether we go under the rivers
or over them Il not of much consequence.
although mans imagination Is moro pleased
with those projects which take him and his
works soaring into the air than with those
which burrow through mud or rock. People, too,
would rather travel over bridges than under
ground. and Il seems much easier TO get money
10 build such structures than to get money TO
put into holes in tho ground. Whether
that IL tho trouble with tho North
River tunnel or whether II is true that II has
been discovered that that ingenious structure is
not going TO be stable enough for practical use
in its bed Of mud is not material. The tunnel
has been bored and lined for q distance of 4. 1000
feet and 200 feet Of II remains to be finished.
Three million dollars has been spent upon IL.
Just at present It is q dead project.
The live projects are those which take people
up into the air. Four great bridges arc now in
the hands Of live companies. and except the Now
York and New Jersey Bridge Company all have
pretty plain sailing before them. These
are tho New York and New Jersey Bridge,
which Is to span the Hudson somewhere be-
tween Fifty-ninth and siIty-ninth streets.
the New York and Long Island Bridge,
which is TO cross from Long Island to this city |
making n stepping stone of Blackwell's Island, |
and the two bridges Of the East River Bridge
Company. coming In ut right angles 70 eaoh
sther near Grand street from either side Of tho
Navy Yard and the wallabout benz from
Brooklyn and Williamsburgh.
With these and their extensions across tho
city all the steam railroads which centre in New
Jersey would be directly connected with those
of Long Island and Of tho Vanderbilt system to
che east and north. The two bridges of the
East River Company will Join the elevated rail-
road systems Of Brooklyn and New York.
Other great works are In progress. The Dock
Department is gradually changing the whole
water front and facing II with substantial sea
walls and commodious wharves. Tho United
States Is finishing the Harlem ship canal. which
win give access TO all these whArves from either
direction. and this in turn will bring about
the building of wonderful new bridges
across the Harlem River. both by the city
and the New York Central and Hudson River
Railroad people. The new bridge under con-
struction for the city at Third avenue will cost
u, 200. 900. and a Commission has been appointed
20 acquire the necessary land for 1t. Meantime
travel is carried on over q temporary bridge.
Harlem derives q benefit from tho Hudson
River Railroad improvement In getting rid of
the big cut which divides II into two.
Something like 500, 900, 900 will be required
20 carry out all these contemplated works, and
perhaps 260. 900 tons OF steel. besides vast guam
titles OF stone. cement, and other materials.