The evening world., 1894-05-14
CREEK TUNNEL.|
Contractor StrOm Says II Can Be Built
Of Steel and Concrete In One
Year for SS4O,OO
ANYTHING ABOVE THAT sum A STEAL.
The Bill Which IL Hanging Fire in the
Governors Hands Authorizes the
Expenditure Of S3, {, 1000.

Frederick l.. Strom. civil engineer. at
No. 377 State street. in giving his
Views regarding the proposed tunnel
under Newtown Creek. had this to say:
The tunnel can be built of steel and
concrete, with easy grades or ap-
proaches. at an expense not exceeding
$780, 900, and the time occupied in con
structing such a tunnel will not exceed
twelve months.
Some time ago a writer In The World
referred to the Chicago tunnel as a
leaky affair. A tunnel such as l de-
scribe will never leak: on the contrary,
one built OF brick. such as that under
the Chicago River. cannot be made
water-tight. and more especially at
Newtown Creek because OF the muddy
bottom. 1t may be built at a distance
from the creek, and thus avoid obstruct-
ing navigation.
Il don't believe the commission APP
pointed by the Governor for the con-
struction of this tunnel has made an
estimate of the actual cost, which is
reported to be $1,000 900. Those figures
are so enormously high as to lead to the
belief that they were guessed at. They
certainly never emanated from one
skilled in the work of tunnel building.
IF the commission should determine
to construct the tunnel of brick, the esti-
mated cost, 81, 600, OOO, could easily be
spent. BY building 1t of steel the top Of
the tunnel will be the bottom line of the
creek. the water being twenty feet above
1t, and the, tunnel SO built will not require
any foundation because the displacement
OF the tube Will be sufficient to carry its
own weight, whereas a brick tunnel re-
ulirn9 sufficient Gnnpn hot tk.nnp tho rItnr
bottom and the top of the arch for pro
tecting purposes. Such a tunnel requires
a tirst-class foundation. which at this
creek can only be obtained either by con-
"1f tunnel Is built of brick the sec
ton under the creek can only be con-
structed by building Golfer dams. and
such a course would obstruct navigation
seriously.
ITO build a brick tunnel it would re-
Guire between two and three years
result re per wSS!d p ahe a work. E. t haa sa 1hs
as that experienceG by the S pe"s
pie of Chicago. For years after the
construction of this tunnel it was unfit
sons dared to venture through 1t. Finally
the North Chicago Railroad Company
utilized II for a cable road, and put 1t In
condition. h tunnel at present leaks
factory. Had steel and concrete been used
1t would have been impossible for such a
state or analrS to exist.
This latter mode of constructing tun-
nels Is of recent date. The thickness
of the concrete of the walls OF the abe
necessary for a tunnel through Newtowr
Creek would be about three feet. This
thickness: however, Is determined by the
weight of water the tube or tunnel dis.
places. Such a tunnel as I have de.
scrlbed is composed of an inner and
outer shell OF steel plates. held to.
gether with vertical and horizontal steel
frames. the space between being filled
In with concrete.
THE outer shell in time will naturally
torrode ana yea away; when that
of concrete. bedded in a network OF
horizontal n verticle frames. which
will stand for centuries"