The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-20
RIVER TUNNELS.
Those Planned for This City and These Coua-
pleted for London.

Those Planned for This city and These Con-
pieted for London.
Although New York city has q moro extern
sive water front than any other large city in tho
world. the engineering problems OF tunnel build
ing under water are 80 serious and 30 expensive
that the three companies engaged In the work
are very nearly at u standstill. and the connec-
ton which New York has with Brooklyn Ia
wholly limited to the bridge and ferryboats,
while tho only connection which New York has
with New Jersey is by fcrryboat. In London 1t
has been found that the pressure of travel can
DO relieved only by the construction OF tunnels.
One OF the newest of the Thames tunnels, the
Blackwell. was opened recently. 1t is do
scribed by engineers as one of the greatest
engineering feats of tho century and also tho
largest subaqueous tunnel In the world. Tho
tunnel has taken six years Of work, and II has
necessitated tho acquisition of property to the
value of 81 .720, 900. the DETECTION OF sewers Mt
a cost of 100000. the building of two sets OF
municipal dwellings for tho artisans to reside In
at a cost OF $235, 900, the making of approaches.
which took up $780, 900. and tho installment of
electric lighting plant, which would bring up the
total TO $1,000. 900. In addition, tho cost of
making the tunnel ran up to $5. 900, 900.
The tunnel which connects Blackwell with a
populous southern district is @. 200 feet In length
| and It's internal diameter is 81 feet. One.ffth Of
the tunnel Is under the bed of the river, but the
soil on both sides for u considerable distance Is
heavily imprognated with water. There are
three sections In tho tunnel. There nre four
s~hafts-ono Mt the border of the river on each
side; the other two noar the points where
the cut-and-cover work begins. The tun-
mel 10 not straight from end TO end.
but 1t Is straight between the shafts.
with the exception OF a curve on the north
side to escape contact with sewers. The effect
OF the new tunnel will be, 1t is expected. TO re-
licve tho pressure of traflc at points near tho
growing Whitechapel district, the population OF
which has been increasing very largely of late
years, so much so that II now rivals In density
The population of the Tenth ward OF New York,
tho most thickly populated portion of any civ
ilized city.
nearly ten miles long, and Is the longest in the
world. The Mount Gents Tunnel is seven miles
long: The IIoosac Tunnel, four and a half; the
and Midway. England, two: The proposed New
York and Brooklyn railroad tunnel is designed
to be made up OF two tubes, each TO contain two
As feet, and the depth from 40 to 100 feet below
the surface. II Is to. begin at tho corner OF
Adams and Willoughby streets. Brooklyn, and
| 10 extend TO the junction OF Ann street and
Park row. The expense OF this tunnel is to be
10000 900, and, II successful, another tunnel
IS 10 be pushed across the East River at a point
further north. Work still continues on the
North River tunnel designed to connect Wash.
ington square, New York, with New Jersey 1T a
point east OF the line Of the Palisades.