The herald., 1898-04-09
ALL KINDS OF BONDS
TWO TUNNELS AND A PARK ARE
NOW WANTED
AN ELECTION TO BE CALLED
To Follow the Fire and Bridge Bond
Proposition-An Argument in
in the Engineers Office

It has been practically decided by the
board of public works, to whom the mat
ter was referred by the council, that an
election shall be called for the Issuance
of bonds for the construction of the
Third street tunnel, the. Broadway tun-
mel, and to purchase park for the south
eastern section of the city. The election
will not be tackled on to the fire and
bridge bonds, but will be held the day
following. Nearly the entire session of
the board yesterday was given up to a
discussion of the subject, and while, as
stated, no formal recommendation has
yet been made, an understanding was
arrived at.
a number of property owners were
present, some to advocate the Third
street and others the Broadway tunnel
scheme. Plans for both projects, as al
ready prepared, were brought out and
carefully gone over with Chief Drafts
man Simpkins Of the city engineers de-
partment. There was an apparent in
clination to alter the plans in various
ways. All objection, however, was swept
away by the firm statement of the en-
gineer that small part of the changes
recommended would necessitate three
weeks work by the engineers depart
ment in the Encouragement Of plans, to
say nothing of additional expense. Then
everybody agreed that delay was dan
gerous; that the tunnel bonds must be
submitted to the vote Of the people on
the day following the election for fire
bonds.
The councilmen were unusually 5ovial.
There were no objections, and it was the
general sense of the board that the nee
essary ordinance of intention for the
election should be passed on Monday.
This action will probably be taken.
According to the plans presented, the
Broadway tunnel is to extend from Sand
street north, under the hill, to point
500 feet south Of Buena Vista street.
Bellevue avenue will be entered from the
tunnel by an open cut. The subterra-
mean thoroughfare will be 696 feet long,
So feet in width at the base; of the lat
ter space eight feet will be devoted to u
sidewalk. The height Of the proposed
tunnel is 81 feet inches, but this height
may be increased two feet.
Contractor Donegan made rough es-
innate that the cost of building the
actual tunnel, not including the entrance
nor the stone stairs on either side to the
top of the hill, would be about $50 run
ming foot. He thought the whole affair
could be completed for $4,000. The plans
for the work were prepared under c. s..
Compton's direction, with consulting en-
gineers Sanders and Coleman.
The Third-street tunnel is planned for
a width of 80 feet. six feet being devoted
to a sidewalk. The height is to be 20
feet in the clear. The sidewalk is to be
of concrete, and the arch of brickwork,
six bricks thick. The fength Of this tun-
mel would be 1859 feet, and)it would ex-
tend from the east line Of Clay street to
the middle line Of Hope street. This
would give Hope street double grade
at that point. one grade permitting a
vehicle to reach the surface of the
ground above the tunnel. The cost Of
this work would exceed $75,00O
1t is estimated that 48.59Q cubic yards
Of material would have to be excavated.
of which S2,55O cubic yards would be in