The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-26
TO CUT THE DEPOT IN TWO.
Great Engineering Feat at the Penn
syIvanin station in Jersey City.

From the New York Journal.
In the erection of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company's new station in Jersey
City, a great engineering feat is about to
be performed.
The gigantic iron arch of the present
train shed. which is such conspicuous
object on the Jersey water front, will be
cut in two and the forward end will be
moved forward bodily 125 feet into the
river.
This vast mass of steel trusswork, weigh
ing 500 tons, 256 feet in width and 100 feet
high, is 10 be moved as smoothly and
easily as if it were an ordinary iron girder.
The preparations for this big piece of
work are now being made. Two large
stone foundations on which the ends of
the enormous span are to rest have az
ready been built. They stand far out from
the former station, near the ferry slips.
and reach down fifty feet to solid rock
under the muddy bottom of the river
Two other brick piers are now being
built between the foundations, and the
square space between is being
filled in with piles. over the tops of these
plies and foundations win then be made a
network of steel girders and cross beams
There will then be arranged a tramway
at either side leading from the present
foundation of the great span out TO the
furthest stone foundations with several
Intermediate tracks. On these tramways
will be placed steel friction rollers, a foot
in diameter filled with smaller rollers
on the principle of the ball bearings of a
bicycle. Mounted on these rollers the
great 256-foot arch will start on its way
to its new location, 125 feet out into the
river.
The motive force Will be supplied by
three stationary engines. Placed on the
piling out between the ferry slips the con-
Meeting blocks and cables win be so ar
ranged that the engines can exert force
of 10000 horse power each.
With slow but even movement The steel
span win move quietly to its new posi-
ton If everything goes well the whole
operation may be done an a few hours.
When the span is in its new position a
steel framework will be built connecting
II with the present train shed. This will
make a gigantic shed 757 feet IN length.
The cost of this enlargement will be $780,
900.
This improvement is only a part of the
plan Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany in rebuilding and charging its sta
ton which was partially burned last
spring. In connection with the train shed
will be built a passenger station nearly GOO
feet long. 1t viii extend the entire length
of the six ferry slips, which receive the
Twenty third street Desbrosses, Court
land and Brooklyn Annex boats. Passen-
gers from the upper decks of the ferries.
instead of going out into the rambling
shed-covered corridors, as at ppesent, win
find themselves in a vast lobby. 90 feet
wide and 500 feet long. leading to the
trains. waiting rooms and other parts of
the big station. This work is being done
under the supervision of Engineer l.. II
Barker and Assistant Engineer NJ. L.
Gardner.
When completed, this station win be the
most imposing feature on the Jersey wa
ter front 1t will cost $500,000 and be com
pleted next spring.