The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-04
THE SERIOUS OBSTACLE.

One Of the most serious obstacles o
the proposed depression of the tracks
in Worcester arises from the presence
Of water shed Of 7.136 square miles
north of the city, the natural outlet OF
which is Mill brook.
This brook forms the principal chan
mel for the drainage system Of the city.
1t has been enclosed in masonry
structure Of about 20 feet span, and IS
now called the Mill brook sewer. The
original cost of constructing this sewer
between Salisbury pond and Cambridge
street was about 1896 900
Between Bridge and Exchange streets
it runs beside the railroad tracks for
nearly a quarter of a mile, and crosses
the tracks near Bridge street, Ex-
change street Lincoln square and Car
den street. 1t crosses the line Of the
vladuct twice runs close to II for about
200 feet and crosses the Boston and
Albany Railroad on the line Of Harding
street, about 600 feet west of Union
station. where it's invert is $500 feet
below the tracks. the intrados of the
arch being 1904 feet below the tracks
In short 1t parallels the railroads for a
total distance of about 1900 feet, and
crosses them six times.
There are three abrupt falls in the
course Of this sewer, two Of which are
south and one north OF the Boston and
Albany Railroad. The two falls on the
south are six feet at Cambridge street
and eight feet at Vernon square. and
the third, an eight-foot fall, occurs just
south of Lincoln square
BY utilizing the latter fall alone, and
reconstructing about 24O0 feet OF the
sewer it becomes practicable to de-
press the tracks l4.5 feet at the I'M
ion station. and IS feet at Millbroole
crossing without disturbing the rest Of
the sewer. Such d project for a partial
depression has received our careful at
tention. However, it necessitates the
elevation of most of the important
streets near the station TO u consider
able extent. so as to cross over the
tracks and we have therefore careful
ly considered also, another project, be-
fore suggested, which practically pro-
vides for a complete depression Of the
railroads This requires the utiliza-
ton Of all the falls in Millbrook sewer.
the rebuilding and lowering Of about
II 900 feet of the sewer largely on u
new location, the building of number
Of lateral collectors to carry the sew
age from the present line of the sewer
to the diverted line.
Still another project Of lowering has
been proposed. likewise considered by
us, requiring the elimination Of only
the two upper falls-but II has not been
described ia the appendix. This plan
would require the rebuilding and low
erlng OF about $500 feet Of the sewer
The results Of the borings that have
been made indicate that very little rock
would be encountered in either Of the
projects for depressing the tracks The
troublesome feature is the extent OF
the quicksands underlying the locations
of the railroads and Millbrook sewer
East Of Union station there may be
more or less quicksand expected for
about 1900 feet, after which the mate
rial to be excavated would give but
little trouble. West of Union station.
on the line OF the Boston and Albany
Railroad quicksands would probably
be found al far as Washington street.
but no trouble is to be expected from
this material beyond.
On the northern railroads. quicksands
would probably not interfere with tho
construction Of the partially depressed
tracks until the neighborhood OF Lin
coin square is reached But COM
plete depression OF tracks, and even a
depression sufficient to require tho
elimination Of only the two upper falls.
would locate the tracks in this trol-
blesome material, probably all the way
from south of Exchange street to be-
yOnd Lincoln square.