New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-15
WHALEN BEGINS TUNNEL.
CORPORATION COUNSEL DOES FIRST
REAL WORK ON THE EXCAVATION.
CEREMONIOUS START IN THE PRESENCE
OF A THRONG OF PEOPLE-WORK-
MEN WILL BE PUT ON TO-DAY.

With salvos Of artillery to the accompaniment
Of the singing of patriotic airs by nearly thou
sand school children, and amid the enthusiastic
cheers of more than two thousand residents Of
the northern part of the city, actual excavation
upon the rapid transit subway begun yes
tcrday afternoon. AT a spot almost exactly in
the centre of the roadway at the junction Of
e-hundred-and-fif -fifty-siXth-st. and Broadway
the first pick sunk in the tunnel excava-
tion proper. Within the next few days work
will be similarly started upon other sections cf
the subway, but Washington Heights was
given the honor OF opening ground for the
tunnel. The people of Washington Heights for
several days had been preparing to celebrate the
event. In more ways than one it an occa-
sion Of felicitation for them. 1t not only
that upon the section running through their dis
trict the real beginning of the tunnel was made
but IT marked the consummation of the efforts
to make Washington Heights an Immediate
sharer in the benefits Of rapid transit and was
happy augury of the possible success of the agi-
tation that is being instituted for the extension
of the four track system beyond One-hundred-
d-fourth-st.
Not only did the residents of the district take
part in the ceremonies but a large number OF
high officials of the municipal government and
citizens of prominence attended For their
transportation the Police Department placed at
II,
McAvoy the police boat Patrol. Loaded almost
to the gunwale with guests the Patrol left Pier
A. at the Battery. shortly after 2:3O p. M. and
after calling at the Atlantic Transport Line pier
to take aboard Police Commissioners York, Sex
ton and Abel and Chief Devery the steamer
reached the landing at One hundred and fifty
f1fth-st. after o'clock. Waiting upon the
pier to receive the guests a crowd of sew
eral hundred people, the band of the Hebrew
Patrol touched the landing detachment OF the
Louis Wendell Battery which stationed on
the hill with two cannon, began firing a salute
of seventeen guns, which returned by the
two 1-pounders on the police boat. Forming
into procession the visitors, headed by the
asylum band and the police and Joined when
the summit of the hill at hundred and fifty
fifthst attained by the battery. marched
to the place where 1t had been arranged to
break ground. A stand had been erected at
hundred fifty -seventh-st for the speak
ers, and around this grouped than
seven hundred children from School No. 46.
Outside the Gordon formed by the police VINO
were commanded by Inspector Kane. a
multitude of fully two thousand persons who
throughout took the lveliest interest IN the pro-
ceedings The houses of the neighborhood were
all decorated with colored streamers and flags.
When the guests had taken their places IN the
stand the school children, to the accompaniment
of the asylum band, sang The Star Spangled
Banner" and columbia"
Then Newell Martin introduced as the first
speaker of the afternoon William Barclay Par
sons, the chief engineer of the Rapid Transit
Commission. Mr.. Parsons confined himself to
expressing the hope that the work which had
been so auspfciously begun that day would he
pushed to q speedy end He followed hy
Corporation Counsel Whalen. who on behalf of
the people of Washington Heights thanked Ike
Rapid Transit Commissioners and the contract
ing company for the compliment which they
had paid to the district. Mr.. Whalen spoke OF
the success which had attended the efforts to
induce the Commissioners to extend the rapid
transit route to Washington Heights. While
the Commissioners have stopped the four-track
system at One hundred md fourth ST., Mr..
Whalen added, II am sure that when their chief
engineer reports TO them the large number or
people congregated here to-day, and the general
ent husiasrn that has been shown. they viii rot
hesitate to give Washington Hclshts d iouf-
track system.
John b. Mcdonald the contractor. promised
that the work of building the tunnel should be
]. COogan, president or the Borough. lookeu
upon the beginning of the subway as the crown
ing work of the Tammany administration. ne
had some kind things to say or MT. Mcdonald
and those who were associated with him In the
company formed for the construction OF the
subway.
The speeches over. the procession was re-
formed and marched. with Mr.. Whalen at It's
head 10 the spot where the first hole to be
dug in the ground. Divesting himself of hat and
coat Mr.. Whalen swung heavy iron pick that
Vas handed 10 him by L. B. McCabe the sub
contractor for the section. and for moment
two dug away with an energy that started the
perspration at every pore When he showed |
the humorous camorings OF the bystanders, and
II was not until a fairly large circle OF earth
unquish the pick. With miniature silver /
spade the silver loving cup which recently ,
presented 10 Mr. Whalen was filled with the
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