New-York tribune., 1900-05-27
TUNNELS AND REAL ESTATE
BELIEF THAT VALUES IN BROokLhN
AND QUEENS WOULD GREATLY IN
CREASE lie THEY MEEE BUILT.

CREASE IF THEY WE'RE BUILT.
To the real estate interests of Brooklyn the
plan for tunnelling the East River is generally
believed to promise substantial and important
benefits. In the opinion of the men who have
made real estate in Queens and Brooklyn spe-
cialty the introduction of tunnels would be
fraught with highly gratifying results. IT is
believed that the tunnels could be constructed
more quickly than could bridge and one of the
chief advantages of the tunnel system, it is
thought is the fact that the benefits to accrue
from the improvement would he more broadly
difTused than in the case of bridge. Apart from
the ferries the only existing public means OF
passage over the East River is the Brooklyn
Bridge. Its overcrowded condition during the
rush hours Of the day is sufficiently patent to
everybody The New East River Bridge now
under construction promises to help some but
radical and important changes in the systems or
fnterborough communication necessary. II
is believed that tunnels would provide the best
solution of the problem.
In England the tunnel has already largely
suppIanted the bridge a means of crossing
navigable streams. and those who have been
In the tunnels under the Thames and the Mersey
are enthusiastic in favoring the tunnel system.
A great many people will probably be surprised
TO learn that the tunnel under the East River
constructed by the East River Gas Company is
ten and half feet in diameter which is four
inches more than that of the City and South
London Tunnel now in daily use for transporta-
tion purposes in London. The East River gas
tunnel besides holding the mains, contains
railroad track, regularly used for freight
In the construction of that tunnel it was found
possible 10 advance hundred feet week
At that rate working from both ends, it would
be possible to construct one mile of tunnel in
tl,oI Iievt,
speed could not always be maintained, it is
thought not improbable that a tunnel between
Manhattan and Brooklyn Manhattan and
Queens could be ready FOR operation within two
years from the letting of the contract.
The physical character of tunnel, permitting
trains of any weight, length number to be
run at any time is in itself of the distinct
advantages Trains the Brooklyn Bridge
have a speed of about ten miles an hour. Trains
are through a tunnel at from thirty to forty
miles an hour. This means that fully twice as
many passengers be carried under condi-
tions otherwise equal
MANY INTERsECTING LINES WANTED.
From the suburbs travel is largest to the
lower end of Manhattan, but meet the
nous demands for facilities and from all
parts of the island the question involves the
intersecting of every north and south railway
line at numerous points by east and west lines
making through connections of the most rapid
kind to the eastern side of the East River 1t
Is believed that tunnels provide the solution Of
the problem. On map submitted to Controller
Coler by Jacobs & Davies four east and west
lines are laid down, which it is thought would
fairly and uniformly distribute the travel They
follow:
sullivan and Grand ss stC'' TO- and below the East
River to Kent-aye and under that stree street to Flush
be three and one-half miles long and cost Sh15oooo
second-Crossng Fourteenth-st. from the North
River and under the East River to and under
North Ninth-st. Brooklyn. with terminus at Union
ave- a fetal length of three and one-half miles and
Third~Crossing from west to east in Fifty-sev-
enth-st. and under BlackweIIs Island and streets
ave with surface and Long Island Railroad lines.
Distance. three miles; cost $4,000. .
ave and ne-hundred-and-twenty y-ffth-st, under
MeadoW snd East River to Astoria SO as to con-
with surface lines to be built on old Bowery
sss5SooO. s25S ''S'1'''S ''''e' anu ''' ''' ''e ~
In general terms. modern tunnel is tube
composed of heavy cast iron plates bolted to-
gether and absolutely watertight. On the out
side of the iron there is layer of concrete TO
protect 1t from the action of the water. The
inside is lined with light colored or enamelled
brick of such color and design give pleas
ing and attractive appearance.
Tunnels of this character have been
structed in many places abroad to place
their stability beyond question. In London
there constructed, under construction,
twenty miles of double track tunnel of this
form, at depths ranging from 80 to 100 feet
beneath the surface of the street. There are
two double track tunnels beneath the Thames.
and the large Blackwell tunnel under the
Thames, below London, is a tube twenty-seven
feet in diameter containing roadway for
vehicles and sidewalks for pedestrians with
Iappr of rSN fbnc and Pee NJ fx-hip ahO
twelve hundred feet are beneath the river
proper.
In Glasgow beneath the Clyde there are two
double track tunnels passing under the river
twice, together with triple tube tunnel con-
structed 10y the city authorities. with length
OF 80 feet. Two of the tubes used by We
hicles and one by pedestrians.
BRIDGES MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE
The two bridges contemplated between Man
haitian and Brooklyn estimated to cost
S2SOo0000 exclusive of interest during con-
struction Two double track railroad tunnels at
the same places would approximately
IS 100000: or by extending the BlackwelTs ISL
and location from Second-ave. to Third or
Fourth ave, where the traffic facilities said
to be much better the cost for this tunnel would
SD 100000 for the bridge In like manner. by
extending the Pixies Slip location from its pro-
posed terminus at Canal-st. to the location of
the underground railway at Elm-st., the cost of
such a double track tunnel would be approx
mately S6.000.op0. against S16,oo0o00 for the
bridge. or, for the same amount namely,
S2s 900 600 the two bridges would have cost.
eight double track tunnels Of equal length could
be constructed.
The estimated cost of these four tunnels was
altogether s22.55o.oo Each line be a
complete railroad, connected with every north
and south line.
The crossing from the Battery to Brooklyn