Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-04
BIG TUNNEL
is PROJECTED
-- ------ 4
To Connect the Cities of Nor
folk, Portsmouth and Berkeley.
WILL COST $1,000, 600
WILL
100000

Gigantic Scheme to Connect tho Three
Cities With Bands of Steel Under tho
Elizabeth -Norfolkians who arc Inter
estcd in tho Project.
Years ago. and even until recently,
the connection of Norfolk. Portsmouth
and Berkeley by q tunnel was only a
dream of the people of the three cities
something looked upon as a possibility
of the distant future-but by the quiet,
hard and untiring work OF n Norfolk
capitalist. this gigantic enterprise has
been made not only a possibility, but
the probability of the very near flu
ture.
The man who has taken upon his
shoulders the initiative Of the work of
digging a hole under the two branches
OIL the Elizabeth river. and thus con-
Meeting with real bands of steel the
three cities that sit In triangular po-
sition at the forks of the river. is Mr..
II. Il. Page. the successful promoter
of several other big enterprises in this
section.
So quietly has he carried on his work
that even the newspapers have been
Kept In the dark as to this proposed
momentous move in the direction of
local improvement until the present
The preliminary work of organizing a
company TO build the tunnel has pro-
crossed so favorably that charter will
be applied for within about q week.
MIR. Page has secured the co-operation
OF n number of the most enterprisinc
and well-known local capitalists. who
VIII form the company with capital
or 100000. and has the promise of n
Philadelphia capitalist to buy enough
of the company's bonds, with the local
capital added, to build the tunnel Mt
an estimated cost of from 81 900. 600 to
S1,250,O00. The local capitalists, who
will be financially interested in the
company besides Mr.. Page. and prob
ably two or three others. are Judge
Thomas II. Wilcox. Colonel Walter II.
Taylor, of the Marine Bank: Mr.. Wal
ter Fl. Doyle. of the Citizens Bank.
Messrs. F. Richardson, A. e. Krise. of
the City National Bank: S. @, Collins.
Mayor G. Brooks Johnston. Herbert t.
smith, j. w. Perry, Peter Wright and
Joseph T. Allyn.
CHARTER BEING DRAWN.
Judge Wilcox is now drawing the
charter for the company, and probably
about the first of next week Judge
Hanckcl will be asked to grant the
same.
1t is intended to make the tunnel
about forty feet wide, so as to give
room for two electric lines. two pas
sages for vehicles, and n footway for
pedestrians. The latter are to be
charged n penny fare, and five-cent
fare is to be charged on the electric
cars. according TO the plans of the pro-
motors.
DATA SECURED.
Mr.. Page has secured data showing
the probable cost of construction of the
tunnel, and he thinks it can be COM
pleted for figure near q million dol
lars.
1t is the intention of the company to
go about twenty feet below the actual
bed OF the river. The opening will be
protected by strong, cemented masonry
The entire tunnel from Norfolk to
Berkeley thence 10 Portsmouth, will be
n traction less than n mile in length
The tunnel will be reached by means
OF steam elevators, probably several of
them.
The investigation which Mr. Page has
had made shows that there is n strata
OF mud and sand under the river bed,
and there are two or three small pools
OF quicksand. but these are not large
enough to give much trouble. Mr.. Page
believes that the tunnel can be built
cheaper than most tunnels are because
or the character of the earth TO be re-
moved. TO prove the practicability
and feasibility of his plan he points
to the tunnels in Chicago. Boston. the
one now being built in New York and
those in other parts OF the country The
tunnel just started in New York Will
cost $55.0 600 and is twenty-five miles
long The cost in this instance. how
ever. is greatly added to by reason
of the fact that the sewerage, gas
pipes etc, will have to be changed
along the tunnels route. AS n usual
thing tunnels are built for about ST.
100000 mile. and in some instances
for less.
In working up interest in his tunnel
plan. Mr.. Page found many of the best
business men in the city anxious to be-
come identified with the huge under
taking. He believes it will be the big
gest thing for Norfolk, Portsmouth and
Berkeley that has been accomplished
here in twenty-five years.
The company will, after the charter
Is secured. secure n bid or bids from
some of the companies which have built
the big tunnels OF the country, and
then sell bonds to the Philadelphia cap
italist alluded to above to raise money
for carrying out the plans, as briefly
given above.
The tunnel will run from convenient
points to the three cities. Its proposed
starting points have not been made
known yet. The promoters believe that
the travel between the three cities Will
be greatly increased by adding this
new facility, especially as n way for
pedestrians at penny toll will be pro-
vided. They believe that ii will prove
paying investment from the very
start.
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