New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-28
WORKING ON SUB CONTRA CTS
PREPARATION FOR BEGINNING THE
UNDERGROUND ROAD.
AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE CERE-
MOUNTAINEERING PROBLEMS
IN THE CITY HALL LOOP


IN THE CITY HALL LOOP.
At the office of August Belmont, in the Equi-
table Building, yesterday, Fredericy Evans SEQ
rotary to the Rapid Transit Subway Construc-
ton Company said that six sub-contracts for
six of the fifteen sections into which the rapid
transit tunnel has been divided were in process
of execution. and that applications for speci1ca-
tons were being made every day by contractors
from all over the country Mr.. Evans added that
the names Of the sub-contractors would not be
made public until the entire fifteen could be n
nounced at once
William Barclay Parsons, chief engineer Of the
Rapid Transit Commission, said yesterday that
the operation of the City Hall loop involved
number of new and important engineering prob
lens. the successful solving Of which would be
watched by engineers everywhere.
There is no situation Just like the one the
engineers are compelled to meet in providing for
the operation of the trains at the City Hall
loop" said Mr.. Parsons yesterday TO a Tribune
reporter 1.-THE extension Of the tunnel to the
Battery will make 1t necessary to provide for
system Of operating whereby the trains from
the Battery can be cut out from those which
will go only around the loop and sent to their
destination at South Ferry without interruption
to the main division trains. When it is consid-
speed. and that minute Of time Will be
precious it will be seen that careful calculation
Will be necessary to plan the operating SO that
the ideas of the engineers may be realized.
LIST OF THE SECTIONS.
Following is a list OF the sections which the
sub-contractors are now figuring: First Post
office to centre of Chambers st; second, CHAM
bers-st to Great Jones-st; third, Great Jones-st'
TO Thirty third-st.; fourth, Thirty-third-st' 10
Forty-first-st.; fifth Forty-frst-st. to sixtieth-
St; sixth Sxtieth-st. to One-hundred-ano-
fourth-st; seventh, portal Of tunnel at One-hun-
dred-and- thirds and Broadway to One-hun-
dred-and- feminist and Lenox-ave.; eighth, One
hundred-and- feminist. to Observation-Disclosures
ty-fifth-st and LenOX-ave.; NINTH One-hundred-
and-thirty-ffth-st. to Brook-ave., across the
Harlem; tenth East Side viaduct, three miles
long beginning at Brook ave; eleventh, one
hundred-and-f ourth-st. to One-hundred-ano-
twenty-ffth-st, Broadway; twelfth, One-hun-
dred-and twenty fifth-st. to -hundred-and-
thirty-third-st. being the Manhattan valley VIA
duct; thirteenth. One-hundred- -thirty-thlru-
St TO One hundred and eighty-second-st.; four
teenth One-hundred- and-eighty- second-st to
Hillside ave; fifteenth, West Side viaduct
Councilman Wise yesterday introduced reso-
luton requesting the Board Of Estimate to ap-
propriate $1,000 TO celebrate the opening OF
work on the underground railroad. Under the
rules the resolution could not be passed for
week after the introduction 1t was mace a
special order for action at the next meeting Oh
the Council The Board of Aldermen, by 1orty-
eight affirmative votes. passed a similar reso-
luton The programme has not been arranged.
Committees will probably be appointed by the
Mayor act with the Rapid Transit Commits
sion.
THE ISSUE or BONDS.
Controller COler had talk with Mayor Van
Wyck over the telephone yesterday morning,
of
Board of Estimate and Apportionment to-day
for the purpose of authorizing the issue of bonds
to meet the expenses of the Rapid Transit tun-
mel. The Controller Will be empowered to issue
bonds to the amount Of S36,0OO,60O, of which
SD OO0O0a is to cover the cost of construction,
ST 000, 900 build terminals and stations and
5000 600 to pay for damage to real estate The
Board will also authorize the issue of Slo,o0o
bonds to pay for preliminary surveys for the
South Brooklyn tunnel, proposed by the Con-
troller Under the bill recently passed by the
Legislature, the Board of Estimate may au-
thorize the entire issue for the construction of
the rapid transit road, and the Controller can
issue the bonds from time to time, they are
needed.
Mr. Coler said yesterday that it would be
necessary to change the original plans for the
branch to the Battery, as the tracks would
have to be sunk deeper than was at first pro-
posed.
Chief Engineer Parsons said that it would
probably be two months before he would be
able to report the practicabillty Of extending
the tunnel to Brooklyn. THE necessary sound
ings to the East River only be taken in
weather sufficiently mild to allow a barge to be
nooOred in midstream" added Mr. Parsons
when the soundings have been begun, it is inn
possible to say how long it will require to COM
pete them"
Edward NJ. Shepard said that it probable
that the extensions would not be undertaken
until the work had been well under way on the
main lines. The line from the City Hall to
South Ferry will be a track line, and not a
continuation of the four track system above the
Postoffice. and the consent of the Park Com
mssioners will have to be obtained before the
tunnel can be driven under the Battery Park.