The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-30

none % tho smoke that makes Iondons
underground railway a nuisance 20 pas
scnEcrs. some dampness may he exrsct-
ed In the tunnels. but even this will NJ
INDICATED in every way known 60 science.
Aloug through tho two miles OF rock
there will no. be moisture enough 20 b.
noticed by passengers.
one o. the busiest men IN New York TO
DAY Is william BARCLAY Parsons. the
widely experienced chief engineer. on
whom responsibility for this whole gi-
gantic undertaking 81 the rapid transit
rests Another equally busy man -
George 5. Rice. the deputy chief engineer
They arc travelling swiftly from point to
point. inspecting work and listening 90 or
reading the reports % suhordinates. The
disbursement 81 great sums Of money
rests with them. Under their direction are
now some eighty civil engineers As the
work takes on a larger aspect th~ro viii
he more than a hundred subordinate en-
ginerrs. and even with this number every
one OF the corps will ~ extremely busy
during tho four wears that will elaps"
before New York can hope % Sc It's
modern wonder completed.
There - not . single perplexing fes-
turo o. railway building but viii haunt
tho engineer corps Added difficulties
that do not confront above ground rail
zles as what 70 do with sewers that are
IN che way. some OF these can remain
In place over the roof Of the subway
Others viii have 60 be modihed and still
othcnE wholly removed from the route or
the underground railway. There are wa
tsr-pipes ana gas pipes steam heat Cou-
Quits, electric wires. aud fire alarm con
duits, incaudesccut and telephone wires
in short. all the adiuncts Of our complex
civilization that are thrust under ground
between working points There are
things that were rit under ground early
~ tho century old sewers that have long
ago been Abandoned the oid-fashioncl
water mains made hy boring through
logs and fastening them AZ the ends hY
bands ~ iron. other things 81 which men
to-day hardly know the use Ana a.
every point tho toi3ers under ground must
be prepared so know the uses Of the
things they encounter. Everything that
Is OF use to-day must be taken care Of.
ana abandoned underground sewers and
mains must be moved out OF tho way FOR
all time.
Millions for Expenses.
II Is yet zoo early 10 estimate the num-
her Of men who will be employed on tho
work. John r. Mcdonald Is the contrac-
tor Ho has t35.0D.o00 for expenses and
L
viii be- expended on what Is broadly
known as equipment" which. I'm the
moin, means the price to he paid for land
that will have TO be condemned Mr. No
Donald b. letting che work ont sn parcels
| 60 host OF suh-contractors many 81
whom have not yet been called 20 DO their
share IA the task. for the reason that the
details ~ what they ara % do cannos yet
be fully determined Mr. Mcdonald holds
tho largest contract OF the kind ever
awarded 20 one man.
There is one use to which this under
ground railway system may be put some
time IN the future. and one that probably
has noe occurred 20 one person IN a thous-
and Of those who have looked curiouslv
[ on M the eNcavating and blasting In
| time or naval bomharfment or Siege this
| immense underground artery OF New Yorl,
/ life would furnish a "homh-proof'' big
enough 70 shelter hundreds % thousands
~ New York's non-combatant population
from tho shells OF the enemy In che
streets where tho subway-top Is hut =
/ few feet below tho street this would not
| he the case. II shell were 40 explode
on impact with the ground n such a
point ~ would undoubtedly cause cave
in that would involve a frightfni loss -
| life. But In tho deeper cuts ~ the sub
ways there would he absolute safety and
there are 70 be miles Of such deep cuts.
The three miles or tunnel would supply
protection 20 great multitudes of New
Workers during devastating shell lire.
1 Troops could be moved IN safety from
I ono point IN the city TO another and be
I safe from tho cnemys IRE IN transit
But the chances are all against the ne
ccssity or any such use of the suhwnys
and tunnels They will stand. instead. as
ono Of the blessings OF peace. The under
ground rapid transit will be an enduring
proof Of the marvellous ingenuity and In
dustrv Of man. a solution ~ the longest
ed conditions Of passenger traffic that
now makes our rush hours a by-wori aud
unquostionahly largely determining fac
tor In pushing New York forward IN
wealth in population. and IN happiness.
The underground rapid transit VIII be-
the nineteenth ccntury's marvel slit 20
the twentieth.