The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-24

Yhe Proposed East River Tunnel
said to BE Only Connecting Link.
\ Report That s20.OOO.OOO VIII
Be Expended by the Company.
NEW YORK. June 24.-The recent an
nouncement of Mr. Baldwin. President Of
the Long Island Railroad. that a tunnel
would be constructed under the East
River from Long Island City right into
the heart OF Manhattan Island, terminal
ing at ThTty-fourth Street and Seventh
Avenue aroused Keen interest, and was
considered by real estate owners and
traction experts as an undertaking of the
greatest Importance; Yet that tunnel IS
said to be only one link il a great belt
line of railway tracks which the Penn
sylvauia Railroad controlling the Long
Island is credited with intending to throw
around Manhattan Island in the course
Of few years, at cost of perhaps $40
Gl3o00
Roughly described, the route of the pro-
posed belt line starts at GreenviIIe, on the
New Jersey shore of New York Bay
where great piers and warehouses are
now building From GroenvilIe across the
BaE 10 Bay Fridge on the Brooklyn
shore Is about three miles. The cars will
cross the water on floats and upon be-
the tracks of the old New York Bay
Ridge and Jamaica Railroad. now part
Of the Long Islands system The spur
viii carry the cars through East New
York to st. James Park. From St. james
Park to a point on the East River near
Astoria the cars will run over a line yet
to be constructed under charter granted
some years ago to the New York Connect
ing Railroad.
This charter has been bought by the
Pennsylvania Railroad, and authorizes il
IS Sid, the laying Of a railroad from St
James Park to Astoria, the construction
Of . bridge from Astoria to Wards ISL
and, the laying OF tracks across Wards
Island the construction of a second
bridge from Wards Island to Randan's
Island, the laying of tracks across Ran
dans Island, the construction of bridge
from RandalIs Island to Port Morris, the
formation there Of a direct connection
with the New York New Haven and
Hartford line, and the further laying Of
tracks in Bronx borough from Port Nor
ris to point near 160th Street, where di-
rect connection can be made with the
New York Central system
The Pennsylvania Will then have a belt
line fo- freight and passenger traffic
passing completely around Manhattan
when the tunnel from Long Island City
to Greeley Square is Joined with the pro
5ected passenger bridge across the North
River it viii have a direct means of en-
trance and exit for its passengers into
the Very heart of Manhattan
Brooklyn viii then be way station on
new trunk line road from the Far West
10 the Far East and its citizens confident
" expect that It will become a great
manufac curing centre Heretofore its am
billions in that direction have always
been thwarted by the heavy expense for
ds@esege- and hoatage under which its
manufacturers had 10 struggle when COM
peting with such places as Newark, N J,
for instance a city with fewer natural
advantages in the way OF water front,
but more artificial ones IN the way Of
trunk line railroads.
The only tangible thing which Brooklyn
ties have to base this bright dream upon
at present is the fact that work is being
pushed rapidly and money IS being spent
freely by the Pennsylvania upon its great
freight terminal and pier property at
GreeaviIle. This VIII cost altogether
aBout IS G10, 600, and viii be completed, it
Is thought, in three years at the most
Connection will be made with the Penn
syivauia tracks by spur leaving the
main line at WaveTly- near Newark
About two-thirds Of this is already built
a channel 80 feet deep. > 400 feet wide,
and o.4e-quarter mile long must also be
dredged from the new buIkhead line 10 the
main steamship channel But after this
work Is completed the Pennsylvania :
cars bound for New England points must
still be carried on floats from CreenvilIe
10 Port Morris until the three bridges al
ready described are built to connect As
toria with Port Morris across Wards and
RandaiTs islands. But when a Brooklyn
real estate owner sets out to dream that
his insulaT Isolation Is To be banished and
his property Joined 20 the mainland Of the
continent. a little thing ike the construc-
ton of three new East River bridges is
not going to stop him
However distant the day when Brook