New-York tribune., 1902-05-05
BOSTON GIVES EXAMPLE.
TO FINISH NILE TUNNEL UN-
DER HARBOR IN 1901.
COST TO BE ONE-FOURTH THAT OF MAN.
CAUSE MORE CONGESTION. s-

OAO MOhE CONOESl1ON
As consequence OF the agitation for series
Of tunnels under the East River instead OF the
costly Manhattan Bridge, it was pointed out
yesterday by an eminent engineer that the
Brooklyn terminal OF the bridge. when built.
will be far more congested than the present
Manhattan terminal OF the Brooklyn Bridge.
According 10 the plans Of Bridge Commissioner
LindenthaI. the Manhattan Bridge is to have
eight sets of tracks. Some of these viii be
used for bridge trains and some for trolley
cars. The Brooklyn terminal of the bridge viii
be in the vicinity of the junction of Flatbush-
ave. and Fu}ton-st. The property is to be con-
demned for a plaza at this terminal. which will
be bounded by the following streets: VIII
IOughby-st. Gold-st-, Hudson-ave. and Fulton
ST. 1t is said that the property occupying this
land will be acquired at a reasonable price be-
cause it has never been improved by any num-
Der Of modern buildings.
The congestion which is bound to arise at this
point is evident when 1t is considered that the
meeting Of FultOn-st. and Flatbush-ave. at the
present time is also the junction OF two elevated
lines and six trolley lines. The two elevated
lines are the Kings County and the Fffth-ave-
railways. The three trolley lines running
through FultOn-st the Putnam-ave. and
Halsey-st.. the Greene and Gates aves. and the
Fulton-st Those which turn into F1atbush-
Seventh-ave. and the Third-ave. lines. When
it is considered that in addition to all these diff
ferent arteries OF travel eight double tracks
will also converge into this square the conse-
quent congestion that will arise will be as. dan
gerous 10 life and limb as the jam at the Man
haitian terminal Of the Brooklyn Bridge
If the eight sets OF tracks which are TO run
over the Manhattan bridge should be built in
side Of four double tunnels so constructed as to
rapid transit regards congestion at terminals
would be solved. If a tunnel were to be con-
structed connecting the terminals proposed for
the Manhattan bridge great deal Of the traffic
between these points would be accommodated.
with little danger of congestion. A tunnel could
be built for one-third OF one-fourth the cost and
could be put in operation within two three
years The construction Of the bridge will take
seven years at the least. Another tunnel which
would relieve to a great extent the present con-
gestion at the Manhattan terminal OF the Brook
Iyn Bridge and afford natural outlet to the
lower part Of the financial district would have
It's Manhattan terminal in this part OF the city
and it's Brooklyn terminal placed to tap the con-
gested district OF South Brooklyn. Another tun-
mel could be built from Greenpoint to Madison
Square. or some district IN it's vicinity. IN Man
haitian. These three tunnels could be built. so
engineers say, cheaper and quicker than the
costly Manhattan bridge.
With these improvements made there would
be seven distinct lines of connection between
the boroLghs OF Manhattan and Brooklyn
These connections would be as follows: First
the Brooklyn extension of the rapid transit sys-
tenn from tAe Battery TO the Borough Hall and
the Long Island Railroad station at Flatbush
and Atlantic aves: second. the tunnel TO South
Brooklyn; third the tunnel in place of the Man
haitian Bridge; fourth. the GreenpOint tunnel;
fifth the present Brooklyn Bridge; sixth. the
East River Bridge. Still another link OF con-
nection between the borOughs will be the pro-
posed tunnel Of the Pennsylvania and Long
Island railroads. which Will have its Brooklyn
terminal in Long Island City.
The feasibility of tunnels has appealed TO the
citizens Of Boston, and that city is rapidly car
/ ryins TO completion tunnel under Boston Har-
Dor which when completed viii be 6,9S9 feet
long or .319 feet more than mile. The total
cost of this great Improvement is estimated at
about 81 OOOOOO. or one-fourth the cost OF the
projected Manhattan Bridge. The work on this
tunnel was authorized in 1900, and IL IS eX-
peCted that il will be in operation at the be-
ginning of the year 1904 Thus il is seen that a
tunnel can be built with much more dispatch
than a bridge. For example the Manhattan
Bridge will take seven years to complete. The
Boston tunnel will connect East Boston with the
peninsula The outer terminal viii be In Nav
erick Square, East Boston. and a connection
with the main subway system will be at Han
over and Washington SITS. The width OF the
harbor the pOiEt of contact is seventeen hun
dred feet or more. When completed the tunnel
will accommodate at least four trolley lines Il
is estimated that five hundred thousand persons
d day will use this means OF transit