Evening star., 1902-04-26
THE GREAT SUBWAY
A Series of Wonderful Tri-
umphs of Engineering.
MARVELLOUS BUILDING
ALL SORTS OF CONSTRUCTION IN
OPERATION.
Most Extensive Public Work on Earth
Now in Progress in New
York City.
MARVELLOUS BUILDING

Written for The Evening Star by Herbert Wallace.
lima gine tunnel, six feet high and three
feet wide, from New York to Chicago, and
you have some conception of the cubical
contents of the New York subway when
completed Now imagine that from New
York to Cleveland there was solid rock,
that for a considerable distance a street
Car service had to be maintained unimpair-
ed above the digging tolers and that water
mains, gas pipes and sewage had to be
moved whenever the path of the tunnel in
tercepted them, and you may realize what
q tremendous engineering task is being
pushed forward now in New York city
months ahead of contract time.
The comparison is not quite accurate but
Ii serves its purpose of calling attention to
the most gigantic piece of engineering in
modern times. Three million cubic yards of
space. underneath a teeming city, are to
make room for thirty-five million dollar
railway Sixty-five thousand tons of steel
will be used in the arches. pillars and rails.
Ten thousand men will have been engaged
for nearly four years in bringing this
marvel about All this is to the end that
the New Yorker and the visiting stranger
may be whisked from one extremely of
Manhattan Island to the other in a hurry.
At the present time millions of feet of
lumber are being used to maintain undis-
turbed the street surface with its ceaselesS
traffic going on above the excavations. If
this lumber had been used in building
homes for the army of 10000 workmen en-
plOyed there would have been sufficient for
q twO-sotry frame house for every man.
The two and a half million tons of rock
(which are to be taken out would make a
Solid wall three feet thick. six feet high
snd nearly 500 miles long. and il the dirt
were spread over Central Park the entire
on 6aan AS
"a matter of fact acres and acres of New
Jersey swamp land are being made habi-
table since the rapid transit commission be-
gan TO dispose of the surplus dirt and rock
upon them.
1t is veritable city under a city which
the engineers and contractors are building.
q city of one street, 10 be sure, now with
Two roadwayS. now with four. but il is an
Electrically lighted. clean. well ventilated
Rvenue Of travel. and millions of passengers
vii be carried over it every year.
Strange Metropolitan Sights.
Thps" who wish TO see strange sights in
tha metropolis can find more variety in a
trip along the line of the subway in it's
present state than in any other excursion
H. Manhattan New Workers have not vet
accustomed themselves to the upheaval of
street. the jacked-up street car lines. the
Swinging cranes and the cable ways on
which ton loads are carried at a time Now
ana tuth the PEDESTRIAN Is confronted by
Rorklngnan who waves a red flag and cries
out Fire" and the pedestrian knows that
al explosion Is imminent. Crowds watch
DAILY the operation of the compressed air
drills which bore into the solid rock: at
times the monotony of living in the neigh
bOrhOod is disturbed by the thunder Of a
blast. passengers in nearby street cars feel
the!r hats lifted slightly from their heads
They remark. Only the subway" and won-
Or when all the confusion and muss will
b. over
Down below. on the damp. sunless bot
tom Of the many openings. the real state
or the subway may best be seen, provided
one Is fortunate enough TO secure permis-
sion TO explore the cuts and headings At
City Hall Square the lower terminus fully
1wo-thirds of the work has been d)ne One
section of the loop is already covered over
and the floors, arches and entrances of the
station are now being completed. The City
Hall station IS 10 be a local train station
only. Originally a great loop was planned
here, which was to circle a part of the Dost
office and furnish room for the main sta
lion. and 1t was understood that all the
trains, both express and local, should pass
this way. The task, however was too diff
fcult- II was not possible to pass under the
post office building without weak ariny that
structure, and the plan to tunnel to Brook
1yn also made it advisable to locate the
main station at the bridge. Accordingly
Mr.. Wm. Barclay Parsons. the chief en-
gineer. planned a smaller loop and n local
train station which has aroused the admira-
tion Of all the engineers. There is not a
straight line at this terminus. The station
Is curved platform, the roof is a series of
Comes and arches within arches. The
change in the loop made necessary a switch
yard for trains. and this was tunneed out
prfJier Park row.
Only a short distance UP from the loop is
the main station. That is to say. the main
station will be located here. close by the
New York end of the Brooklyn bridge 1t
Is one OF the last pieces of work to be
taken up On both sides of the locality
work has been going on for nearly two
years. bnt, owing to the continual crowds
in this neighborhoOd. it has seemed best to
Dther.
A Mine in the Big City.
From the bridge station the four tracks
pnl extend in practically a straight line