The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-15

that is shown in our office buildings OF
To-day that ought not to he serious part
of the question,
II the tunnel should have to leave solid
rock for sand downtown it could be driven
in two tubes, as the Pennsylvania tunnels
are to cross under the North River. Like
the proposed Pennsylvania tunnel, it could
be made water-tight Drainage experts
could take care Of the question of sea wash
when the tunnel got down the island and the
tides might come into evidence"
NOT VERY DIFFICULT WORK.
member Of a great engineering con-
struction firm, which has just closed a big
contract with "A railroad for plan OF i'm
prOvement, said.
The engineers in charge Of the Penn
sylvania Railroads. big tunnel system
regard the construction of deep tunnel
across Manhattan as the easiest part of
their work | believe that Mr.. Parsons
is an able young man. He ought to know
how to build such n tunnel down Broadway.
Ohhand should say that the cost would
be no more than for subway built after
the style followed thus far.
THE Chicago telephone tunnels, large
enough almost to be the tube of one
track line, are but "a feet below the street
surface, yet they have been built without
breaking the pavements or interfering
with traffic or business.
FUTURE NEEDS.
Engineer Parsons said not long ago that
with ali the projected transit systems in
New York completed and the lines in opera
tion the growth of the city would in twenty
five years leave the accommodations as
inadequate as they are to-day and that
new subway or tunnel systems must be
worked out TO keep pace with that growth
truak-line deep tunnel from Forty
second street, the heart of Manhattan
oil to IA Al,
bulk of people whose business or pleasure
takes them through that territory daily
would seem to he a needed part OF the
transportation system II would remove
the question OF building short branch
through Broadway by a system obnoxious
to the public at lar ge as well as to the more
directly interested men Of business So
far as it would duplicate The proposed
subway branch from Forty second street
to Fourteenth street it's cost would be- no
more than if rs much as, that of ditch
The Engineering Ners this week SAYS
that the Pennsylvania Railroad tunnels
under the East and North rivers. the original
Hudson River tunnel. and the subway
| tunnel under Boston harbor arc all works
of the first magnitude in soft ground tun-
| melting and their equals in difficulty of
construction and boldness of design are
not to be found in any tunnel work else
| where in progress.
| With engineering talent in America
| fit to undertake such great works. is the
| construction of deep tunnel four miles
! long under Broadway mpracticable? That
is question which the Rapid Transit Com
mission may address to Engineer Parsons
| when II tells him of its resolution. which
recites that experience has demonstrated
| that the construction of the underground
subway in New York has occasioned great
| Inconvenience to many of the property
nj nlnny
| its route"
| INSTRUCTIONS NOW IN LOWER BROADWAY
Work was begun Yesterday morning on
the extension of the subway between Ann
street and Bowling Green to connect with
the tunnel to Brooklyn. The Degnon-
Mclean Contracting Company which had
one of the largest sections under the original
| subway contract. is doing the work for
| Contractor John p. Mcdonald
The contractor intends to use the "slice
system. which was employed In BOst on
| He will work from two shafts sunk in the
walk-onoest Trinity Church and one AT
| st. Paul's. 8. Ie framework for the shaft
| structure was erected vest erday in front
of st Paul's Chapel When completed this
structure will cover Broadway like shed
! The supports on either side Of Broadway
are heavy thirty foot beams. There will
| be twenty feet Of head room over the
trolley tracks A six foot passa geway will
be left in front of st, PAUL. and a somewhat
| larger ono in front OF the Park National
Bank, on the other side Of the street.
| When the shed Is up the roof will be used
as dump for the buckets which will bring
| the excavated material UP from the shaft
| The dirt will be put into carts by chute
| from this platform.
Two openings In the sidewalk will he
made at this place, each 6x20 feet They
| will be boarded in
| An engineer of the DepnOn Nc can
| Company expressed tho fear yesterday
that a third shaft would be needed bet weer
| Trinity and st. Paul's. in which case 1t would
be put down in the nelghborhood OF Liberty
| street
The material used in the construction OF
the tunnel will also be taken in through
these shafts The street will be torn w
at night, where the contractor wants to
work, but must be boarded over and re-
stored for traffic by s o'clock in the morn.
| ing.
SEVENTH AVENUE ADVOCATES.
Some of the Broadway merchants who
| fear subway or tunnel will not be built
without interference with the street have
| taken the stand that Seventh avenue should
| be made the route. Among these are
Edward Hatch, Jr. of Lord h Taylor
yantine & Co, McGlbbon Co. and the
| Continental Hotel.
George Taylor of Aitken, Son 4 Co. said
| yesterday that his firm, the last TO sign the
protest, was not in favor of either subway
| or tunnel in Broadway. "We are opposed
to any construction there, said MIR. Taylor
"The signature of the firm was withheld
up to yesterdays meeting In the hope OF
| making n protest not only against ditchine
Broadway, but against roofing. drifting In
from the side streets or any other method
involving the obstruction OF traffic. The
Seventh avenue route should be followed