New-York tribune., 1903-03-19
SIDEWALKS UNDER RIVER
THEY'RE TO ALLAY PANIC.
Engineer Jacobs Tells Commission
Plans for P. r. r. Tunnels.

Plans for 2. r. r. Tunnels.
The Pennsylvania Railroad has planned for
four sidewalks each three feet eight inches
wide, for its two tunnels under the North ana
East rivers. They will he a level with
the car steps, so that persons alighting from the
cars inside the tunnel can easily step on the
walks
1t is said that the sidewalks are to be built
to allay possible panicky feelings if accidents
should stall the cars under the beds of the
rivers with 100 feet of silt and water between
the passengers and air. Not only are there to
be sidewalks each side of each track but
the twin tunnel under the North River and
the four under the East River to be con-
nected at intervals of 300 feet. so that all the
sidewalks, in case of accident. will be available
for eEress
The new plans were made public in detail
yesterday at the office of John J. Delany, No.
% WiIliam-st. The Appellate Division Commits
sion, consisting of General Charles A. Whittier.
ex-Mayor Franklin Edison and Mr.. DeIany, ap
pointed to take testimony and report on the pro-
priety Of granting to the Pennsylvania company
the power to condemn property where consents
from property owners are not obtainable held
its hearing and listened to detailed statement
from Charles NJ. Jacobs. chief engineer of the
North River division of the Pennsylvania. New
York and Long Island Railroad Company.
If the Commissioners should report adversely
to the company the tunnel builders would have
to get consents from property owners represent
ing more than half the values along the pro-
posed route. Some of those owners who have
refused TO give consents, with the assessed val
uations Of their holdings are as follows
No No to rs rs Mes1 Ghirty5thrd John Astor $7o0o
No 50 West Thrty-third St W r Burbriigc. -''''"'"
NJ SJa aih9In "a and James kenned ..... 5000
No tG 10 East Thirty third ST. John j. Astor 1885
NO; 100 and III West Thirty st. T. D.
No POS to 2is East thirty ST. James P lo''V
Sa9 Boad~ay Robert Goelet and others sS 5iSS SSo
No. 40 East Thirty nTst-st. Amelia bingham. 1890
Other properties for which consents have been
refused are the Pilgrim Baptist Church. the
Catholic Church of ST. John the Baptist, the
Ninth Avenue Presbyterian Church. the Church
OF the Incarnation, the Madison Avenue Baptist
Church and the Church of St. Francis
Chief Engineer Jacobs was the only witness
examined yesterday. He said that the tunnel
terminal station and all the other work would
be completed within three years after the con-
tractors had got their plants ready and the
contractors, he thought. would be ready in
about six months Mr. Jacobs said that
the tunnel would be built across the island
without open excavation except for the terminal
sta ton. He displayed cross-sectional drawings
tubes he
west side of the Bergen HILL passing under the
hill at a depth of two hundred feet. There is
to be in the bores a clearance of sixteen feet
above the rails. The tubes are to be made Of
eleven segnents of cast iron, so curved and
1anged that when assembled they will form a
complete circle. The tubing is to be "a inches
thick, giving a total internal diameter of 10
feet Under the bed of the river the two tubes
are to rest on granite piers placed 10 feet apart
NJ To, ID SI,o AZ
Hudson was about 100 feet deep above the rock
The method of building the tunnel will be the
same substantially as that employed the
New-York and Jersey tunnel between Jersey
City and Greenwich-st. The so-caled shield
process with compressed air will be used. The
crown Of the new tunnel will be not less than
25 feet below the bed of the river. The New
York and Jersey tunnel is being driven
largely through solid rock. The Pennsylvania's
tunnel Will be almost wholly through silt. The
granite piers will be placed on solid founda-
tion but Mr.. Jacobs said 1t was too TO say
whether 1t would be necessary to go clear down
to the rock to obtain such foundation. The
piers supporting the tube are to be ) feet in
diameter. There will be 700 of these columns in
all. or $50 for each tube. The metal tunnels will
terminate between Twelfth and Eleventh aves
in Thirty-second-st.
In reply to A. B. Boardman's questions with
reference to the grades. Mr.. Jacobs said that the
grade on the New-Jersey side would be Ia;
the New-York side the grade would be 1.O3
The sides of the tunnels he said would come to
within six inches Of the building lines either
side Of Thirty -second-st. between Eleventh-ave
and the terminal statloh, put tne tunnel would
be from 26 to 30 feet underground. and the
blasting, he sure would not materially
damage or disturb occupants of houses along
the street There are to be thirty two tracks IN
the terminal station. The length OF the terminal
station will be l $50 feet and the width 500 feet
The length Of the tunnel from Bergen Hill TO
the yard in Long Island City will be Sc miles
Mr Jacobs said that high rate Of speed would
be perfectly safe and feasible. the tunnels
were to be straight, absolutely watertight and
damn proof No special ventilation would be
necessary as the motive power was to be cleo
tricity and the passage OF cars would create a
circulation Of the air. - -. 80
INV client has spent about &1OO00,OO0 on pre-
Iinninsry work and this capital Is totally un-
nroductIve said Mr.. Boa ardman. I'VE are los
in~ ri 600 a day In interest and 1t is only just
that this business should be expedited in every
way possible. shall ask the commission AFTER
Its next meeting to meet every day
. General whittier said that the next hearing
u,ouId be on March a. at Il o'clock. ,..-