Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-30


piles is a steel frame work composed or ties
and rails. the whole making structure as
solid as a modern steel bridge.
The tube has lining of concrete two
feet thick, perforated on each side with
nests of six small tubes to accommodate
telegraph lines, signal wires and the wires
of the block system. There being two tun-
nels. there will be no danger of collisions.
Trains going out of New York will use
one and those coming in will use the other.
They are seventeen feet in diameter and
lighted with electricity. On the right hand
for the entire distance is pathway, SO
that passengers can walk out of the tun-
mel in case of an accident. This precaution
was suggested by a recent collision In
Paris tunnel, where the passengers were
absolutely helpless and could not leave the
wreck. Along the side of this walk Is a
hand rail, which is not only a protection
and support, but is also a water pipe, SO
arranged that in case fire should break out
in one of the cars it could be instantly
flooded. There are refuge inches, also'
at frequent intervals. into which workmen
can withdraw while trains pass. There are
no angles in the tunnel; only curves so that
if a locomotive should get off the track 1t
must glide along against the side of the
tunnel without meeting any resistance.
AS you know. work has already been
commenced in the tunnel and it is being
pushed as rapidly as possible.
Advance of Transportation Facilities.
In the Baltimore and Ohio sectional
series of six very instructive maps are
swinging from post which have been
prepared by Major ]. G. Pangborn. who
has a genius for such things. The first
represents the railway system of the
United States in 1850, the second in 1860,
the third in 1870, the fourth in 1880, the
fifth in 1890 and the sixth in 1904. These
little swinging maps are relentless accusers.
They rebuke the most studious and intelli-
gent of men by reminding them of their
ignorance of and their Indifference to the
progress that is constantly going on in this
country. Railroad presidents, contractors
and builders. and perhaps the editors OF
railway guides and other publications may
possibly have kept pace with the extern
sions of our transportation system, but II
is revelation to the ordinary layman.
] have already alluded to the exhibits OF
silk in the manufacturers building as illus
trations of the advancement that has been
made in the United States in the produc-
ton of textiles. They appear in. every va
riety from the tiniest ribbon to the heaviest
pushes and richest brocadeS. Only few
years ago at the time of the Chicago ex-
position We were dependent upon Europe
for such things and until very recently the
manufacturers of the United States pro-
duced only the cheaper qualities of uphol-
stery, dress goods and ribbons. But COM
parison of the exhibits here from the silk
factories of the United States with those of
France, Japan, China and other nations is
surprising as well as gratifying, for it dem
onstrates that the former are now capable
of producing goods as fine and as beautiful
as any textile mills in the world.
Improvement in Silk Making.
Ten years ago we were young in the bust
ness but our manufacturers have been i'm
proving SO rapidly that they are no longer
afraid to compete with the rest of the
world in styles well as quality.
Experts will tell you that the older ma
tons surpass only in novelty of design
and finer finish, and that we are rapidly
overtaking them in those particulars also.
The greatest improvement that has been
| made during the last ten years is in quail
| ity, and there has been an enormous adj
vance in quality also. The silk product of
the United States has more than doubled
| in ten years.
| Manufacturers say that Americans have
| peculiar traits; that our market is different
| from that of any other nation, and that
our SILK factories are working along diff
ferent lines from those of foreign nations
We strive to make goods of superior quail
| ity, artistic enough to please the taste and
yet cheap enough to be within the reach OF
| the common people.
| But this is not limited to silk The sam.
! policy appears in all lines of manufactu
| There is a general Improvement in uualit,
| and appearance in everything we make es
| pecially in household goods. in the furnish
| ings of kitchens, laundries and bath rooms
| and our manufacturers have succeeded
| more than any other nation in a most re
| markable manner in producing artistic eff
| fects combined with superior quality an,
| at low cost.
If you want to see how silk is made yo,
| can find four machines in operation in tn
| manufacturers building. In the cotton sec
| ton Pennsylvania company is operating
| four looms, showing how fine dress good
| are manufactured. and it has unique and in
| structive exhibits. In showcase are ar
| ranged a series of object lessons, ilustrat
ing the various steps and stages of manu-
| facture, from the raw materials to the fin
| ished costumes. The scheme is well carrie
| out
! In the Mechanical Arts.
| There has been remarkable advance /
the manufacture of glass of all kinds in tn
United States during the last ten years
particularly art glass, and in staned-glas
| pictures. The work of the American CON
panies surpasses that of the European AR
lists, and, although centuries of age an
sanctity demand reverence, many compe
| tent judges declare that stained-glass wir
| dows have been produced in this countr
| within the last ten years equal to the hes
| work of the greatest masters of the classi
| period.
The same may be said of art pottery,
! which there are large and striking exhibit
| in the varied industries building.