The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
BY TUNNEL TO THE BATTERY
BEFORE NEXT SUMNER

II the Rapid Transit engineers are not
making vain predictions, New Workers
far downtown will not need to walk as far
up as City Hall next summer to take a sub
way ride uptown.
BY next May, II the contractors are lucky
and the labor unions are kind. the subway
trains will be running down to the Battery.
About that time the Battery loop may even
be completed, in which case there will be
full fedged subway service In operation
from one end of Manhattan Island to the
other.
But after their experiences with the
subway now about to be opened, the rapid
dictions. The best they dare to hope
for publications. that about the time the
spring starts the trees in Trinity church,
yard budding the tunnel track will be laid,
the two stations at Fulton street and at
Rector street will be in shape. and trains can
be backed down to the Battery and sent up
again, tapping the crowd from the fnan-
cial district on the way, until the loop is
ready.
Then all will be smooth sailing. Within
two years the tunnel under the East River
and the whole OF the Brooklyn extension to
the Long Island Railroad station at Flat
bush and Atlantic avenues Is expected to
be finished; and then the second stage in the
tremendous job Of fitting New York city
with O new transit system will have been
reached.
Under the pavements Of lower Broad
way, down among the foundations Of the
skyscrapers, the contractors men have
been hustling for the last year. Under
the cut and cover system of subway digging
adopted there, the people above ground
have had no inkling Of the progress being
made below them.
But the work has gone steadily forward
almost without hitch until now, a year after
the start was made, almost all the excavat-
ing has been done, some OF the steel frame
work is being put in and the workmen are
already busy with the stations that will be-
Except for one little piece, something
less than $50 feet through, in the stretch
above Rector street you could walk under
ground all the way from the Battery to the
Post Office. Even that piece Of excavaing
would have been done long ago, but the con-
tractor Is holding it back for his own pur-
poses.
The foundations OF lower Broadway are
practically all sand and this sand is Of an
exceedingly good quality. 1t is useful
in making concrete and 1t Is the best back
filling, that is, material for filing in be-
tween the subway walls and the rough
side Of the excavation, that could be de-
sired The contractor likes to keep good
parcel Of it handy, 30 he is taking his time
about removing that block OF $50 feet until
he finds uses for the material 1t will supply.
~ - ! n 10
in rapid time. At Fulton street the steel
'rame of the subway is being put In and the |
foundations Of the station have been laid.
The Rector street station is nearly as far
advanced. Part Of the foundation has been
put in and the work Of setting up the steel
will soon be besun.
Three-fourths Of the excavation for the
Battery loop has been done. The con-
ractor thinks the loop may be finished
'ome time in the summer under ordinary
conditions. He has had the advantage
II open excavation there for a greater part
II the way, and with the Battery wall and
,cows to carry Off the waste material 80
lose at hand there has been nothing to
Under the job.
Despite all the complaints heard, when it
vas decided that open cutting couldn't
re done in a busy thoroughfare like lower
Broadway or for that matter in any other
# the city's chief highways Of travel, after
he experiences with the first contract,
he contractor has found that he could get
long very well indeed.
Excavation has been pushed south from
he opening and platform in front of st.
'aurs Church, north and south too from
hat in front Of Old Trinity, north and south
rom Bowling Green and all the way round
nd under the river from tho Battery. The
usiness men of lower Broadway made
p their minds to pocket inconvenience
nth as good grace as possible for the
AXE Of better transit facilities; and since
he work cot well under way there have
cen compar ltively few complaints about
he things the contractor found 1t neoes-
airy to do to the street.
Whether the tradesmen and the brokers OF
lr downtown will DO quite 80 philosophical
hen the time comes for replacing the
unken and uneven pavement, as IL soon
,ust is not quite 80 certain, for large sec
ons OF the street must be torn up then.
ut the Rapid Transit people are not meet
~ troubles in advance and they are hoping
rat when that time comes, il the contractor
IN be stirred to haste and good share Of
lie work is done at night, that particular
nd spot in the line Of progress can be got
yer without much repining.
There are few easy jobs in subway con- |
and the building OF this extension /,
Brooklyn, while easy compared with some !
the other prob lens which have had to Z