Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-31
TUNNEL OPEN.
Boston and East Boston
Has New Thoroughfare.
Thousands Of People Take Trip
and Admire the Work.
Ono Of Finest Pieces Of Enqincering in
the Country.

Boston. Dec. 3o.-Tle submarine tun-
mel connecting EoSton ana East Boston
and constructed as an important AMI
time saving method OF tran:portiny ras-
SchgerS in con junction with the sub
way, was opened for public travel at
30 O'Clock. this mor1inS. The dcdica-
tlon of the tunnel to public use was
carried out without any fOrmality or
ceremony. An electric car left the ter
ninal oil the tunnel at East Boston at
the hour mentioned and made the run
To the mainland terminal underneath
Scollay Square. Despite The early hour
n large crowd of people was present
ard there was friendly rivalry to OBJ
tain a place upon tha first car to pass
through the tunnel.
The passengers found the tunnel to
be very muck like tho subway with its
white cOlorinc, and bright illumination
by electricity. From the surface ter
n1inal station at Maverick Square, Ea~t
Hoston, the tunnel slopes gradually
downward ill it sca"hes the harbo.'
shor" under which IL passes in the form
OF Il curve until il reaches the opposite
sid" of the harhor, and then ascenls
again until at the terminal in S. ollav
squire. it is the same distance below
the Lowell Of the street as the subway
station directly adjacent. The tunnel j.
double tracked with Il broken stone
'n1'ihcd. There are four stations Of on
trance or exit, one at Maverick Square
another at the Boston side Of the bar-
Dor under the corner of r,;,tc street ana
Atlantic avenue. the third under State
street near Washington. and the fourth
at the Scollly square terminal Thu
stations are ro"ny and differ from the
subway stations in that they are free
from pillars. A pure white thing which
covers the interior Of The tunnel at all
points except underneath the harbor
gives to it an oStlntical effect not foun!
IL the subway. IN arranging fo, TIL
stations the builders made use of his
t6ric ground. for the entrance near
Washington street is directly under
heath tho Old Massachusetts state
house. while the Scoll,y Square ter
minal lies underneath the old Boston
Court House
The passengers barred today. that Il
toll of one cont was to b, raid for
'N'iH th'- ~ log tuiiIt'l ~ d'hIll ION 10
tie customary far, nc five cents. Trans
pcrtation through The tunEel is hon
ever. subject to III" sans, rules Of trans
fer as on tn" rest Of tn, system Of III ,
Roston Elevated Railway 90. Persons
i";,Vcd All elevated trrin at the ScoIIay
square station Of Inc subway, NAV by
passing through . cub rassa gewav
reach the terminal by .hc payment of
II" required cent, To ride through the
tube. For the service in the tunnel
about 40 trolley of the present adapti-
tilitv are III use. 1t is estimated that
between 6G00.o0O and S,OOO0OO will use
the tube annually. including the in
h3bitants Of Chelsea and other points
beyond East Boston, who will save an
average OF from l. to 90 minutes time
over the old fcrryhoat method in reach
in.- Boston by means of The tunnel
Several thousand people passed
through the tunnel during the first hall
If the day. the ferry boats running to
East BOSTON being almost deserted. A
note of excitement was given to thu
crowd of passengers at the Court
Square station of the tunnel during tho
forenoon by the sudden taking fire OF
enc Of the electric cars which had ar
rived from East Boston. The passengers
made a hurried exit. The blaze which
was due to a breaking fuse was soon
cxtinguished.