Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-24
rate of rock removal varies from three TO
ten feet.
Thrilling Experiences of Workers.

rate of rock removal varies from three TO
ten feet.
Thrilling Experiences Of Workers.
When the second company which tackled
the tunnels abandoned the work the shield
was close to a ledge of rock. which WINS en-
countered soon after the McAdoo company
TOOK hold. Tire north tunnel Is eighteen feet
In diameter internally. and at no point did
the ledge project above the tunnel; II was
from one to sixteen feet In height. This
presented a unique engineering diff1culty
Only silt overhead-and dynamiting neces-
sary. And where the ledge was thickest
tne SIT was thinnest-only about twelve
feet-and the river deepest. some sixty-fivs
feet If the ledge had only cropped out
where the silt covering was two or three
times as thick--hut at its weakest spot. q
III was fortunate Tor the tunneiers that the
enc and two foot outcropping appeared
first. They gained a lot of valuable expert
ence blasting this away that when the
most formidable outcropping was reached
they nirepidly but carefully set about
drilling ahead OF the shield and dynamiting
de,icately. so as not to awaken the river
demon overhead They knew that there was
only a few feet of treacherous silt between
them and whole river OF water. They
knew that grain too much OF explosive
would let that river OF water In upon them.
They knew all this. yet they worked on
with steady hands and cool heads-and one
day. after three months OF nerve-wracking
toll. they struck silt agaiu-and there had
been ne accident. truly feat that seems al
most superhuman to the lay mind
or course. there have been accidents to
the men working In the tunnel but not a
life has been lost since Mr. McAdoo's COM
pany took possession At most. fingers and
legs have been injured some employees have
been treated in the company's compressed
cir hospital for the bends" but even such
cases. peculiar to tunneling. have been COM
paratively few.
Examined by a Surgeon.
The company's surgeon always examines
the employees prior to work. and let's none
go into the heading who Is not in prime
condition. Engineering skill. too has had
lot to do with this clean record: and this
same skill has overcome setbacks that
would have appeared well-nigh insuperable
twenty years ago, at least delayed the
work for weeks and months
Such an accident was that which occurred
In the south tunnel near the New Jersey
shore when the foreman regigently left
the shield doors open. the river bed gave
way. and the tunnel was flooded back to
the air lock- Between those open doors
and the point where the steel wall of the
air lock stood there was speedily 800 feet
or mushy substance fifteen feet and two
inches in diameter. How were those doors
ever to be shut that the flooded por-
ton of the tunnel could be cleared?
Somewhere over the surface OF the tide
tossed Hudson the point where the
shield stood far below. and the leak In the
river bottom had occurred. But where?
The engineer knew from his daily reports
of the work that the shield had cut its
way to a certain point. but to locate a
given spot on an expanse OF water is far
different matter from locating such a spot
over the surface OF terra firma. Still tho
engineer did it from the shore. by what is
technically known as triangulation Then.
| the mainsail of the cup defender Rei-
ance, having been bought expressly for
the purpose. was taken to the designated
spot. spread over 1t. evenly loaded with
bags filed with clay, and. allowances hav-
ing been made for tide and current the
sail allowed to sink with its burden
and the marvellous part of it all to the lay
man is that Il sank over the hole, plugged
1t UP effectively. and in a few days time
the flooded heading had been blown clear
and clean by means of compressed air. the
shield doors closed. and work begun again
as IL nothing extraordinary had ever hap
pened.
When the Tunnels Are Completed.
The north tunnel under the Hudson was
completed to the New York bulkhead line
March II. 1904. At that time Mr.. McAdoo
conducted a party through the bore, and
was himself the first man in the worlds
history to cross under the river and into
New York The south tunnel is rapidly
| nearing completion. At the present rate
Of progress it is conservatively estimated
that all the tunnels will be completed
and in operation in 1905. eff..
The equipment will be of the latest and
most approved pattern. The cars Will be
all steel, on the order Of the steel cars in
| service in the New York subway. Every
! safety device known to electrical engineers
! will be installed in order to insure the pub
| lie immunity from accident The bores
| throughout win be made light day
| by the employment of electricity. and if
| the suction of the trains themselves does
| not give sufficient ventilation an artificial
of n
| keep The air as fresh as that above ground.
But the experts are confident that with
| trains going only one way In the tubes ar
| tificial ventilation will be not necessary to
| keep the tunnels sweet and fresh.
| The first train to go over the entire Nc
| Adoo tunnel system Is about ready to start.
| Its four handsomely finished cars are COM
| fortably filed with the officers, directors
| and head builders OF the tunnels and few
invited guests The guards give the bells
to start. The motorman throws the lever
around, the train gathers speed even be-
fore the platform of the terminal In Ho-
boken is left behind. and. in fancy. We hear
| Mr.. McAdoo saying to his companions:
Now, gentlemen, shall behold what
dream man has made real after thirty-ive
years at a cost of untold energy, numerous
| bitter disappontments and millions of dol
lars"
w AFTER pTTR1EYTN3 APPARATUS