New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-30
TUNNEL TUBE THROUGH.
ONE FARE TO HOBOKEN
President Oakman Turns ON Pouer
That Links TzCo States.

W G. Oakman. president of the Hudson Com
panies. yesterday afternoon turned on the hy-
draulic power which knocked away the six-foot
wall separating the south tunnel tube running
from Jersey City TO Christopher-st under the
Hudson River. from the tunnel connection on
the Manhattan side. This tube is the second OF
the tubes driven under the river bed, and 1t is
hoped that trains will be operating between this
island and the New-Jersey shore within year
or eighteen months.
The directors and officials of the Hudson Com
panies, about fifty guests. including newspaper
representatives, witnessed the opening of the
shaft Part Of the north tube already is pre-
pared for trains, and in it. ninety feet under
the Hudson River. the guests celebrated the
occasion with a luncheon and listened 70
speeches
The project of building and operating the
tunnels under the river has so far been sue
cessfuI largely through the efforts OF William
c. McAdoo, president of the New-York and
Jersey Railroad Company and he considers the
completion Of the tubes the triumph of his life
The northern tube finished about year
ago. It was started in 1874, and after two fore
closures came into the hands of the New-York
and Jersey Railroad Company This company
gave out the work to the Hudson Companies
which completed it in one and half years. The
present tube has been two years in the course
pleted about S13O0000O and the entire work
viii cost about 100000 600
The tubes are 500 feet long 15A feet in
diameter and are intended for one track EACH
with sidewalk for workmen. Two tubes have
been started on the New-Jersey shore, TO run
under the river TO CoTtandt and C urch SITS.
These tubes will be 1914 feet in diameter. The
tubes just completed will connect on the New
Jersey shore with the Pennsylvania and the
Lackawanna terminals. In Manhattan ono
branch will connect with the subway under
4th-ave.. at Astor Place. Another branch will
run to 6th-aye and 33d-st. trip through
the entire length of the tunnel from the sub
way to Hoboken Will cost only five cents.
About six hundred men have heen employed
in the tunnels For the last half year they
have had two mascots. one, Buster Brown
by name, is a nOndescTfpt canine. small and
brown He fshed out of the Hudson River
six months ago, almost drowned The other Is
Lady Spot.
Although electric cars similar in most re-
spect to subway cars viii be used for paSsen-
gers eventually, a part Of the guests were con-
veyed through the tunnel on small cable cars.
Others preferred to walk There was no dis
comfort caused by the air. as 1t was normal
in it's pressure. Mr.. McAdoo presided at the
informal meeting after the trip, using cham
payne bottle q gavel- He made q snort
speech in which he told about the work on the
tunnel and the plans for extending the work
on land NO life he said in conclusion has
beeo lost through compressed air in the
southern tube and the work on 1t has been
carried thus far with fewer accidents than nave
happened in proceeding with any other similar
President Oaknan. Charles NJ. Jacobs. chief
engineer and William NJ. Barnam, a repreSeh-
tatfve of the banking firm of Harvey FISK x
sons which financed the building Of the tur-
nels followed with short informal talks As
the party prepared 10 ascend the sI,aIt C1te
v-orking7nen cheered Mr.. McAdoo, Mr.. YAK
man and Engineer Jacobs. ending Win Iiree
cheers and tiger for the tube just finished