New-York tribune., 1906-05-19
TUBE DEFECTS SMALL
NO TWO YEARS DELAY.
Mr. Jacobs Denies Statement Al
teged by Mayor Mcclellan.

Charles N. Jacobs. in charge OF the Pennsyl-
vaTia and the McAdoo tunnels under the Hud-
son River, yesterday disclaimed responsibility
for the statement that the defects in the Brook
lyn tunnel will cause delay OF two three
years in the completion of the structure
Mayor Mcclellan, at the meeting Of the Rapid
Transit Commission Thursday, said he had been
Informed that Mr.. Jacobs had estimated the de-
lay at two OF three years. but did not name his
informant
Mr.. Jacobs said yesterday that there were no
defects that could not be remedied in a compara-
lively short time. He seemed to think however
that there would be a delay Of more than six
months.
Second in interest to the disclaimer Of Mr..
Jacobs was the development that certain pow
erful financial interests seem to be unduIy elated
at the alleged serious defects in the Brooklyn
tunnel Mayor Mcclellan is investigating this
latest phase Of the situation At the City Hall
yesterday 1t was said that the discovery Of the
sagglng in the tunnel might play an important
part in future subway building and would be
uSeo as an argument against municipal con-
sructlon Of tunnels under the East River; and,
IN fact. as sort Of wet blanket on tunnel build
ing IN general for years to come.
Mr. Jacobs when seen yesterday at the Office
OF William G. McAdoo. No. III Broadway, in
the presence Of the latter, said:
1t would be discourteous nm my, nar+ 70 ais
o SuSS AUr publication the work Of others in the
T So.l.e me IN which am engaged. I will saw
eeo+s al thdI tnere are, in my opinion, no de-
Iects IN the East River tunnel that cannot ha
i, Ieleoleo. @ AS far as any danger which the pub
Ina nc may rear when it comes to riding through
tnem, there is positively no occasion FOR annre
nenSlon. There will be tests of every descrip-
u rroii, S1 aIu PlenCy OF them, that the public
nay, may Ieet assured that when they are ready for
service they Will be perfectly safe OF course
every tuoe VIII fiatten little theoretically. If
you place a billiard ball or any other sphere
| on the surface, without anv outside rressI1re
there VIII be perceptible nattening
No. y. 10" ~ say Inat' although his honor the
mayor seems to have quoted me at vester-
! days meeting Of the Rapid Transit Commits
sion' have not had the pleasure Of talking with
| got the sentiments he expressed All can saw
with reference to the East River defects IS that
they are not so serious but that they can be
remedied in time
In response to question as to whether there
was any truth in the rumor that similar condi
tions existed in the McAdoo tunnels. the follow
ing statement issued jointly by w. G.
| McAdoo. president Of the tunnel companies; Mr.
| w. G. Oakman, president of the Construction
! Companies, and Mr.. Jacobs. chief engineer:
So far as the North River tunnels are con-
cerned, they have been built of exceedingly
massive massive material and are structurally perfect
1y Lhey have been built true to line and diameter
| throughout. There is absolutely no foundation
! ior any rumor to the contrary.
Charles Sooysnlith one of the experts called
| in by the contractor when it was discovered
that the tube was fiattening said yesterday that
| the conditions in the tunnel were not so bad as
at first reported. He would not go into details.
nut said that his opinion the tunnel would De
forthcoming shortly.
| Chief Engineer George S. Rice although much
chagrined that the Mayor brought the tunnel
matter before the commission in the way he did
STANDS by his guns, asserting that the defects
are not so serious as reported. and that the sag
| ging occurred nearly two years ago. He said:
1t is not an easy matter to make clear to the
mind OF the layman just what happened to the
tuDes Inc section Of the tunnel in which the
principal defects are to be found is being con-
! structed by the New York Tunnel Company
/ which took up the work after Andrew Ondar-
| donk, the contractor, died. The depression is
| near the waterfront. the BROOKLYN side he
! tween Henry and Furman streets and running
| out under the river short distance The shield
! mechanism weighs about thirty tons, and nat
urally, when it is at the extreme end of an iron
! tubing, IT pulls down, the tendency being the
same in principle as putting a heavy pressure
on the open end of a tin Waterspout thereby
causing f1attening of the tube from the top
| ana bottom. AS soon as the contractor began
! TO deviate from the true engineering course we
discovered it. and informed him that he was off
| the course. OF course he knew this as well as
we did From day to day. as he went ahead and
veered from the course, he officially informed
| OF his departures by this office. That is why
have held back enough Of the money which 9TH
erwise would have been due him to cover the
cost of correcting the defects.
President Orr long time ago suggested that
we insist upon a change in the method OF driv-
ing the tunnel to avoid 1attenng Of
the tube. / told him that the minute we
insisted upon a change in the method we would
make the city responsible for all the damage
Controller Grout agreed with this view Of the
case, and we let the contractor go ahead with
his work until he got far beyond the point
where he left his "thank-ym ma ans" for that
is what they a small scale.
About a month ago the contractor began the
work Of reYnedying the defective work. and sat
isfactory progress is being made. I notice the
| references to the judgment OF Mr. Jacobs. When
Mr.. Jacobs looked over the depressions he sug-
gested a plan for the corrections. 1t would have
and a cost Of perhaps 81 100000. We are making
the corrections satisfactorily at a cost that will
| bring them within the 100000 withheld from
| the responsible contractor.
Mayor Mcclellan, in referring to the matter
yesterday said:
MY information about the defects in the tun-
mel came from a city official The admissions by
| Mr. Rice seemed to confirm the information.
! 1 certainly regard it a very serious matter,
| but as Mayor 1 powerless TO do anything.
! The work IS under the control of the Rapid
| Transit Commission. Chief Engineer Rice has
| been directed TO make a complete report to the
| board
| assume that the board will take the proper
action as soon as his report is received. I un-
| derstand that the contractors disposed to
/ blame all the trouble the engineers of the
| Rapid Transit Commission. But that is a mat
/ ter TO be settled after full investigation.
rThcEc CTNCTNNATT GAS COMPANY