The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-09-04
PENNSY TUNNEL
ABOUT COMPLETED
SECTIONS or FiRsT OF HUGE
HUDSON RIVER TUBES Wilt
MEET ABOUT SEPT. 1s.

HUDSON RIVER TUBES Ill,
MEET ABOUT SEPT 10.
NEW YORK, Sept 4.-Ats12 O'Clock
Saturday night all work on the Penn
sylyania tunnels under North river
ceased. The engineers yesterday be-
gan a thorough review Of the en-
tire work. Every measurement will
be verified even down to the thou
sandth Of an inch. Five or six days
win be devoted to this work, after
which the boring of the enormous
tubes will be resumed. and it is ex-
pected that about September IS the
tunnel shields which have been push
ing forward from the two sides of
the river Will meet The Pennsylva:
mia railroad win then have for the
first time a means of reaching Man
haitian Island entirely over land.
This event will also mark the begin
ming of the completion Of what is
probably the boIdest engineering feat
In history:
When work was stopped Saturday
night the shields were 1875 feet apart.
The examination of the next few days
will determine how accurate were the
preliminary surveys and Preparations
which extended over period of a
year. 1t is believed by those in charge
of the work that the grade, level and
.I,.,r,art M both thase huge tubes
will be found to rest within an inch
of where they were supposed to be.
II there Is even SO slight variation
as this, 1t will be corrected SO that
when the shields finally meet under
the middle of the river. they will tele,
scope as accurately as the sliding of
one tube within another.
In order to make this checking as
accurate as possible the south tunnel
from the Jersey shore has been run
ahead Of Its mate. so that now it over.
laps the northern tunnel starting from
the New York shore. Pipes will be
driven across the fourteen feet that
separate the tubes. and angles run
which will show how nearly the en-
gineers have kept to the line and ele-
walton planned.
This thorough review" upon which
SO much depends, will be under the
personal direction OF Charles NJ. ia
cobs. chief engineer, and James For
gle, principal assistant engineer. OF
the North river tunnel work The
most improved instruments science
has produced will be utilized. The
entire distance of both tunnels, 1000
feet between the shafts on each side
of the river. will be measured and re-
measured. No, chances Of any kind
will be taken.
Some idea of the methods pursued
in work OF this character may be
gathered from the fact that during the
progress of this work measurements
of the most exact character have been
taken every day and night, for the
work has gone on continuously. Every
variation in temperature has been
carefully regarded. In making meas
urements and alfgnments II an error
of as much as one-thousandth of a
foot was found. the work was re-sur-
veyed.
Charles Nj. Jacobs. the chief en-
gineer Of this part Of the work, and
who has had to do with the building
of more tunnels probably than any
other living man, said today:
ave have now reached a stlge
where all our fine preliminary instru-
mental work must prove its accuracy.
Here we have two enormous steel
tubes of twenty-three feet in DIANE
ter driven for 5000 feet under water
and yet expected to join as accurately
as the sections of bridge which can
be continually measured with regard
to their related parts. We feel con-
fident that our work Will be a SEC
cess. Nevertheless. it is only when
the actual fact is proved that we can
heave a sigh of relief and be ref 'esh-
ed to continue our labOrs toward a
completion of our task"