New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-08
TUNNELS NEARLY MEET
UNDER THE EAST RIVER.
Road Nay BE Operated by Nert
FebrUQru.

ings OF the East River tunnel would meet be-
fore the end of the year and that the road would
be ready for operation six weeks later. This
does not mean that the Fulton street or Flat
bush avenue sections OF the subway in Brook
lyn will be ready at that time. No official
announcement OF the time it will take to COM
plete this part OF the work was given, but an
engineer who is not connected with the board.
but is familiar with the work. said it would
probably take until June or July.
The four years which were allowed to the
Rapid Transit Construction Company TO COM
plete the Brooklyn tunnel and subway expire
next Tuesday No application has been re-
ceived for extension OF time. and Mr.. Bur
rows. secretary 10 the board. instructed 10
communicate with August Belmont, president
of the construction company, calling his atten-
ton 10 the expiration Of the time and the clause
in the contract which says that 1 per cent
shall he deducted from all payments made for
work completed after September IL. 1905
communication was received from the City
Club objecting 10 the construction Of more ele-
waited tracks and making suggestions for a
comprehensive development OF the subway sys-
tenn The City Club suggests that 18th street
be made the centre of the subway system 1t
suggests line from the present subway down
18th street 10 Ninth avenue. TO Greenwich street.
to Liberty street. Crosstown lines at Grand
and Canal streets are suggested. the former
connecting with the Williamsburg Bridge and
the latter with the Manhattan Bridge The
City Club also advocates another East River
tunnel at 18th street. coming out at North 9TH
street in Brooklyn and running down briggs
avenue 10 Bedford avenue, and thence 10 La
fayette avenue. and down the latter street to
connect with the present subway in FIatbush
avenue. It also suggests a subway from the
Borough Hall station OF the present BROOKLYN
subway down Montague street and under the
river 10 connect with the Greenwich street sub
way at Liberty street. Manhattan.
Acting Mayor MCGOWAN and Controller Metz
were particularly interested in the proposed con-
nection between the Brooklyn and Williams
burg bridges. but Chief Engineer Rice said Il
VIII be ten days before the report on the various
ways of making the connection IS completed.
He had been asked to prepare plans and esti-
mates OF cost for the elevated connection and
other feasible connections.
Controller Metz who had lust come from a
conference with President Winter Of the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit Company and Vice President
Bryan or the InterbOrOugh Company told the
commission that the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company was willing TO do anything that would
relieve the congestion of the Brooklyn Bridge
He said that the Interborough was anxious 10
have more tracks To bring its Second avenue
trains down 10 the City Hall. and he thought
IT would agree 10 the double decking of It's
line for the cars Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company II II could also get its Second
avenue cars TO the Brooklyn Bridge station. He
also said that the Interborough company was
anxious 60 get a franchise for third track, and
was willing 20 take temporary franchise.
Chief Engineer Rice presented the following
report on the East River tunnel:
The work has advanced during the summer
months. but all four headings are at present
either entirely or partially in rock and this has
necessarily retarded progress. In the north tun-
mel on the Brooklyn side the quality of the rock
is improving and permits OF better progress than
obtained heretofore; the borings indicate that
this rock will disappear within the next 100
feet. when softer material will be encountered.
IN the south heading, which IS a couple OF
months behind the north heading, there is
enough rock cover to insure AGAINST recur-
renee of the blOw-outs of last June which re-
suited In considerable loss OF time.
The distance between the Manhattan and the
Brooklyn headings is about 720 feet in the north
tube and $50 feet in the south tube. OF this dis
lance about GOO feet in each tube will probably
be entirely in soft material where rapid progress
can be made. We anticipate that these head
ings will meet about the latter part of the year.
In response to a petition from merchants in
Fulton street. Brooklyn. asking that work on
that portion of the subway be expedited as much
possible Mr.. Rice submitted report on the
progress there. He said in part:
Work I'm Fulton street has been in progress for
a little less than two years. and for the greater
part of the distance for less than a year
Early in April of last year. when it appeared
likely that the structure in Fulton street and
Flatbush avenue would be enlarged from a two
track subway 10 a fOuT-track subway which
would also provide for connection with future
routes. the work these portions was sus-
pended, except in such minor locations as would
not be affected by the contemplated change At
the present time considerably more actual work
has been done than would have been required
by the entire section if completed on the orig
inal lines. Nearly $2.2J0O0O has been added 10
this contract by the additional tracks in Flat
bush avenue, and much of this cost is due 10 the
necessity or undermining buildings along the
line OF the tunnel and supporting the elevated
railroad structure.
There is every indication that Fulton street
from BOerum Place 10 Hanover Place viii be-
subway Instructions by December / next with
the possible exception OF the sides of the Hoyt
street station. necessarily delayed on account OF
the peculiar construction of the place
The progress OF this work has been unprece-
denied In volume 1t has been very large and
IL has been well managed. No similar work not
even excepting the Manhattan Bronx subway
which was very nearly completed in contract
time, has been pushed rapidly as Is being
done I'm Fulton street. Everything now tends
20 the completion OF the main part of Fulton
street before the holiday seasOn begins.
Mr. Rice also presented a report on the prog
ress Of ventilating the subway He said that
the openings in vault lights and introduction Of
gratings. which were completed on July ri had
added 100 square feet Of effective openings
for air At the stations of the fourteen air
chambers 10 be put in between the stations two
at Duane street had been put I'm operation. Four
others were practically completed Mr. Rice
said that the cooling plant at the BROOKLYN
Bridge station had proved successful After il
had been I'm operation for fourteen hours the
temperature I'm the station had been reduced
seven degrees, down 10 the figures on the street.
Before the plant was started the air at the
Brooklyn Bridge station from two 10 six
degrees hotter than at the 18th street and Grand
Central stations The reverse Is now the case.